Method for managing faults it a computer system enviroment

Abstract

Many computing system environments require continuous availability and high operational readiness. The ability to find, diagnose, and correct actual faults and potential faults in these systems is high. By combining a continually updated database of computing system performance with the ability to analyze that information to detect faults and then communicating that fault information to correct the fault or provide appropriate notification of the fault results in achieving the goals of high availability and operational readiness. FIG. ( 1 ) shows the data collectors ( 102, 104, 106 and 108 ) fault detectors ( 110 ) and policy actions ( 112 ) are combined to meet these goals.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for determining faults in a computing system environment comprising the acts of: 
 a) detecting the occurrence of a fault event;    b) comparing the fault event to a predetermined criteria to determine if said fault event corresponds to said predetermined criteria; and    c) if said correspondence occurs then communicating said fault event to a policy module.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein upon communicating said fault event triggers a policy action.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said policy action generates a pager signal.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said policy action generates an email.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said policy action generates a system reboot.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said policy action generates a system restart.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said policy action causes a switchover to another device.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said policy action generates a SNMP trap.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  for determining faults in a computing environment further comprising the acts of: 
 a) collecting operating data from the computing system and populating a database with said operating data; and  
 b) making said operating data in said database available to a detection module.  
 
     
     
         10 . A system for diagnosing faults in a computing system environment comprising: 
 a) means for collecting operating data from the computing system;    b) means for populating a database with said data;    c) means for detecting faults derived from said operating data;    d) means for communicating said faults to a policy module; and    e) means for said policy module to take appropriate action based on said communication.    
     
     
         11 . A method for diagnosing faults in a computing system environment comprising the acts of: 
 a) collecting operating system data;    b) storing the operating system data in a database accessible to a detector;    c) detecting a fault by reading the data using a first detector and comparing said data to a predetermined criteria;    d) communicating the fault to a second detector with said second detector capable of receiving multiple inputs from several said first detectors and;    e) causing a second communication to a policy module if the information received from the several first detectors meets a second predetermined criteria.