# US 10,771,311 B2 · Communication of event messages in computing systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,311 B2 - Document ID: US10771311B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/249,175 - Filed: 2019-01-16 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-08 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Andrew S. Feltham; Colin I. Holyoake; Elizabeth J. Maple - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771311B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/06: Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications - H04L 43/0811: by checking connectivity - H04L 45/22: {Alternate routing} - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method and system. A first computer device sends to a second computer device, via a broadcast or multicast communication, an event notification of a notifiable management event, The first computer device may connect to a management network via only a first network switch, wherein the first computer device is unable to notify a management device of the notifiable management event via the management network because the first computer device is unable to connect to the management network via the first network switch. The first computer device receives, from the second computer device via a first unicast communication, an acknowledgment of the event notification, wherein the second computer device is able to connect to the management network via the second network switch. The broadcast or multicast communication and the first unicast communication each use a short-range wireless communications technology comprising visible light communication or data-over-audio communication. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, said method comprising: sending, by a first computer device to a second computer device via a broadcast or multicast communication, an event notification of a notifiable management event, wherein the first computer device may connect to a management network via only a first network switch, wherein the first computer device is unable to notify a management device of the notifiable management event via the management network because the first computer device is unable to connect to the management network via the first network switch, wherein the first computer device and the second computer device are physically separated by an aisle; receiving, by the first computer device from the second computer device via a first unicast communication, an acknowledgment of the event notification, wherein the second computer device is able to connect to the management network via the second network switch, wherein the broadcast or multicast communication and the first unicast communication each use a short-range wireless communications technology comprising visible light communication or data-over-audio communication. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a first row of computer devices comprise the first computer device, wherein a second row of computer devices comprise the second computer device, and wherein the first row of computer devices and the second row of computer devices are physically separated by the aisle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein each computer device in the first row may connect to the management network via only the first network switch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first computer device is opposite the first computer device across the aisle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, said method further comprising: maintaining, by the first computer device, a log of management events relating to the first computer device, and in response to said receiving the acknowledgment of the event notification, recording, by the first computer device, the notifiable management event in the log of management events. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, said method further comprising: receiving, by the first computer device from the second computer device via a second unicast communication, data communications that include a management request from the management device on the management network; processing, by the first computer device, the management request to provide a management response, and sending, by the first computer device to the second computer device via a third unicast communication, the management response for forwarding, by the second computer device, the management response to the management device over the management network, wherein the second unicast communications and the third unicast communication use the short-range wireless communications technology. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, said method further comprising: receiving, by the second computer device from the first computer device via the broadcast or multicast communication, the event notification of the notifiable management event; determining, by the second computer device, that the second computer device should handle the event notification, and in response to said determining that the second computer device should handle the event notification, sending, by the second computer device to the first computer device via the first unicast communication, the acknowledgment of the event notification. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein, prior to said sending the acknowledgment of the event notification, the method further comprises: sending, by the second computer device to the management device over the management network, the event notification; and receiving, by the second computer device from the management device over the management network, the acknowledgment of the event notification. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, said method further comprising: receiving, by the second computer device from the management device over the management network, a management message including a request to establish a tunnel-through bidirectional link with the first computer device for management data communications; in response to said receiving the management request, the second computer device setting up a bidirectional unicast communication link with the first computer device, wherein the bidirectional unicast communication uses the short-range wireless communications technology. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, said method further comprising: facilitating management data communications between the management device and the first computer device using unicast communication over the bidirectional link. ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: a first computer device, said system configured to execute a method, said method comprising: sending, by the first computer device to a second computer device via a broadcast or multicast communication, an event notification of a notifiable management event, wherein the first computer device may connect to a management network via only a first network switch, wherein the first computer device is unable to notify a management device of the notifiable management event via the management network because the first computer device is unable to connect to the management network via the first network switch, wherein the first computer device and the second computer device are physically separated by an aisle; receiving, by the first computer device from the second computer device via a first unicast communication, an acknowledgment of the event notification, wherein the second computer device is able to connect to the management network via the second network switch, wherein the broadcast or multicast communication and the first unicast communication each use a short-range wireless communications technology comprising visible light communication or data-over-audio communication. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein a first row of computer devices comprise the first computer device, wherein a second row of computer devices comprise the second computer device, and wherein the first row of computer devices and the second row of computer devices are physically separated by the aisle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein each computer device in the first row may connect to the management network via only the first network switch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the first computer device is opposite the first computer device across the aisle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, said method further comprising: maintaining, by the first computer device, a log of management events relating to the first computer device, and in response to said receiving the acknowledgment of the event notification, recording, by the first computer device, the notifiable management event in the log of management events. ### Claim 16 A computer program product, comprising one or more computer readable hardware storage devices having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code executable by one or more processors to implement a method, said method comprising: sending, by a first computer device to a second computer device via a broadcast or multicast communication, an event notification of a notifiable management event, wherein the first computer device may connect to a management network via only a first network switch, wherein the first computer device is unable to notify a management device of the notifiable management event via the management network because the first computer device is unable to connect to the management network via the first network switch, wherein the first computer device and the second computer device are physically separated by an aisle; receiving, by the first computer device from the second computer device via a first unicast communication, an acknowledgment of the event notification, wherein the second computer device is able to connect to the management network via the second network switch, wherein the broadcast or multicast communication and the first unicast communication each use a shirt-range wireless communications technology comprising visible light communication or data-over-audio communication. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, said method further comprising: receiving, by the first computer device from the second computer device via a second unicast communication, data communications that include a management request from the management device on the management network; processing, by the first computer device, the management request to provide a management response, and sending, by the first computer device to the second computer device via a third unicast communication, the management response for forwarding, by the second computer device, the management response to the management device over the management network, wherein the second unicast communications and the third unicast communication use the short-range wireless communications technology. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, said method further comprising: receiving, by the second computer device from the first computer device via the broadcast or multicast communication, the event notification of the notifiable management event; determining, by the second computer device, that the second computer device should handle the event notification, and in response to said determining that the second computer device should handle the event notification, sending, by the second computer device to the first computer device via the first unicast communication, the acknowledgment of the event notification. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer program product of claim 18, wherein, prior to said sending the acknowledgment of the event notification, the method further comprises: sending, by the second computer device to the management device over the management network, the event notification; and receiving, by the second computer device from the management device over the management network, the acknowledgment of the event notification. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The computer program product of claim 18, said method further comprising: receiving, by the second computer device from the management device over the management network, a management message including a request to establish a tunnel-through bidirectional link with the first computer device for management data communications; in response to said receiving the management request, the second computer device setting up a bidirectional unicast communication the first computer device, wherein the bidirectional unicast communication uses the short-range wireless communications technology.