Method and system of cataloging and detecting network faults

Abstract

A system ( 10 ) for cataloging and detecting network faults, includes a communication interface ( 12 ) for receiving a fault message from a network. A parser ( 14 ) is connected to the communication interface ( 12 ). The parser ( 14 ) parses the fault message for an event type. An associative database ( 16 ) is connected to the parser ( 14 ) and stores a tally for the fault message.

1 - 24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . A method of cataloging and detecting network faults, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) receiving a fault message;    (b) parsing the fault message to find an event code; and    (c) defining a key based on the event code.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further including the steps of: 
 (d) calculating a hash of the key to form an association;    (e) storing a tally at a database location pointed to by the association.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein step (b) further includes the step of parsing the fault message to find a target, the target is a specific piece of equipment.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein step (c) further including the step of: 
 (c1) concatenating the event code and a target to form the key.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein step (c) further including the step of: 
 (c1) concatenating the event code and a target type to form the key.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , further including the steps of: 
 (f) setting a threshold for a predetermined event type;    (g) performing a lookup on the predetermined event type;    (h) determining if an event type tally exceeds the threshold.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further including the step of when the event type tally exceed the threshold sending a network problem message to an operator's terminal.  
     
     
         32 . A system for cataloging and detecting network faults, comprising 
 a communication interface for receiving a fault message from a network;    a parser connected to the communication interface; and    an associative database connected to the parser storing a tally for the fault message.    
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the parser, parses the fault message for an event type.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the associative database has hashing calculator that forms a key from the event type and determining an association based on the key.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the parser parses the fault message for a target.  
     
     
         36 . A method of cataloging and detecting network faults, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) receiving a plurality of fault messages;    (b) parsing the plurality of fault messages for a target to form a plurality of tallies associated with a plurality of targets; and    (c) determining, for each of the plurality of targets, a key based on the target, to form a plurality of keys.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (d) calculating a hash of the plurality of keys to form an association for each of the plurality of keys;    (e) storing a subset of the plurality of tallies in a location of an associative database pointed to by the association.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further including the steps of: 
 (f) setting a target threshold for one of the plurality of targets;    (g) performing a lookup in the associative database for a tally of the one of the plurality of targets;    (h) when the tally exceeds the target threshold, forming a network problem message.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the key is based on a concatenation of an event code, a target type and a target.