US5696486A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for policy-based alarm notification in a distributed network management environment
Assignee: Google LLC
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Filing: 1995-11-16
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Granted: 1997-12-09
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Expires: 2015-11-16
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for receiving alarms from multiple network management servers and applying a plurality of policy-based filters to the alarms. The filters may be named and stored in a database, and application of the policy-based filters may be scheduled for different times. The same policy-based filters may be applied to one or more multiple network management applications. The invention allows greater control over which alarms get reported to network management applications and provides a means to ensure consistency of reported alarms across multiple network management applications. A telephonic alarm notification method and apparatus incorporates the policy-based filters and the capability to process alarms from multiple network segment servers so that users can be accurately notified of critical alarms generated in large and complex communications networks, via a public communications system.
Inventors
- 👤 Lynn R. Poliquin
- 👤 Russell Arrowsmith
- 👤 Lundy Lewis
- 👤 William Tracy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:17
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/22; H04L41/04; H04L41/042; H04L41/06; H04L41/0681; H04L41/08; H04L41/0893
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
In a distributed network management environment including a plurality of network management servers (12), each server performing fault monitoring for a plurality of network entities in an associated network segment (174, 176) and generating alarms, a method of processing such alarms generated by the plurality of servers characterized in that: sending the alarms from the plurality of servers to an alarm monitor (14); assigning a policy to one or more associated applications (24), the policy comprising a plurality of filters and each filter including at least one filter parameter; the alarm monitor receiving the alarms from the plurality of servers and applying the policy to the alarms to determine a critical alarm which passes at least one filter, and the alarm monitor sending to the at least one associated application (24) an alarm notification identifying the critical alarm and the at least one filter passed by the critical alarm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a distributed network management environment including a plurality of network management servers (12), each server performing fault monitoring for a plurality of network entities in an associated network segment (174, 176) and generating alarms, a method of processing such alarms generated by the plurality of servers characterized in that: sending the alarms from the plurality of servers to an alarm monitor (14); assigning a policy to one or more associated applications (24), the policy comprising a plurality of filters and each filter including at least one filter parameter; the alarm monitor receiving the alarms from the plurality of servers and applying the policy to the alarms to determine a critical alarm which passes at least one filter, and the alarm monitor sending to the at least one associated application (24) an alarm notification identifying the critical alarm and the at least one filter passed by the critical alarm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, including: the associated applications (24) registering with the alarm monitor (14) to receive notification of the critical alarms which pass the policy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, including: scheduling the assigning step to occur at designated times such that the applied policy changes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the notifying step includes specifying real-time values of each filter parameter in the alarm notification.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, including: storing a plurality of policies and their associated policy means in a database (16) accessible to all servers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the assigning step includes assigning a tag (tag A, tag B, . . . ) to each filter and the notifying step includes specifying the tag for the filter which the critical alarm passed in the alarm notification.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the applying step comprises performing a logical AND of all parameters within one filter and performing a logical OR between all filters within one policy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the associated applications are network management applications.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the notifying step includes specifying a user name in the alarm notification to enable the associated application which receives the alarm notification to notify a user having the specified user name.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, including: scheduling (22) the frequency with which the policy is applied.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: following resolution of an alarm, forwarding an alarm clear message to the at least one associated application.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the assigning step includes assigning the same policy to multiple associated applications.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the assigning step is performed by a user via a graphical user interface (20).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: the alarm notification contains information about a network entity which generated the alarm determined to be the critical alarm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: one or more of the associated applications generating an alarm clear message and forwarding the same to the server which sent the alarm determined to be the critical alarm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein when the critical alarm is cleared an alarm clear notification is sent to the associated applications.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying step includes notifying a user of the critical alarms via a public communications system (194).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: the user sending a request message, via the public communications system (194), to be notified of the critical alarms; and waiting for the request message from the user before the step of notifying.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: storing alarm information (180) and user information (182) associated with the critical alarms.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: the user determining the policy by selecting the plurality of filters that comprise the policy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: the user setting the filter parameters of the plurality of filters.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the step of notifying includes the steps of: the user specifying predetermined time intervals for automatic notification of the critical alarms; and automatically notifying the user at the predetermined time intervals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 17 wherein, the step of notifying includes the steps of: the user specifying a predetermined location number on the public communications system (194) for receiving notification of the critical alarms; and the alarm monitor (186) calling the predetermined location number for notification of the critical alarms.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 23, wherein the step of notifying further includes the steps of: the user specifying a subsequent location number for receiving notification of the critical alarms; and if the predetermined location number cannot be reached, the alarm monitor (186) calling the subsequent location number for notification of the critical alarms.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the notifying step includes: requiring the user to provide a password before notifying the user of the critical alarm.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 17, wherein: the user clears the critical alarm and so notifies the alarm monitor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: the user specifying a communications device (188, 190, 192) on the public communications system; and notifying the user of the critical alarms via the communications device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the communications device is one of a telephone (188) and a pager (190).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5261044A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-12-08 | 2001-06-09 | 2001-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-08 | 2005-06-09 | 2005-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-08 | 2009-06-09 | 2009-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |