Abstract:
A server and a monitoring method for the server is presented. The server communicates with a mobile device via wireless and includes an intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) architecture to monitor all aspects of the running of the server in real time. The method includes steps of: acquiring running information of the server when the IPMI architecture detects that an abnormal operation condition the server has been detected or the time duration of a monitoring cycle has elapsed; converting the acquired information into a format suitable for the SMS and generating an SMS message containing the running information of the server; and outputting the SMS message and sending the SMS message to the mobile device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure relates to servers and, more particularly, to a server and a monitoring method in relation to the server. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A server may perform large-scale data processing. An administrator may work beside the server to monitor the running of the server all the time, or remotely monitor the running of the server via a network, to be assured of the normal running of the server. However, the administrator must use his own time to initiate and carry out an examination of the running of the server, thereby wasting a lot of time of the administrator. 
         [0005]    Therefore, what is needed is a server to overcome the described shortcoming. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a server communicating with a mobile device to enable monitoring in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the server of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a control unit of the server of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIGS. 4-6  contain a flowchart of a monitoring method applied to the server of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a server communicating with a mobile device to enable monitoring in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The server  10  communicates with the mobile device  30  via a wireless communication system (not shown). For example, the mobile device  30  may be a mobile phone. An administrator of the server  10  can carry the mobile device  30 . 
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the server of  FIG. 1 . The server  10  includes an intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) architecture  22 , a communication unit  33 , a control unit  44 , and a storage unit  55 . The IPMI architecture  22  monitors aspects of the running of the server  10  in real time. The control unit  44  is electrically connected with the IPMI architecture  22  and controls communication between the server  10  and the mobile device  30 . The communication unit  33  sends signals to the mobile device  30  and receives signals from the mobile device  30 . The storage unit  55  stores information, such as running information of the server  10 , and a monitoring cycle, such as every two hours. 
         [0012]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the control unit  44  includes a determination module  420 , a short-message converting module  430 , an information acquiring module  440 , a timing module  450 , an incoming-call processing module  460 , an information updating module  470 , and a short-message output module  480 . 
         [0013]    The determination module  420  waits for an indication from the IPMI architecture  22  that an abnormal operation condition in the server  10  has been detected. When the IPMI architecture  22  detects that the server  10  has an abnormal operation condition, the information acquiring module  440  acquires information as to the abnormal operation condition of the server  10 . For example, an abnormal operation condition may include a too-high temperature of a CPU of the server  10 . Such information belongs to the running information of the server  10 . The short-message converting module  430  converts the acquired information as to the abnormality into a format suitable for short message service (SMS) and generates an SMS message containing the acquired information. The short-message output module  480  outputs the SMS message from the short-message converting module  430  and controls the communication unit  33  to send the SMS message to the mobile device  30 . For example, the communication unit  33  may send an SMS message stating “too-high temperature of CPU” to the mobile device  30 , thus the administrator of the server  10 , or the carrier of the mobile device  30 , can without any delay receive information as to an abnormality of the server  10 , to be assured of a normal running of the server  10 . 
         [0014]    The timing module  450  measures time. When an elapsed time of the timing module  450  reaches the monitoring cycle, the information acquiring module  440  acquires current running information of the server  10  even if no abnormality has been detected or reported. 
         [0015]    In another embodiment, the information acquiring module  440  acquires current running information of the server  10  in response to a command signal from the mobile device  30 . The short-message converting module  430  converts the current running information of the server  10  into the format suitable for the SMS and generates an SMS message containing the current running information. The short-message output module  480  outputs the SMS message from the short-message converting module  430  and controls the communication unit  33  to send the SMS message to the mobile device  30 . Therefore, the administrator of the server  10  can know the running situation of server  10  at the end of each monitoring cycle in any event, or at any time whenever the current running information of the server  10  is required. For example, the mobile device  30  may receive an SMS message from the server  10  and the contents of the SMS message include a first running parameter xxx and a second running parameter xxx between 8 am and 10 am on Jan. 1, 2012. 
         [0016]    The determination module  420  is able to determine the receipt by the communication unit  33  of any incoming-call signal from the mobile device  30 . When the determination module  420  has determined the receipt of an incoming-call signal from the mobile device  30 , the incoming-call processing module  460  recognizes contents of the incoming call and generates a request instruction in relation to the contents of the incoming call. That means that the request instruction reflects the needs of the administrator of the server  10 . The information updating module  470  controls the IPMI architecture  22  to execute the request instruction and update corresponding configurations of the server  10  according to the contents of the incoming call. For example, the contents of the incoming call are about turning up the rotation speed of fans, and the information updating module  470  turns up the rotation speed of fans. Therefore, the administrator of the server  10  can remotely control the running of the server  10  by the mobile device  30 , thereby ensuring the continued normal running of the server  10 . 
         [0017]      FIGS. 4-6  contain a flowchart of a monitoring method adapted for the server of  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , in step S 320 , the IPMI architecture  22  monitors aspects of the running of the server  10  in real time. In step S 330 , the determination module  420  becomes aware that the IPMI architecture  22  has detected an abnormal operation condition of the server  10 . In step S 340 , if the IPMI architecture  22  has detected an abnormal operation condition of the server  10 , the information acquiring module  440  acquires information of the server  10  as to the abnormality. In step S 350 , the short-message converting module  430  converts the information regarding the abnormality into a format suitable for the SMS and generates an SMS message containing the information of the server  10 . In step S 360 , the short-message output module  470  outputs the SMS message from the short-message converting module  430  and controls the communication unit  33  to send the SMS message to the mobile device  30 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , in step S 410 , the timing module  450  counts the passing of time, and when an elapsed time of the timing module  450  reaches the monitoring cycle, the information acquiring module  440  acquires current running information of the server  10 . In step S 420 , the short-message converting module  430  converts the current information into a format suitable for the SMS and generates an SMS message containing the current running information of the server  10 . In step S 430 , the short-message output module  470  outputs the SMS message from the short-message converting module  430  and controls the communication unit  33  to send the SMS message to the mobile device  30 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , in step S 510 , the determination module  420  determines the receipt of an incoming-call signal from the mobile device  30  by the communication unit  33 . In step S 520 , when the determination module  420  has made such a determination, the incoming-call processing module  460  recognizes contents of the incoming call and generates a request instruction in relation to the contents of the incoming call. In step S 530 , the information updating module  470  controls the IPMI architecture  22  to execute the request instruction and update corresponding configuration of the server  10  according to the request instruction, and the procedure ends. 
         [0020]    Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.