# US 6,256,670 B1 · Alarm server systems, apparatus, and processes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,256,670 B1 - Document ID: US6256670B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/541,866 - Filed: 2000-04-03 - Granted: 2001-07-03 - Earliest claimed: 1998-02-27 - Assignees: Netsolve, Inc. - Inventors: Stephen W. Davies - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6256670B1 ## CPC - H04L 43/0805: by checking availability - H04L 41/0686: Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data - H04L 43/10: Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route - H04L 41/0213: Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP] - H04L 41/046: comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A system used to manage a network by monitoring at least one interface of the network comprises a poller, a server, and a database, all in communication with one another. The poller continuously checks the at least one interface of the network by continuously sending out a poller query message to at least one interface of the network. The poller suspects a first interface of at least one interface of failing when the poller does not receive a poller reply message in response to the query messages from the first interface within a first time period. The poller sends an alert signal to the server notifying the server that the first interface of the at least one interface may be failing when the poller suspects the first interface of the at least one interface is failing. After receiving the alert signal the server sends out at least one server query signal to the first interface, the server monitors the response to determine whether the first interface replies to at least one server query signal by sending at least one server replay message. The server evaluates at least one server replay message to determine whether the first interface is failing. The database contains information concerning at least one interface of the network. When the server determines the first interface is failing, the server pulls first information concerning the first interface and sends an alarm signal with the first information to client applications modules. A process to monitor at least one interface on a network comprises the following steps: (a) continuously sending Get Requests to at least one interface; (b) monitoring any first replies received from at least one interface to the Get Requests to determine whether a reply is received at a first time from each interface of at least one interface; (c) sending an alert message to a server, if a reply is not received from a first interface of at least one interface; (d) sending at least one server query to the first interface by the server; and (e) monitoring any second replies received from the first interface in response to at least one server query by the server to determine whether the first interface has failed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A network monitoring system comprising: a poller operable to exchange messages with a plurality of interfaces of a plurality of network devices, the poller operable to communicate a first get message to the plurality of interfaces, to receive a reply message from each of the plurality of interfaces, and to generate an interface alarm message when an interface does not communicate a reply message back within a first time period; a database that includes information on the plurality of interfaces; and a server operable to receive the interface alarm message, and to communicate a second get message to the interface to verify that the interface is not responding, the server operable to generate a failed interface message, query the database to retrieve information on the interface, and to communicate the failed interface message and information retrieved from the database to a client application if the interface does not communicate a reply message back within a second time period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the server is operable to send a third get message to the interface if the interface does not communicate a reply message back to the poller within a second time period, the server operable to generate the failed interface message and to communicate the failed interface message and information retrieved from the database to the client application if the interface does not communicate a reply message back within a third time period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the server is operable to log information in the database related to the interface failing to communicate the reply message back to the poller within the second time period if the interface does not communicate the reply message back to the poller within the second time period. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the client application includes a display server operable to receive the failed interface message and the information retrieved from the database, generate a client application interface in response, and to communicate the client application interface to a client for display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The network monitoring system of claim 4, further comprising: a plurality of clients operable to receive and display the client application interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The network monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the server and the client server are in a client/server relationship. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the client application includes a client application interface that includes active alarm information and historical information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The network monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the historical information includes active alarm failure events and alarm clearing events. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The network monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the historical information includes network interface address information, physical location information, and contact information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The network monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the active alarm information is presented in an hierarchical manner. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The network monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the hierarchy includes customer identification information, location information, network device information, and interface information. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising: a second poller operable to exchange messages with a second plurality of interfaces of a plurality of network devices, the second poller operable to communicate a first get message to the second plurality of interfaces, to receive a reply message from each of the second plurality of interfaces, and to generate an interface alarm message when an interface does not communicate a reply message back within a designated time period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller is operable to exchange messages with around 30,000 interfaces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller is operable to exchange messages with at least 30,000 interfaces. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of pollers each operable to exchange messages with a defined plurality of interfaces of a plurality of network devices, each poller operable to communicate a first get message to its defined plurality of interfaces, to receive a reply message from each of the defined plurality of interfaces, and to generate an interface alarm message when an interface does not communicate a reply message back within a designated time period. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller and the server are in a client/server relationship. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the messages exchanged between the network monitoring system and the plurality of interfaces use the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the database includes a list of interfaces that identifies the plurality of interfaces. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the database is operable to store information related to failed interfaces. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein more than one interface of the plurality of interfaces may be associated with one network device of the plurality of network devices. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network devices may be part of one or more different networks. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the interface alarm message identifies the interface that did not respond. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller is operable to communicate a first get message to the plurality of interfaces within a minute. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller is operable to communicate a first get message to the plurality of interfaces within ninety seconds. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The network monitoring system of claim 24, wherein the poller is send get messages to around 30,000 interfaces. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller is operable to communicate a first get message to the plurality of interfaces within a programmable period of time. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the number of pollers used in the network monitoring system is scalable. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller is operable to communicate a first get message to the plurality of interfaces at defined and successive intervals. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the database includes multiple tables. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the messages are exchanged using sockets. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the poller is operable to communicate the first get message to the plurality of interfaces in parallel. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The network monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the first time period and the second time period are the same. ### Claim 33 A network monitoring system comprising: a poller operable to exchange messages with a plurality of interfaces of a plurality of network devices, the poller operable to communicate a get message to the plurality of interfaces over a defined period of time and on successive occasions, to receive a reply message from each of the plurality of interfaces in response to each get message within a given period of time, and to generate an interface alarm message when an interface does not communicate a reply message back in response to the get message within the given period of time on a threshold number of occasions; a database that includes information on the plurality of interfaces; and a server operable to receive the interface alarm message generated by the poller, and to communicate a get message to the interface on successive occasions to verify that the interface is not responding, the server operable to generate a failed interface message, query the database to retrieve information on the interface, and to communicate the failed interface message and information retrieved from the database to a client application if the interface does not communicate a reply message back in response to the get message communicated by the server within a desired period of time on a predetermined number of occasions. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the threshold number of occasions is two consecutive occasions. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the threshold number of occasions is three consecutive occasions. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the threshold number of occasions is defined as seventy percent of the time. ### Claim 37 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the predetermined number of occasions is defined as seventy percent of the time. ### Claim 38 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the predetermined number of occasions is defined as sixty percent of the time. ### Claim 39 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the predetermined number of occasions is six or fewer occasions in ten attempts. ### Claim 40 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the server is operable to communicate a message to the poller indicating that an interface is not responding if the interface does not communicate a reply message back in response to the get message communicated by the server within a desired period of time for a predetermined number of occasions. ### Claim 41 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the server is operable to communicate a message to the database indicating that an interface is not responding if the interface does not communicate a reply message back in response to the get message communicated by the server within a desired period of time for a predetermined number of occasions. ### Claim 42 (depends on 33) The network monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the server is operable to monitor a failed interface by periodically sending a get message to the interface and checking for a reply message. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The network monitoring system of claim 42, wherein the server is operable to generate a clear message once a failed interface begins to respond. ### Claim 44 A method for monitoring network interfaces comprising: communicating a first get message to a plurality of network interfaces; determining whether a reply message was received from each of the plurality of network interfaces within a first time period; generating an interface alarm message when an interface does not communicate a reply message back within the first time period; receiving the interface alarm message and, in response, communicating a second get message to the interface; determining whether a reply message was received in response to the second get message within a second time period; generating a failed interface message, querying a database to retrieve information on the interface, and communicating the failed interface message and information retrieved from the database to a client application when the interface does not communicate a reply message back within the second time period. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, further comprising: storing information in the database related to the failed interface. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, further comprising: receiving the failed interface message and the information retrieved from the database and generating a client application interface. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The method of claim 46, wherein the client application interface includes active alarm information and historical information. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the historical information includes active alarm failure events and alarm clearing events. ### Claim 49 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the historical information includes network interface address information, physical location information, and contact information. ### Claim 50 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the active alarm information is presented in an hierarchical manner. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The method of claim 50, wherein the hierarchy includes customer identification information, location information, network device information, and interface information. ### Claim 52 A method for monitoring network interfaces comprising: communicating a get message to a plurality of network interfaces on successive occasions; determining whether a reply message was received from each of the plurality of network interfaces within a given period of time; generating an interface alarm message when an interface does not communicate a reply message back within the given period of time on a threshold number of occasions; receiving the interface alarm message and, in response, communicating a get message to the interface on successive occasions; determining whether a reply message was received from the interface within a desired period of time; generating a failed interface message and querying a database to retrieve information on the interface, and communicating the failed interface message and information retrieved from the database to a client application when the interface does not communicate a reply message back within the desired period of time on a predetermined number of occasions. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the threshold number of occasions is two consecutive occasions. ### Claim 54 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the threshold number of occasions is three consecutive occasions. ### Claim 55 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the threshold number of occasions is defined as seventy percent of the time. ### Claim 56 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the predetermined number of occasions is defined as seventy percent of the time. ### Claim 57 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the predetermined number of occasions is defined as sixty percent of the time. ### Claim 58 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the predetermined number of occasions is six or fewer occasions in ten attempts.