Patent ID: 6813634
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of producing failure alerts in a computer network containing a plurality of networked elements including at least one network router, at least one network management server, and at least one problem management server, said router being interconnected to several subnetworks, each subnetwork interconnecting several networked elements, said method comprising the steps of:monitoring transmissions via a computer network at least one status query message to each of said networked elements in said computer network; initiating a timer for awaiting receipt of valid status responses from each networked element in reply to each status query message; performing a fault tree analysis to determine the most likely single point of failure based upon a rule structure related to the topology of the computer network, said performance of fault tree analysis being invoked by expiration of the timer if less than all status responses are received; transmitting via a computer network to said problem management server at least one element failed message for said determined single point of failure such that said problem management server is notified of the most likely point of failure; receiving via a computer network one or more network element failed messages transmitted from said network management server; selecting one network element failed message based upon results of said fault tree analysis; and forwarding said selected network element failed message to said problem management server via a computer network, thereby, blocking the forwarding of all other network element failed messages received from the network management server from being received by said problem management server.