Hewlett-packard Company

Cisco Technology, Inc.

Aerohive Networks, Inc.

Extreme Networks, Inc.

Weimin Du

Ming-Chien Shan

James W Davis

Jie Zhang

Long Fu

Dalun Bao

Anisur Rahman

Raja Banerjee

Sunil Gharat

Nicolas Sheard

Umeshwar Dayal

Graham Eddy

Ahmed Elmagarmid

Clemens Pfeifer

Nicholas Sheard

Ming Chien Shan

Ravi Krishnamurthy

Techniques and systems for performing a network activity within a network. The technique includes assigning one or a plurality of network devices subnets with network devices for performing network activities. Network devices within the assigned network device subnets can be assigned to act as a primary network device and a backup network device. The primary network device can perform the network activity. The backup network devices can monitor the primary network device and continue performing the network activities if the primary network device fails or is rogue.

Assigning network device subnets to perform network activities using network device information

A method of suppressing a side-effect alarm in a network management system that includes a plurality of managed network elements, wherein the side-effect alarm arrives at the network management system before a triggering alarm, the method comprising the steps of creating and storing state information for each of the managed network elements, wherein the state information comprises a current connection state value and a parent state value; receiving segment alarm information that identifies a first arriving alarm relating to a segment of the connection; determining a new connection state value to which the connection transitions as a result of the segment alarm identified in the segment alarm information and based on the current connection state value; selectively suppressing or forwarding an alarm reflecting the new connection state value based on the parent state value, a self state transition value, and a secondary state transition value.

System and method for suppressing out-of-order side-effect alarms in heterogenoeus integrated wide area data and telecommunication networks

A method and apparatus for suppressing side effect alarms in a network communication system, based on state change and the alarm reporting history of logical managed objects, such as user connections, is disclosed. State information is maintained for each of a plurality of interested logical managed objects that represent user connections, comprising parent object state, primary state, and secondary state. The parent object state is OK if all parent objects (lines, ports, etc.) of the connection are functioning properly, and FAIL otherwise. The primary connection state is OK if the entire connection is functioning properly. The secondary state or A-bit state is FAIL if a failure at one subnetwork is detected by other subnetworks. The system also maintains information indicating the last generated alarm for each interested logical managed object. A new state of each interested logical managed object is computed when alarms on its containing physical managed objects or associating logical managed objects have been reported. The method then decides whether to report or suppress the alarms, based on a lookup operation using a decision table. If an alarm is suspected of being a side-effect alarm, based on selected conditions, alarm information is placed in a queue to await the arrival of a second, related alarm that confirms that the first alarm was a side-effect alarm, and the side-effect alarm is then suppressed.

System and method for suppressing side-effect alarms in heterogenoeus integrated wide area data and telecommunication networks

A method and apparatus for suppressing side effect alarms in a network communication system that arrive out of order, based on state change and the alarm reporting history of logical managed objects, such as user connections, is disclosed. State information is maintained for each of a plurality of interested logical managed objects that represent user connections, comprising parent object state, primary state, and secondary state. The parent object state is OK if all parent objects (lines, ports, etc.) of the connection are functioning properly, and FAIL otherwise. The primary connection state is OK if the entire connection is functioning properly. The secondary state or A-bit state is FAIL if a failure at one subnetwork is detected by other subnetworks. The system also maintains information indicating the last generated alarm for each interested logical managed object. A new state of each interested logical managed object is computed when alarms on its containing physical managed objects or associating logical managed objects have been reported. The method then decides whether to report or suppress the alarms, based on a lookup operation using a decision table. If an alarm is suspected of being a side-effect alarm, based on selected conditions, alarm information is placed in a queue to await the arrival of a second, related alarm that confirms that the first alarm was a side-effect alarm, and the side-effect alarm is then suppressed.

System and method for suppressing out-of-order side-effect alarms in heterogeneous integrated wide area data and telecommunication networks

A method and a system for providing resource management in workflow processing of an enterprise include a multi-level resource manager hierarchy. An upper level includes at least one resource manager having data that represents an enterprise-wide view of resource capabilities. A subordinate second level of resource managers provides partial views of the resource capabilities of the enterprise. These partial views may be based upon organizational or physical boundaries. At a lowermost level of resource managers are local resource managers (LRMs) that include data to track individual resources. Above this lowermost level, the resource managers in the hierarchy track the resources based upon types of resources. Thus, a second level resource manager is configured to be aware of availability of a resource type, but not the availability of an individual resource. Also above the lowermost level, the resource managers are configured to exchange requests for the resources using a number of different messages. A Plead message is used to send a request to a higher level manager. On the other hand, a Delegate message is used to send a request to a lower level manager. A Refer message allows a request to be sent horizontally. Report messages are sent among resource managers to allow updates of cache entries regarding capabilities of other resource managers.

System and method for enterprise workflow resource management

A system for allowing consistent execution of a workflow process in a computer-enabled workflow management system is described. The system includes a workflow process database accessible by the workflow process. The workflow process includes at least one sequence of workflow actions, having at least one set of parallel workflow actions and being configured as a plurality of nodes interconnected by arcs. Each node defines at least one of the workflow actions and reading and writing data items when executing the workflow actions. A first module is provided to lock all data items in the workflow process database that are specified for access by the workflow process from being accessed by other workflow processes during execution of the workflow process before the execution of the workflow process is commenced. A second module is provided to release all the locked data items from being locked after the workflow process has been executed such that execution consistency and concurrency of the workflow process is maintained. A computer implemented method for allowing consistent execution of a workflow process in a computer-enabled workflow management system is also described.

Pre-locking scheme for allowing consistent and concurrent workflow

A system for allowing consistent execution of a workflow process in a computer-enabled workflow management system is described. The workflow process includes at least one sequence of workflow actions, having at least one set of parallel workflow actions and being configured as a number of nodes interconnected by arcs. Each node defines and executes at least one of the workflow actions. The system includes a workflow process database accessible by the nodes of the workflow process to read and write data items when executing the workflow actions. The system also includes a module for maintaining execution consistency among the workflow actions when the nodes access the workflow process database to read and write the data items in carrying out the workflow actions. A computer-implemented method for consistently executing a workflow process in a workflow management system is also described.

System and method for performing consistent workflow process execution

A system and method for performing flexible workflow process execution in a distributed workflow management system is described. The distributed workflow management system is formed by a computer network comprising a plurality of computers. Each computer has a processor, memory and input/output facilities. A workflow process management system operates on one or more of the computers to control the computer network in executing the workflow process. The workflow process includes at least one sequence of multiple actions. A plurality of resources is coupled to respective ones of the computers to carry out the multiple actions. A plurality of state machines are stored as computer-operable code in at least one memory and include a plurality of states interconnected by arcs logically forming a directed graph. The workflow management system further includes logic for instantiating each action with one state and logic for executing the logical sequence of the action as state transitions in each state machine.

System and method for performing flexible workflow process execution in

A method and apparatus for reliable high-speed access to a database system that stores system data in a non-volatile database, stores current data in an online database object cache, the current data reflecting at least a portion of the system data in the non-volatile database and the online database object cache providing the database system with the capability of querying and updating the current data in the online database object cache, logging each message in the database system as an entry in a durable log file, and periodically committing the current data in the online database object cache to the non-volatile database.

Simultaneous use of database and durable store in work flow and process

A system and method for performing scalable distribution of process flow activities in a distributed workflow management system is described. The distributed workflow management system operates over the computer network which includes a plurality of interconnected computers. Each computer includes a processor, memory and input/output facilities. A plurality of resources are each operatively coupled to at least one of the computers and execute at least one of the activities in the process flow. A process flow engine, including a database in which is stored data used in effecting each of the process flow activities, coordinates and schedules execution of the process flow activities on the resources. Bidirectional proxy components are operatively interposed between the process flow engine and the resources. The bidirectional proxy components include logic for handling application data for the resources, logic for handling worklists for access by the resources and logic for managing transport of messages between the process flow engine and each of the resources.

System and method for performing scalable distribution of process flow

A system and method for performing flexible workflow process compensation in a distributed workflow management system is described. A computer network includes a plurality of interconnected computers. Each computer includes a processor, memory and input/output facilities. The distributed workflow management system operates over the computer network. A plurality of resources perform the workflow process is performed with each resource operatively coupled to at least one of the computers. A process definition diagram includes computer-readable instructions stored in the memory of at least one of the computers and contains a role specification of process activities for performing the workflow process. A resource manager maps the role specification of process activities to at least one of the resources at runtime. A workflow process engine executes each process activity using the mapped resource and compensates a failed process activity responsive to the process definition diagram.

System and method for performing flexible workflow process compensation

A system and method for distributed resource management in a computer network operating under control of workflow management software system (WFMS) to manage plural resources to perform a workflow process that includes multiple process activities, uses two-step resource assignment to manage resources at two levels. The resources are grouped by capabilities into resource groups controlled by a local resource manager (LRM), which maintains dynamic status of each resource, such as availability and load, as well as their roles and addresses. A global resource manager (GRM) stores resource data only about the groups: capabilities and status. The WFMS invokes the GRM, requesting a specified resource activity. The GRM checks the stored capabilities and status among the resource groups, selects the resource group capable of the specified activity and available, and forwards the request to the LRM for the selected group. The LRM selects one of the resources in the group to perform the specified activity and assigns the activity to that resource.

Distributed workflow resource management system and method

A method for optimizing data retrieval from a multidatabase system by restructuring a database query tree to optimize query response time in a two step optimization process. First, the query tree is transformed into a left deep join tree having a root query, a plurality of subordinate (descendant) query nodes and a plurality of table nodes, each subordinate query node having a left child subtree and a right child subtree. This transformation is usually the result of a first optimization scheme such as System-R. A response time for the root query and for each of the plurality of subordinate query nodes is estimated and access response times to each table node and subtree are estimated. Then, this data is utilized in the balancing of the left deep join query tree so that the cost for access to each left child subtree is substantially equal to the cost for the right child subtree. This balancing step encompasses the second phase of the query tree optimization process and includes using transformation processes such top-down, bottom-up, and a hybrid of the first two. Finally, the query is executed in a relational database to retrieve data responsive to the query in accordance with an execution plan operating according to the balanced query tree.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Weimin Du