Raymond E. Williams
Residential Contractor at Millstone Harbour Dr, Raleigh, NC

4937825, Jun 26, 1990

Jun 15, 1988

7/207097

Christopher P. Ballard - Rome, IT
A. Bell; Rodney - Raleigh NC
William V. Evans - Raleigh NC
Curtis J. Frantz - Durham NC
John D. Hajian - Holly Springs NC
William G. Kreps - Raleigh NC
Ronald D. Martin - Durham NC
Barbara A. Smith - Durham NC
Marshall E. Sprague - Raleigh NC
James B. Staton - Greensboro NC
John G. Stevenson - Raleigh NC
Petre N. Turcu - Cary NC
Raymond C. Williams - Raleigh NC

International Business Machines - Armonk NY

G06F 1100

371 201

Data communications neworks may be composed of many different physical devices linked together in various layers and using various protocols for communication. The multiple physical elements that make up such communication networks or links are often supplied by diverse vendors. As a result, isolation and diagnosis of communication failures becomes an extremely difficult and cumbersome process. The present system and method simplify the process greatly by premitting a system control operator or control application program to issue generic, non-device-specific problem isolation, control or diagnostic commands to the communication neetwork by identifying the link and target node for which problem isolation and diagnosis is required. The non-device-specific commands are received first at an intermediate translation facility which retrieves communication link physical configuration data and identifies the physical components and characteristics thereof that make up that communication link to the identified target node. The translation facility then issues one or more device-specific problem determination commands on the communication link directed toward said node.

5023873, Jun 11, 1991

Jun 15, 1989

7/366947

John G. Stevenson - Raleigh NC
Raymond C. Williams - Raleigh NC

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06F 1120

371 82

A communication link manager for problem determination and recovery of a failing resource on a communication link segment in a data communication network. When a problem occurs on a link segment, the using node passes link event data to the communication link manager for analysis. The communication link manager interacts with a configuration data base to determine the physical configuration of the failing link segment and the controlling link connection subsystem manager. The communication link manager directs the appropriate link connection subsystem manager to initiate tests of the various link connection components on the link segment under its control. When the failing resource is identified, the communication link manager initiates the appropriate non-disruptive recovery procedure through the link connection subsystem manager and prompts the data link control to restart the line.