Monitoring system and method implementing automatic testing with a smart scanning algorithm

A computer readable medium having a program, the program comprising:

• (a) means for storing a channel plan and a test plan for each of a plurality of nodes, each channel plan having predefined specifications for signal channels on a respective node, said test plan having predefined tests for said respective node;
• (b) means for causing testing of a signal characteristic of each of said plurality of nodes using a test for each of said nodes that is defined in said test plan;
• (c) means for determining a test priority score for each of said nodes based at least upon said test;
• (d) means for establishing a priority for said nodes based upon said test priority scores;
• and
• (e) means for causing testing of a plurality of signal characteristics of said nodes in an order based upon said priority.

A method for enabling efficient monitoring of electrical signals communicated along connections, comprising:

• (a) storing a channel plan and a test plan for each of a plurality of nodes, each channel plan having predefined specifications for signal channels on a respective node, said test plan having predefined tests for said respective node;
• (b) testing a signal characteristic of each of said plurality of nodes using a test for each of said nodes that is defined in said test plan;
• (c) determining a test priority score for each of said nodes based at least upon said test;
• (d) establishing a priority for said nodes based upon said test priority scores;
• and
• (e) testing a plurality of signal characteristics of said nodes in an order based upon said priority.

A method for enabling efficient monitoring of electrical signals communicated along nodes, comprising:

• storing a channel plan and a test plan for each of said nodes, each channel plan having predefined specifications for signal channels on a respective node, said test plan having predefined tests for said respective node;
• initializing a quick scan loop timer and a performance loop timer;
• performing at least one quick scan test defined in said test plan upon said nodes;
• allocating a test priority score to each of said nodes based at least upon said quick scan test;
• prioritizing said nodes based upon said test priority scores to form an ordered test priority list;
• commencing testing of said nodes in an order defined by said test priority list, by performing either at least one diagnostic loop test or at least one performance loop test upon each node, based upon said performance loop timer and a predefined performance loop time period;
• refraining from performing any more of said testing on said nodes and re-initiating another said quick scan loop test based upon said quick scan loop timer and a predefined quick scan loop time period;
• and
• refraining from performing any more of said testing on said nodes and re-initiating another said quick scan loop test based upon a comparison of said test priority score associated with said one node and a predefined adequacy threshold.