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Description  |
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TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of computer systems management and more particularly to a method and system for managing computer systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Computer systems have become pervasive in today's society. Although computer systems may provide many advantages that make work easier, computer systems often require maintenance. To assist in maintaining a computer system, infrastructure
management tools are often employed. In some infrastructure management tools, an important aspect of infrastructure management is monitoring. Monitoring tools may try to detect errors in computer systems before they turn into problems and to react to
possible problems before a customer experiences a problem and calls a help desk associated with the computer system.
In one monitoring system, an event may be generated for each monitored item that does not conform to established criteria. An event describes the specifics of the affected device, the reason for non-conformance, and additionally provides control
information, such as severity, class, or the time that the problem was detected. The event information may be consolidated within an event manager. The event manager handles the display functions and processing of the events. One example of an event
manager is the Tivoli Enterprise Console, available from Tivoli Systems of Austin, Tex.
The Tivoli Enterprise Console may handle all event processing for monitored devices and may present that information to monitoring operators. Conventionally, the monitoring operators assess all incoming events, investigate the possible causes,
and apply proper correction procedures if necessary. If the monitoring operators decide that further escalation is necessary for an event or that other support groups need to be involved for solving the problem, then a help desk system may require the
event information.
Help desk systems manage assignment of tasks related to solving various problems that may be experienced by a computer system. One example of a help desk system is ServiceCenter, available from Peregrine Systems, Inc. Although the Tivoli
Enterprise Console and the ServiceCenter help desk each provide improvements to system management, the independent use of each of these creates several disadvantages. For example, events generated by the Tivoli Enterprise Console that require further
assignment and escalation conventionally must be entered into the ServiceCenter help desk system manually. This procedure may retard or deter the overall problem solving process. In addition, in order to provide status tracking, an event identification
number needs to be stored in each system. However, manual input of such an identification number may cause a considerable amount of overhead. Moreover, synchronization between the two management tools, which is desirable to provide the same problem
information and event information to each management tool, cannot be readily achieved through separate use of each management tool because such synchronization may require help desk operators to have access to both management tools. Finally, manual
integration of these two management tools could introduce typographical errors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, a need has arisen for a new method and apparatus that addresses the disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art. The invention comprises a method and system for managing a computer system.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method of managing a computer system includes receiving event information at a Tivoli Enterprise Console, the event information associated with the computer system. The method also includes receiving a
command to provide a portion of the event information to a help desk application program and automatically providing the event information in a format readable by a ServiceCenter help desk application program in response to receiving a command to provide
a portion of the event information to a help desk application program.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a management system for managing a monitored device in a computer system includes a computing system having at least one processor and at least one memory accessible by the at least one processor. The management system also includes a Tivoli Enterprise Console event management system stored in the computing system. The event management system is operable to receive and process an event having event information. The event is associated with the
monitored devices. The management system also includes a ServiceCenter help desk application program stored in the computing system. The ServiceCenter help desk application program is operable to process a problem record. The management system also
includes interface programming stored on the computing system that operable to provide the event information associated with the event to the help desk application program in a format readable by the help desk application program.
The invention provides numerous technical advantages. For example, the invention automatically provides information associated with an event received by an event manager to a help desk application, thus alleviating any delay associated with
manual entry of this information and preventing errors associated with manual entry of this information. Furthermore, the status of the problem solution process, which is conventionally available to the help desk application, is automatically provided
to the event manager. Thus the current status of the problem solving process can be known by operators of both management systems, rather than solely known by operators of the help desk application.
Moreover, any overhead associated with manually providing the problem solving status to the event manager is avoided. In addition, a problem identification number associated with the problem solving by the help desk application is automatically
provided to the event manager, allowing status tracking without additional cost associated with manual entry of such an identification number.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a systems management system according to the teachings of the present invention;
FIG. 2A is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps associated with exchanging information between an event manager application program and a help desk application program according to the present invention;
FIG. 2B is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps of a portion of the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 2A, showing additional details associated with automatic generation of a trouble ticket and opening and processing of a problem record;
FIG. 2C is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps of a portion of the flow chart shown in FIG. 2C, illustrating steps associated with monitoring processing of a problem record; and
FIG. 2D is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps of a portion of the flow chart shown in FIG. 2B, illustrating steps associated with executing a trouble ticket script.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention and its advantages are best understood by referring to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2A through 2D of the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings. FIG. 1 is a block
diagram of one embodiment of a systems management system 10 according to the teachings of the present invention. Systems management system 10 allows for support of computer systems or devices by automatically providing information exchange between an
event manager application program and a help desk application program.
Systems management system 10 preferably includes computing devices 100 and 200; however, computing devices 100 and 200 may be replaced with any suitable number of computing devices, including a sole computing device. Systems management system 10
receives signals from device monitors 500. Device monitors 500 monitor managed devices 400.
Managed devices 400 may include a variety of types of devices for which monitoring is desired. Exemplary types of devices suitable for management by systems management system 10 include peripherals 410, software 420, network connections 430, and
other types of hardware 440. Non-conformance of managed device 400 with established criteria causes an event (not explicitly shown) to be generated.
Device monitors 500 are illustrated in block diagram form in FIG. 1 and may include a variety of different types of monitors, depending on the type of managed device. Device monitors 500 are shown as including device monitors 510, 520, 530, and
540; however, any suitable number of device monitors may be employed. Device monitors 510, 520, 530, and 540 produce event signals 515, 525, 535, and 545. Event signals 515, 525, 535, and 545 include event information associated with an event generated
due to non-conformance of a managed device 400 with established criteria.
Event information may include, for example, details of the non-conforming managed device, the reason for non-conformance, control information such as problem severity, class of the problem, and the time the non-conformance was detected, and other
suitable information. This event information received from device monitors 510, 520, 530, and 540 is consolidated within an event manager application program. An event manager application program handles display of event information to a monitoring
operator and processing of event information. One example of an event manager application program is an event manager application program 130, which is illustrated in FIG. 1 and described in greater detail below.
Computing device 100 preferably includes a processor 110 and a memory 120. Processor 110 may be operable to execute and access information stored in memory 120. Memory 120 may include storage devices, such as disk drives or other suitable
methods for storing data, as well as random access memory. In one embodiment, computing device 100 utilizes a UNIX operating system; however, any suitable type of computing device running on any suitable operating system may be used. Memory 120 stores
event manager application program 130. In one embodiment, event manager application program 130 is a Tivoli Enterprise Console, produced by Tivoli Systems of Austin, Tex.
Event manager application program 130 is operable to process each of event signals 515, 525, 535, and 545 from device monitors 500 and to present the event information associated with each of event signals 515, 525, 535 and 545 to monitoring
operators (not explicitly shown) for assessment. These monitoring operators may investigate the possible causes of non-conformance and apply proper correction procedures if necessary. If a monitoring operator decides that further attention to an event
is necessary or that other support groups need to be involved to address the event, event information contained in event signals 515, 525, 535, or 545 is automatically transmitted from event manager application program 130 to a help desk application
program. The help desk application program controls the overall problem management process.
Event information contained in event signals 515, 525, 535, or 545 may be automatically transmitted upon command by a monitoring operator. An example of a monitoring operator commanding the automatic transmission of event information contained
in event signals 515, 525, 535, or 545 is a monitoring operator requesting the generation of a trouble ticket by clicking an option button in a menu bar of a computer display associated with event manager application program 130. In response to clicking
an option button in a menu bar, as discussed in greater detail below, a Unix shell script is launched. The Unix shell script initiates the automatic transfer of event information contained in event signals 515, 525, 535, or 545. In another embodiment,
event information contained in event signals 515, 525, 535, or 545 is also automatically sent to a help desk application program, but a command from a monitoring operator is not utilized. Rather, event manager application program 130 detects certain
predetermined conditions associated with an event and, based on detecting certain predetermined conditions, automatically transmits the event information contained in event signals 515, 525, 535, or 545.
Event manager application program 130 is accessible to users through a number of suitable techniques. For example, a personal computer 140 running appropriate software or a workstation 150 may be used to access event manager application program
130.
Computing device 200 preferably includes a processor 210 and a memory 220 accessible by processor 210. In one embodiment, computing device 200 utilizes a UNIX operating system; however, computing device 200 may use any suitable operating system. Stored in memory 220 is a help desk application program 230. In one embodiment, help desk application program 230 is a ServiceCenter application program, available from Peregrine Systems Inc. Help desk application program 230 includes an input queue
250, a problem record processing programming 270, and an output queue 280. Each of these portions of help desk application program 230 is discussed in greater detail below. Help desk application program 230 may also contain additional programming.
Help desk application program 230 is accessible through a variety of techniques. For example, a help desk client 286, which is, for example, a dedicated personal computer or workstation directly connected to computing device 200 may be used to
access help desk application program 230. Alternatively, for example, help desk application program 230 may also be accessed through a workstation 294 connected to a mainframe computer 290, which is in turn directly connected to computing device 200.
According to the teachings of the invention, help desk application program 230 receives event information received by event manager application program 130, opens a problem record (not explicitly shown), processes the problem record, and returns
status information associated with the problem record for eventual receipt by event manager application program 130.
Interface programming 160 may be stored in memory 120, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Alternatively, interface programming 160 may be stored in any suitable location, such as within memory 220, or within memory located in another computing device.
Interface programming 160 facilitates automatic communication of information between event manager application program 130 and help desk application program 230.
Portions of memory 120 are preferably accessible, not only by processor 110, but also by processor 210. Thus, execution of either event manager application program 130 by processor 110 or help desk application program 230 by processor 210 can
alter portions of an input file 176 and an output file 180. Although computing devices 100 and 200 are shown as separate computing devices, each containing a separate processor and memory, these two separate computing devices 100, 200 may be replaced
with a single computing device.
In one embodiment, interface programming 160 receives event information from event manager application program 130, interprets this event information, and provides this event information in an understandable format to help desk application
program 230 for processing. In response to receiving this event information, help desk application program 230 generates a problem record associated with the event and processes the problem record. A problem record may contain information relating to
an event, documentation relating to efforts to resolve non-conformance associated with an event, the status of efforts to resolve the non-conformance, and other additional information that is useful in resolving computer systems problems. In addition,
interface programming 160 receives information relating to the processing of a problem record by help desk application program 230, such as status information. This received information is then interpreted by interface programming 160 and provided to
event manager application program 130 in a form understandable by event manager application program 130.
Interface programming 160 may include a trouble ticket script 170. In one embodiment, trouble ticket script 170 is a UNIX Korn shell script; however, any suitable executable file or program may be used. Trouble ticket script 170 may be executed
in response to receiving a command from a monitoring operator or, alternatively, automatically executed based on the content of event information received by event manager application program 130. Event information received by event manager application
program 130 is available to trouble ticket script 170 through environment variables set by event manager application program 130. Execution of trouble ticket script 170 initiates automatic transfer of event information from event manager application
program 130 to help desk application program 230.
In addition to other functions discussed in greater detail below, trouble ticket script 170 modifies input file 176 contained within interface programming 160. Once modified, input file 176 includes information received by trouble ticket script
170 from event manager application program 130 that is formatted for reception by help desk application program 230.
Interface programming 160, may also include output file 180. Output file 180 stores information containing, for example, the status of a problem record generated by help desk application program 230 in response to the transmission of event
information from event manager application program 130 to help desk application program 230.
Interface programming 160 may also include a logfile adapter 186. Logfile adapter 186 monitors output file 180 for added text. Additions to output file 180 may include, for example, status information associated with an event. If a new line is
written to output file 180, logfile adapter 186 sends the information contained in the new line to a rules engine 190.
Rules engine 190 is also interface programming, but may be contained within event manager application program 130. Rules engine 190 includes interface programming that cooperates with interface programming 160 to provide status information
received from help desk application program 230 to the event manager application program 130 in a format understandable by help desk application program 230.
Interface programming 160 may also include help desk input programming 196. Help desk input programming 196 monitors input file 176 for added text. Text is added to input file 176 through execution of trouble ticket script 170. If text is
added to input file 176, help desk input programming 196 sends the added text to input queue 250 of help desk application program 230 for subsequent processing by problem record processing programming 270. During processing and after processing is
completed, information relating to, for example, the status of the processing is sent to output queue 280 for subsequent transmittal to output file 180. Thus, according to the invention, information may be automatically exchanged between an event
manager application program and a help desk application program.
With reference to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2A through 2D, operation of systems management system 10 is described. FIG. 2A is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps associated with the method of the invention, including detecting an event,
automatically generating a trouble ticket associated with the event, opening a problem record, processing the problem record, and notifying event manager application program 130 of the status of processing of the problem record.
The method of the invention begins with the step 610 of monitoring for events. Device monitors 500 provide information to event manager application program 130. If an event is detected at step 612, event manager application program 130 receives
event information from device monitors 500 describing details of the event, the reason for any non-conformance to preset criteria, and additional control information, such as severity of the problem, class of the problem, and the time of the problem.
This event information is consolidated, correlated, and presented to a monitoring operator at step 613 by event manager application program 130 to determine if action by a help desk, such as help desk application program 230, is desirable. If a
monitoring operator determines that action by help desk application program 230 is desirable, a trouble ticket command, requesting automatic generation of a trouble ticket, is generated. Alternatively, event manager application 130 may automatically
determine that action by help desk application program 230 is desirable based on the contents of the event information and initiate a trouble ticket command.
If action is desirable, a trouble ticket command is received at step 614. If automatic generation of a trouble ticket is commanded, at step 700 a trouble ticket is automatically generated and a problem record is opened and processed. The step
700 of automatically generating a trouble ticket and opening and processing a problem record is described in greater detail below in conjunction with FIG. 2B. A purpose of automatically generating a trouble ticket is to automatically provide information
associated with an event to help desk application program 230 in a format understandable by help desk application program 230. The generated trouble ticket, which is stored in input file 176, contains information required by help desk application
program 230 to open a problem record for processing and is also in a format understandable by help desk application program 230. A purpose of opening and processing a problem record is to determine the cause of the non-conformance associated with the
event associated with the problem record and to remedy the non-conformance.
At step 1000, problem record processing that occurs at step 700 is monitored. Exemplary steps associated with step 1000 of monitoring processing of a problem record are illustrated in FIG. 2C. A purpose of monitoring processing of a problem
record is to keep event manager application program 130 current as to the status of the problem solving associated with the non-conformance that generated the event. When processing of a problem record is concluded, the status of the event associated
with the processed problem record is changed to "CLOSED" at step 1100, and the system continues to monitor for additional events. In one embodiment of the invention, an event can have three possible statutes: "OPEN," "CLOSED," and "ACKNOWLEDGED." An
event has a status of "OPEN" when it is received by event manager application program 130. An event has a status of "CLOSED" when it has been closed. An event has a status of "ACKNOWLEDGED" after it has been acknowledged by an operator.
Thus, according to the invention, event information is automatically provided from event manager application program 130 to help desk application program 230 in a format understandable by help desk application program 230. Conversely, according
to the invention, status information concerning processing of a problem record associated with an event is provided from help desk application program 230 to event manager application program 130 in a format understandable by event manager application
program 130. This exchange of information facilitates the problem solving process and eliminates errors associated with manual entry of the above-described information.
Details of step 700 of automatically generating a trouble ticket and opening and processing a problem record are discussed in conjunction with FIG. 2B. Step 700 accomplishes automatic transfer of event information from event manager application
program 130 to help desk application program 230 in a format understandable by help desk application program 230.
FIG. 2B is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps of step 700 of the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 2A, showing additional details associated with automatically generating a trouble ticket associated with an event received by event manager
application program 130 and opening and processing a problem record based on the automatically generated trouble ticket. A first step 800 includes executing trouble ticket script 170. Exemplary steps associated with step 800 of executing trouble ticket
script 170 are illustrated in FIG. 2D. As discussed in greater detail below, execution of trouble ticket script 170 appends to input file 176 event information associated with the event for which automatic generation of a trouble ticket was requested.
This information is appended to input file 176 in a format consistent with the format of a trouble ticket conventionally used with a ServiceCenter help desk application. In one embodiment, event information associated with an event for which automatic
generation of a trouble ticket is requested is available to trouble ticket script 170 as environment variables in Unix. These environment variables are listed below in Table 1, which is an example listing of trouble ticket script 170.
Input file 176 is monitored at step 710 by help desk input programming 196 for any changes to input file 176. If a change in input file 176 is detected at step 720, information appended to input file 176 by trouble ticket script 170 is sent to
event input queue 250 of help desk application program 230. Sending information appended to input file 176 to event input queue 250 may be accomplished by execution of help desk input programming 240 at step 730.
One example of suitable help desk input programming 240 is the "AXFILED" programming associated with the AXCES application program available from Peregrine Systems, Inc. In such an embodiment, information is read from input file 176 and sent to
an input queue 250 for subsequent processing by problem record processing programming 270 as illustrated at step 740. In that embodiment, problem record processing programming 270 includes problem record processing programming available as part of the
ServiceCenter help desk. Once input queue 250 receives this event information, a program record associated with the non-conforming event is opened and processed. Problem record processing programming 270 manages processing of a problem record. For
example, problem record processing programming 270 may reassign a problem record, update a problem record, escalate a problem record, or otherwise operate to manage processing of a problem record. Problem record processing programming 270 appends
information relating to the status of the problem record to output file 180 at step 750. In performing this step, the information may first be stored in output queue 280 before transfer to output file 180. Examples of information appended to output
file 180 include information identifying that a problem record has been opened or closed and an associated problem record identification number.
Thus, according to the invention, event information is automatically provided from event manager application program 130 to help desk application program 230 in a format understandable by help desk application program 230.
Details of step 1000 of monitoring processing of a problem record are discussed in conjunction with FIG. 2C. Step 1000 accomplishes transfer of status information concerning processing of a problem record from help desk application program 230
to event manager application program 130 in a format understandable by event manager application program 130.
FIG. 2C is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps of step 1000 of the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 2A, illustrating steps associated with monitoring processing of a problem record. The step 1000 of monitoring processing of a problem record
begins with step 1010 of monitoring output file 180 for changes. Logfile adapter 186 may perform this monitoring function. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, help desk application program 230 appends information regarding opening and closing of problem records
to output file 180. In performing this step, the information may first be stored in output queue 280 before transfer to output file 180. If a change is detected in output file 180 at step 1020, step 1025 of providing to rules engine 190 the information
in output file 180 regarding opening and closing of problem records is executed by logfile adapter 186. This information may include, for example, information that a problem record has been open or closed or a problem number associated with an open
problem record.
Logfile adapter 186 has an associated format file for use in interpreting information in output file 180. An example format file is provided below in Table 1.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Example Logfile Adapter Format File FORMAT SC.sub.-- Callnumber FOLLOWS Logfile.sub.-- Base tivpmo,%s+,%s:" OPEN %s %s %s %s " hostname "ns1 dsmc1" msg PRINTF("OPENED Service Center Call: %s",
sc.sub.-- callnumber) sc.sub.-- callnumber $6 ev.sub.-- event.sub.-- handle $3 ev.sub.-- server.sub.-- handle $4 ev.sub.-- date.sub.-- reception $5 msg.sub.-- catalog $2 adapter.sub.-- host "ns1 dsmc2" END FORMAT SC.sub.-- Close.sub.-- Event
FOLLOWS Logfile.sub.-- Base tivpmc,%s+,%s:"CLOSED %s %s %s %s" hostname "ns1 dsmc1" date $1 msg PRINTF("CLOSED Service Center Call: %s", sc.sub.-- callnumber) ev.sub.-- server.sub.-- handle $4 ev.sub.-- event.sub.-- handle $3 ev.sub.-- date.sub.--
reception $5 sc.sub.-- callnumber $6 msg.sub.-- catalog $2 adapter.sub.-- host "ns1 dsmc2" END ______________________________________
Copyright .COPYRGT. 1997 by Electronic Data Systems, Inc.
In conjunction with the format file, logfile adapter 186 interprets information associated with a problem received and provides that information to rules engine 190 in a format understandable by rules engine 190. At step 1030, rules engine 190
parses this information, or in other words, scans this information for recognizable strings, and at step 1040 makes the information available for use by event manager application program 130 in a format understandable by event manager application program
130 in order to update the status of an event or to provide the event with a problem record number associated with an open problem record.
For the embodiment in which event manager application program 130 is a Tivoli Enterprise Console, incoming messages into event manager application program 130 should be defined in advance as a particular message class that describes the structure
and format of the incoming message. To facilitate definition of incoming messages from help desk application program 230 to event manager application program 130, the following Tivoli classes are defined: SC.sub.-- Event, SC.sub.-- Troubleticket,
SC.sub.-- Callnumber, and SC.sub.-- Close.sub.-- Event. Definition of these classes may be as illustrated below in Table 2, in which the SC.sub.-- Troubleticket, SC.sub.-- Callnumber, and SC.sub.-- Close.sub.-- Event classes are each a type of the
SC.sub.-- Event class, and SC.sub.-- Event is a type of an Event class, defined by the ServiceCenter application program available from Peregrine Systems, Inc.
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Definition of Tivoli Classes TEC.sub.-- CLASS: SC.sub.-- EVENT ISA EVENT DEFINES { source: default + "SC"; sc.sub.-- server.sub.-- handle: INTEGER; ev.sub.-- server.sub.-- handle: INTEGER;
ev.sub.-- date.sub.-- reception: INT32; ev.sub.-- event.sub.-- handle: INTEGER; }; END TEC.sub.-- CLASS: SC.sub.-- Troubleticket ISA SC.sub.-- EVENT DEFINES { }; END TEC.sub.-- CLASS: SC.sub.-- Callnumber ISA SC.sub.-- EVENT DEFINES { }; END
TEC.sub.-- CLASS SC.sub.-- Close.sub.-- Event ISA SC.sub.-- EVENT DEFINES { }; END _________________________ | | |
