Alert Notification Engine for Configurable Multi-Channel Messaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current alert notification systems in distributed computer networks, such as those used in SAP's APO and SCM applications, are limited in their ability to provide flexible communication settings, prioritize messages, and handle large volumes of alerts effectively, lacking advanced notification mechanisms like escalation processes and support for various message channels.
Innovation Solution
The development of an alert notification engine that allows for configurable alert profiles, supporting different message modes, channels, and notification mechanisms, including pull and push notifications, escalation processes, and integration with external messaging applications, enabling flexible and timely notification of users and partners based on predefined rules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional alert notification systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but flexibility in communication settings and message prioritization is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The alert notification system is segmented into distinct components: alert profiles for recipient-specific settings, message modes for different notification styles (individual, collective, aggregated), and multiple message channels (e-mail, fax, SMS, WAP). This segmentation allows each component to be configured independently, providing flexibility without overwhelming system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic notification profiles that can be adjusted based on alert priority, recipient preferences, and time settings. Users can dynamically switch between different message modes and channels, and the system adapts notification behavior based on escalation rules and time-dependent settings, providing versatility while maintaining manageable complexity through structured dynamics.
2Loss of information
If all alerts are notified individually, then complete information delivery is achieved, but message volume and processing load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by offering three message modes: individual messaging for critical alerts requiring immediate attention, collective messaging for grouping related alerts, and aggregated messaging for providing overview statistics. This allows the system to send only the necessary level of detail for each situation, preventing information loss while avoiding the excessive processing load of always sending individual messages for every alert.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of message aggregation level based on alert characteristics and recipient settings. By dynamically adjusting whether to send individual, collective, or aggregated messages, the system optimizes information delivery efficiency while maintaining completeness, reducing processing load without sacrificing necessary information.
3Reliability
If multiple message channels are supported, then notification coverage is improved, but system complexity and configuration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal notification profile framework that handles multiple message channels (e-mail, fax, SMS, WAP) through a common configuration structure. The same profile template and parameter set applies across all channels, allowing users to configure once and deploy universally, improving notification reliability across different channels while maintaining ease of operation through standardized configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The alert notification engine acts as an intermediary layer between the alert source and multiple message channels. This mediator handles the complexity of channel-specific protocols and formatting, presenting a unified configuration interface to users while managing the diversity of underlying channels, thus improving reliability without increasing user-facing complexity.
4Reliability
If escalation processes are implemented, then alert confirmation is improved, but notification complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary action by pre-configuring escalation rules and time settings in advance. Escalation profiles define in advance which recipients to notify, what time intervals to use, and which channels to employ if alerts remain unconfirmed. This preliminary setup allows the escalation process to execute automatically with minimal processing overhead, improving confirmation reliability without significant time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The escalation mechanism uses periodic action by checking alert confirmation status at predefined time intervals and sending follow-up notifications according to the escalation profile. This structured periodic approach ensures reliable alert confirmation while maintaining efficient processing by only acting when necessary, rather than continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for encapsulating functions to select or filter alerts relevant for messaging to specific recipients, to create appropriate alert notification messages and to actively send them through various message channels. This may be done according to rules depending on content of alert, recipient, and time. As an example, the present invention allows selecting alerts from connected applications, to process them, and to send alert notification messages to the intended recipients.