JP2595833B2 - Remote maintenance device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for efficiently collecting information from user computer systems in various places for remote maintenance support.

[0002] Collecting trouble information accumulated in a user and using the collected information for remote maintenance to perform a quick recovery operation in the event of a user trouble improves the user's satisfaction with the device and also increases the cost and labor cost for the producer. This is an important issue for the maintenance department, which leads to a reduction in the cost.

In order to perform remote maintenance, it is only possible to quickly collect fault information, analyze the collected information, and promptly notify a maintenance person in charge of the analysis result, and this can be realized only when the function is sufficiently functioned.

[0004] In order to realize this remote maintenance, how to realize the above-mentioned first item "quick failure information collection" was a major factor. Further, the center for remote maintenance needs to support a plurality of users and a plurality of models at the same time and perform the best maintenance suitable for each.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a conventional remote maintenance system. Conventional remote maintenance user computer system 1
A predetermined firmware is executed from a service processor (hereinafter referred to as an SVP) 12 to the remote maintenance center 20 and, for example, a failure data transfer notification is performed to transfer the failure data. The remote maintenance center 20 instructs the execution of the failure information collection, and executes the instructed information collection in cooperation with the SVP 12 on the user side.

For this reason, when the function that operates for each notification factor is changed, for example, when transfer data is added,
The firmware of the SVP 12 had to be changed, and it was necessary to update all the users who had already shipped, which required much time.

As for the information collection function, the type of information is determined on the SVP 12 side, and the SVP 12 of the model is used.
Dependent information was determined. Therefore, there is a problem that the type of information to be collected cannot be determined for each user and only uniform information can be collected.

[0008] This is not a method in which user information is set in advance in the remote maintenance center 20 before shipment to a user, but information is fixedly collected by firmware connected to the user after shipment and provided in the SVP 12. It was due to having started.

Another important factor is connected to the remote maintenance center 20 and transferring fault information to the user computer system.
Even if the error occurs in 1, the current situation is that the user waits or is discarded due to the processing capacity of the SVP 12 on the user side.

[0010]

As described above, in the prior art, an event of connecting to the remote maintenance center 20 occurs on the user side, and the function based on the event, specifically, transfer notification of fault information, fault data, When executing the transfer of
Since the function to be executed (transfer of fault data) is notified from the SVP 12 to the remote maintenance center 20 and the function is executed, when a change occurs in the function to be executed due to the occurred event, the SVP 12 of each user side is changed. Firmware was changed.

To change the SVP firmware, it is necessary to change all users for each user (apparatus).
In addition, it is actually difficult to change in a short period of time because the change is made after obtaining the user's consent.

[0012] Further, regarding information collection, the type of information to be fixedly transferred is determined by the SVP firmware, so that the type of information to be collected for each user cannot be determined. Therefore, depending on the importance of the user, various types of information collection are performed for important users (monitoring users), and detailed information collection control such as standard information collection is performed for general users. There was a problem that it could not be realized.

Further, if a new event occurs during information transfer between the remote maintenance center 20 and the SVP 12, as described above, the information on the new event is currently discarded. there were.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional disadvantages, the present invention does not implement the remote maintenance service fixedly by SVP firmware, but executes the function to be executed (transfer of fault data) from the remote maintenance center, for example, by a command sequence. An object of the present invention is to realize user-oriented maintenance by instructing each SVP and setting each user information in a remote maintenance center in advance.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows a configuration example, and FIG. 1B shows an example of a command that can be executed by a service processor (SVP). ing. The above-mentioned problems are distant points configured as follows .
Solved by remote maintenance equipment .

(1) Based on a failure notification from the user computer
Remote maintenance device that executes remote maintenance of a user computer
And register the type of information to be collected for each user computer
User information table to be connected and the connection
The type of information to be transferred and the priority
Event table and a failure notification from the user computer.
At the time of transmission, the connection factor information and user
The user information table and the
Information on the above connection factors with reference to the event table
Generate a procedure for performing collection and calculate the procedure by the user
And a procedure generation notifying means for notifying the device.

(2) In the above remote maintenance device,
The storage corresponding to each user computer as user identification information
Generate a security code and issue it to the user computer.
Provided with means for registering in the above user information table
I do.

(3) In the above remote maintenance device,
The procedure generation notifying means includes information based on the procedure for collecting information.
New events during the process of collecting information based on
When the cause is received, refer to the event table
Means for determining the priority of the elephant is provided, and the priority of the new event is
If the priority is higher than the priority of the event
When it is determined, the current collection process is interrupted and the priority
To collect information corresponding to the connection factors of events with higher ranks
To generate a procedure to notify the user computer.
Configure.

[0019]

According to the present invention, failure notification from a user computer is
Telemaintenance equipment that executes remote maintenance of user computers based on
Information collected for each user computer at the remote maintenance center.
User information table for registering report types and user calculation
The type and priority of information to be transferred according to the connection factor from the
An event table for setting priorities is provided. Soshi
Sent when a failure notification is received from the user computer
Based on the connection factor information and the user identification information
Refer to the user information table and the above event table.
To collect information on the above connection factors
Order (for example, a command sequence) and generate the
One that is provided with procedure generation notification means for notifying the computer
It is.

Therefore, by modifying the procedure instructed from the remote maintenance center in response to the event, the user computer
Function provided the SVP to execute, it is possible to easily change the contents of the example information collection.

Therefore, even if a factor of a high-priority event occurs during the execution, the function being executed is interrupted when the remote maintenance center recognizes the occurrence of the high-priority event. Sending a command to the SVP and restarting the interrupted processing can be easily realized by the command to be sent.

By providing the above-mentioned user information table for setting the type of information to be collected for each user, more information is collected for the important monitoring user, and a small number of other information is collected. And the transfer time can be reduced.

[0023]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
1 (a) and 3 (a2) show a flow chart of the processing, FIG. 4 (b) shows a configuration example of an event table, and FIG. 5 (c) shows a configuration example of a user information table.

In the present invention, the type of information to be collected is set in advance in the remote maintenance center 2 for each user as a user information table, and at that time, the maintenance code for each user is stored in each user computer system. 1 service processor (SVP) 12 is notified and the service processor (SV
In P) 12, the maintenance code is set, and a failure occurs in the user computer system 1, and the remote maintenance center 20 is notified of the connection factor and the set maintenance code, so that the remote maintenance center is notified. In step 20, based on the maintenance code, the user information table for each user is searched, and a command string is generated in accordance with the type of collected information determined for each user, and the service processor (SVP)
12 and notify the service processor (SVP)
In 12, a means for collecting information unique to each user by executing the specified command sequence is a means necessary for carrying out the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals indicate the same object throughout the drawings.

Hereinafter, an information collection method in remote maintenance according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention. The user of the remote maintenance center 20 preliminarily registers and sets the user information table shown in FIG. The maintenance code (000
01) is set in the SVP 12 of the corresponding user computer system 1 at the time of local tuning of the user (at the time of installation), for example.
｝ Refer to the flow of “Registration of user information” and “Registration of maintenance code” in the flow chart of the process shown in FIG. 2 (a1).｝ SV
The maintenance code set in P12 is sent to the remote maintenance center 20 together with the connection factors when connecting to the remote maintenance center 20, such as "the connection specified time has come" or "FLAG (fault code) has been collected". The notification is made, and is used as an index of the event table shown in FIG. 4B and the user information table shown in FIG. 5C. {Refer to the processing step 200 in FIG. 2 (a1)} The user information table {see FIG. 5 (c)} is a table format for collecting information for each user (user A, user B,...). It is determined by Here, “FLAG” is a code of a hardware failure, and “details” indicates that details of the failure information are collected. In this table, the mark “場合” indicates the case of collecting, and the mark “X” indicates the case of not collecting. By generating and registering such a user information table in advance, different information can be collected for each user.

The above-mentioned "connection specified time" which is the first connection factor is used as an index of an event table necessary for information collection of the present invention. This event table is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the priority of each event is shown along with the type of information to be collected, corresponding to the event that occurred on the user computer system 1 side. When a new event occurs in the user computer system 1 while information corresponding to a certain event is being transferred, if the priority is higher than the priority of the event currently being processed, It is used to interrupt the processing and perform the processing with the higher priority.

The event "the connection specified time has come" occurs, the event table is searched, the transfer function (FLE) and the disconnection function (DISC) indicated by the event table are selected, and the SVP 12 is instructed. Command list "FLE"
“DISC” is created and notified to the corresponding SVP 12. ｝ Refer to processing steps 200 and 201 in FIG. 2 (a1)｝ SVP 1
2 sequentially executes the command lists “FLE” and “DISC” notified and instructed by the remote maintenance center 20 in accordance with the firmware function shown in FIG. ｛Figure 2 (a1)
Refer to processing step 100 of FIG.
The event table shown in FIG. 5B is matched with the user information table shown in FIG. 5C, and the type of log information to be collected is recognized in correspondence with the user who has notified the event. , SVP 12 of the corresponding user. << Refer to step 202 in FIG. 2 >>
(a1), the process flow of FIG. 3 (a2) will be described in further detail. First, when the command list “FLE” and “DISC” are generated in the remote maintenance center 20, the SVP 12
The command lists “FLE” and “DISC” are transferred and instructed to be executed. (Refer to the processing steps 200 and 201.) The SVP 12 notifies the remote maintenance center 20 that the execution of “FLE” (log transfer command) in the command list is performed. (Refer to processing step 100) Upon receiving the notification, the remote maintenance center 20 matches the event table with the user information table, determines the type of log information to be transferred, and, for example, sends a transfer request of “FLAG” to the SVP 12. To instruct. (Refer to processing steps 202 and 203) In SVP 12, "F
LAG ", that is, the hardware fault code is forwarded to the remote maintenance center 20. (Refer to the processing step 101) Similarly, the “detailed log” is transferred. (Processing step
During the information collection of the “detailed log”, the SVP 12 notifies that a new event ““ FLAG has been collected ”” has occurred {the processing steps in FIG. 3 (a2).
When 103 is referred to, the remote maintenance center 20 executes the currently executing function, that is, “the connection specified time has come”.
Using the event table, compare the priority of the new event obtained above (“FLAG was collected”) using the event table. That is, the command “ST” for stopping the collection processing of the “detailed log” corresponding to the event “the specified connection time has come”
OP FLE ”and the command“ FLE ”to be processed preferentially are SVP 1
Notify 2. ｝ Refer to processing steps 205 and 206 in FIG. 3 (a2)｝ SVP 12 recognizes the above-mentioned stop command “STOP FLE”, interrupts the processing “detailed log transfer processing” being executed,
The function for priority processing, that is, the execution of the transfer processing of "FLAG" (hardware failure code) is instructed by the remote maintenance center 20.
Notify. << Refer to processing steps 104 and 105 in FIG. 3 (a2) >> The remote maintenance center 20 determines the type of "log" to be transferred, that is, "FLAG" by referring to the event table, and transfers the "FLAG". Directs the request to SVP 12. << See processing steps 207 and 208 in FIG. 3 (a2) >> SVP 1
2 transfers “FLAG”, and the remote maintenance center 20 receives the transferred “FLAG”, thereby terminating the priority processing. {Refer to the processing steps 106 and 209 in FIG. 3 (a2)} When the above-described priority processing function is completed, the SVP 12 restarts the interrupted function, that is, the “transfer of detailed log” processing.

In the processing flow charts of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, when the event notification is notified as “FLAG has been collected”, FIG.
Since the priority processing of the event “FLAG has been collected” is high in the event table described above, in the processing steps 205 and 206, the stop of the function currently being processed is called “STOP FLE” for the SVP 12 as described above. The command "FLE" for priority processing is notified. The disconnection function instruction "DISC" is not performed in the command list of the priority processing. This is because it is necessary to restart the interrupted processing.

When the transfer of the FLAG subjected to the priority processing is completed, the transfer function is activated again in the SVP 12 in order to restart the "transfer of the detailed log" which was being transferred. Thereafter, when all the information to be transferred is completed, a disconnection “DISC” which is the last of the command list is executed. << Refer to processing step 110 in FIG. 3 (a2) >> As described above, the information collection method in the remote maintenance according to the present invention specifies the type of information to be collected for each user in the remote maintenance center 2 in advance. A service table of each user computer system 1 is set up as a table, and provided with an event table that determines the type of information transfer and the priority of processing according to the connection factor from the user. (SVP) 12, the service processor (SVP) 12 sets the maintenance code, and if a failure occurs in the user computer system 1, the service
By notifying (the event) and the set maintenance code, the remote maintenance center 20 searches the user information table and the event table for each user based on the maintenance code, and A command sequence is generated in accordance with the type of collected information defined in, and notified to the service processor (SVP) 12, and the service processor (SVP) 12 receiving the notification generates the command sequence instructed. Notifying the remote maintenance center of the execution, the remote maintenance center determines the type of log information to be transferred based on the event table and the user information table, and notifies the service processor (SVP) 12 of the type. Make a transfer request,
It is characterized in that the log information is transferred to the remote maintenance center in accordance with the transfer request, thereby collecting information unique to the user.

[0030]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the user information is set in advance, the maintenance code is issued, and the execution of the information collection process is performed based on the command sequence from the remote maintenance center. By doing so, the following effects can be obtained.

The type of information to be collected can be specified using the user information table from the time of user installation.
Since the type of information to be collected can be set for each user, information collection suitable for a maintenance level (such as a monitoring user) can be designated, and transfer time can be reduced and the capacity of external storage to be stored can be saved.

The processing executed by the SVP can be easily changed by changing the command list instructed from the remote maintenance center. Since the stop command can be executed from the center, an instruction to execute a process for a high-priority event occurring in the user computer system with priority can be given to the corresponding SVP.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention (part 1).

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention (part 2).

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention (part 3).

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention (part 4).

FIG. 6 illustrates a conventional remote maintenance method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 User computer system 12 Service processor (SVP) 2 Remote maintenance center system 20 Remote maintenance center User information table Maintenance code Event table

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. Based on a failure notification from a user computer
Remote maintenance device that performs remote maintenance of user computers
There, the user registers the type of information to be collected for each user computer
The information table and the information to be transferred according to the connection factor from the user computer
An event table for setting the type and priority of the information, and when a failure notification is received from the user computer,
Based on included connection factor information and user identification information
And refer to the user information table and the event table.
For collecting information on the above connection factors
Generates a procedure and notifies the user computer of the procedure
A remote maintenance device comprising a notification unit. 2. Each user as said user identification information
Generate a maintenance code corresponding to the computer and
Issued to the computer and registered in the user information table
2. The remote control according to claim 1, further comprising:
Maintenance equipment. 3. The procedure generation notifying means includes information collection.
During the process of collecting information based on the steps to be taken
When the connection factor of a new event is received at
Means to determine the priority of the event with reference to the
Only, Yu events connection factors in priority execution of the new event
When it is determined that the priority is higher than the first rank,
Interrupted and responded to the connection factor of the higher priority event
A procedure for collecting information is generated, and the user computer
3. The remote maintenance according to claim 1, wherein
apparatus.