Event suppression tool for temporarily suppressing actions on received events

1. An event suppression tool for use with an event management system for managing events received for given resources, wherein during defined times, events related to said resources are generated and sent to the event management system, and the event management system receives said events and issues actions in response to receiving said events, the event suppression tool comprising:

a database having a resource table;

a batch loader interface for creating or updating said resource table;

a web based user interface to said database;

a batch interface to receive data about planned activities and affected resources; and

code for creating suppression activity windows based on said data and said resource table, and for sending to the event management system a suppression event identifying a period of time and an associated one of the resources to prevent the event management system from issuing actions in response to receiving, during said time period, events for said one of the resources; and wherein:

the event management system records on a log events for said one of the resources and received during said time period; and

the tool retrieves the events recorded on the log.

2. The event suppression tool according to claim 1 , wherein said code includes means to start and to stop each of the activity windows.

3. The event suppression tool according to claim 2 , wherein the means to start and to stop includes means to start and to stop each of the suppression activity windows at regular, repeated intervals.

4. The event suppression tool according to claim 1 , wherein said code includes means for establishing a start time and a stop time for each of the suppression activity windows.

5. The event suppression tool according to claim 1 , wherein:

each of the suppression activity windows is open for a defined period of time; and

said code includes means for suppressing from said user interface, new events that fall within each of the suppression activity windows when each suppression activity window is open.

6. The event suppression tool according to claim 1 , wherein:

a multitude of resources are identified in said resource table; and

each of the suppression activity windows is associated with a respective one of said multitude of resources.

7. A method for suppressing events and for use with an event management system for managing events received for given resources, wherein during defined times, events related to said resources are generated and sent to the event management system, and the event management system receives said events and issues actions in response to receiving said events, the method comprising the following computer-implemented steps:

providing a database having a resource table;

using a batch loader interface for creating or updating said resource table;

providing a web based user interface to said database;

using a batch interface to receive data about planned activities and affected resources; and

creating suppression activity windows based on said data and said resource table, and for sending to the event management system a suppression event identifying a period of time and an associated one of the resources to prevent the event management system from issuing actions in response to receiving, during said time period, events for said one of the resources; and wherein:

the event management system records on a log events for said one of the resources and received during said time period; and

the tool retrieves the events recorded on the log.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the creating step includes the step of starting and stopping each of the suppression activity windows according to predetermined rules.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of starting and stopping includes the step of starting and stopping each of the suppression activity windows at regular, repeated intervals.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the creating a step includes the step of establishing a start time and a stop time for each of the suppression activity windows.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

each of the suppression activity windows is open for a defined period of time; and

the creating step includes the step of suppressing from said user interface, new events that fall within each of the suppression activity windows when each suppression activity window is open.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

a multitude of resources are identified in said resource table; and

each of the activity windows is associated with a respective one of said multitude of resources.

13. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for suppressing events and for use with an event management system for managing events received for given resources, wherein during defined times, events related to said resources are generated and sent to the event management system, and the event management system receives said events and issues actions in response to receiving said events, said method steps comprising:

accessing a database having a resource table;

enabling a batch loader interface to create or update said resource table;

enabling a web based user interface to said database;

enabling a batch interface to receive data about planned activities and affected resources; and

creating suppression activity windows from said data and said resource table, and for sending to the event management system a suppression event identifying a period of time and an associated one of the resources to prevent the event management system from issuing actions in response to receiving, during said time period, events for said one of the resources; and wherein:

the event management system records on a log events for said one of the resources and received during said time period; and

the tool retrieves the events recorded on the log.

14. The program storage device according to claim 13 , wherein the creating step includes the step of starting and stopping each of the suppression activity windows according to predetermined rules.

15. The program storage device according to claim 14 , wherein the step of starting and stopping includes the step of starting and stopping each of the suppression activity windows at regular, repeated intervals.

16. The program storage device according to claim 13 , wherein the creating step includes the step of establishing a start time and a stop time for each of the suppression activity windows.

17. The program storage device according to claim 13 , wherein:

each of the suppression activity windows is open for a defined period of time; and

the creating step includes the step of suppressing from said user interface, new events that fall within each of the suppression activity windows when each suppression activity window is open.

18. The program storage device according to claim 13 , wherein:

a multitude of resources are identified in said resource table; and

each of the suppression activity windows is associated with a respective one of said multitude of resources.

19. The event suppression tool according to claim 1 , wherein:

the event management system, in response to receiving the suppression event, sends a confirmation signed to the event suppression tool;

the suppression activity windows have a plurality of states on the event management system; and

the event suppression tool maintains a record identifying the status of the suppression activity windows on the event management system.