Priority Event Notification in Network Management Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

In network management systems, critical events are delayed due to the periodic replication and notification process, which treats all events equally, resulting in longer times for event notification to operators, even for critical events that require faster processing.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a priority message mechanism that pushes critical events directly to clients using a priority pathway, with a summary field list for context and an event key for detailed forwarding, allowing fast tracking of critical events without interfering with normal processing pathways.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If periodic replication and notification process is used to manage all events, then system scalability and load balancing are improved, but event notification time increases significantly for critical events

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem scalabilityVSAvoidevent notification time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the event notification system into two distinct pathways: a periodic replication pathway for normal events and a priority pathway for critical events. This segmentation allows the system to maintain scalable periodic processing while simultaneously providing fast notification for urgent events, resolving the contradiction between system scalability and event notification time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a priority message mechanism as an intermediary component that captures critical events and routes them through a dedicated priority pathway directly to operators, bypassing the periodic replication process. This intermediary mechanism enables fast notification of critical events without disrupting the scalable periodic processing architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If all events are processed through the same periodic replication process, then system complexity is reduced, but critical events cannot be distinguished and prioritized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing process complexityVSAvoidcritical event handling reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different processing characteristics to different types of events. Normal events continue to use the periodic replication process, while critical events are identified and routed through the priority pathway with immediate notification. This localized differentiation maintains simplicity for the majority of events while ensuring reliable handling of critical events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the notification parameter (time delay) based on event priority. Critical events are assigned a zero or minimal delay parameter and routed through the priority pathway, while normal events retain the periodic notification parameter. This parameter differentiation enables the system to maintain low complexity while reliably prioritizing critical events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2204010B1Method and apparatus for accelerated propagation of events in a network management system
Publication Date: 2013.07.31 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • EP2204010B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2204010B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2204010B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for a network management system comprising: a probe for intercepting a system event from a monitored system and creating event items or modifying event items associated with the system events; a collection database server collecting, in database of event items, a batch of new event items or modifications to an existing event items; a client; a replication means for periodically notifying a client of the batch of new event items or event item modification; and an acceleration mechanism for directly notifying the client of a new event item or modified event item independently of the periodic batch notification if the new or modified event item satisfies a priority condition.