System and method for displaying computer system status information
A system and method for displaying status information from several devices in a computer system is disclosed. A primary status indicator is associated with a server or a group of servers. The primary status indicator is communicatively coupled to the server management software that is monitoring the server or server group. During the period that the server management software does not detect a failure or an imminent failure in any component of the server or server group, the primary status indicator will be illuminated to reflect a normal operating status. If the server management software detects a failure or an imminent failure in a component of the server or a server in the server group, the primary status indicator will be illuminated to reflect an alert status.
1. A computer system that includes multiple computer components, comprising:
a housing;
a bezel;
management software operable to monitor the multiple computer components of the computer system and to determine if one or more of the multiple computer components is failing or has failed; and
a primary status indicator positioned on an outer surface of the bezel, wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a first state if no computer components of the computer system are failing or have failed, and wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a second state if any one of the computer components of the computer system is failing or has failed.
2. The computer system of claim 1 ,
further comprising a front panel; and
wherein the bezel is mounted to substantially cover the front panel.
3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in the color blue for the first state.
4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the first state.
5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the second state.
6. The computer system of claim 1 ,
wherein the primary status indicator comprises,
a normal status section; and
an alert status section.
7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the normal status section and alert status section are presented as a cluster.
8. The computer system of claim 6 ,
wherein the normal status section is operable to be illuminated if no components are failing or have failed; and
wherein the alert status indicator is operable to be illuminated if a component is failing or has failed.
9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the normal status section is operable to be illuminated in the color blue.
10. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the normal status section displays a corporate logo.
11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the primary status indicator is cycloptically positioned on the bezel.
12. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the primary status indicator is operable to rotate to remain level.
13. A cabinet operable to contain a plurality of computer systems, wherein each of the computer systems is coupled to multiple computer components and wherein each of the computer systems includes management software operable to monitor the multiple computer components of the computer system and to determine if one or more of the multiple computer components is failing or has failed, comprising:
an outer surface; and
a primary status indicator located on the outer surface, wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a first state if no components of the computer systems of the cabinet are failing or have failed, and wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a second state if any one of the computer components of the computer systems of the cabinet are failing or have failed.
14. The cabinet of claim 13 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated blue for the first state.
15. The cabinet of claim 13 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the first state.
16. The cabinet of claim 13 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the second state.
17. The cabinet of claim 13 ,
wherein primary status indicator comprises
a normal status section; and
an alert status section.
18. The cabinet of claim 17 , wherein the normal status section and alert status section are presented as a cluster.
19. The cabinet of claim 17 ,
wherein the normal status section is operable to be illuminated if no components are failing or have failed; and
wherein the alert status indicator is operable to be illuminated if a component is failing or has failed.
20. The cabinet of claim 19 , wherein the normal status indicator is illuminated blue if no components are failing or have failed.
21. The cabinet of claim 17 , wherein the normal status section displays a corporate logo.
22. The cabinet of claim 17 , wherein the primary status indicator is cycloptically located on the outer surface.
23. The cabinet of claim 17 , further comprising a second primary status indicator operable to be communicatively coupled to a server management software operable to monitor multiple computer components of one or more computer systems contained in at least one other cabinet.
24. A primary status indicator operable to be communicatively coupled to server management software operable to monitor multiple computer components of a computer system and determine whether a component is failing or has failed,
wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a first state if no computer components are failing or have failed, and
wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a second state if any one of the computer components is failing or has failed.
25. The primary status indicator of claim 24 ,
wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be mounted on a bezel, wherein the bezel is operable to be mounted to substantially cover a front panel of the computer system.
26. The primary status indicator of claim 25 , wherein the primary status indicator is cycloptically positioned on the bezel.
27. The primary status indicator of claim 25 , wherein the primary status indicator remains level with reference to the horizon despite the orientation of the computer system.
28. The primary status indicator of claim 24 , wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in the color blue.
29. The primary status indicator of claim 24 , wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in the off state for the first state.
30. The primary status indicator of claim 24 , wherein the primary status indictor is operable to be illuminated in the off state for the second state.
31. The primary status indicator of claim 24 , further comprising
a normal status section; and
an alert status section.
32. The primary status indicator of claim 31 , wherein the sections are presented as a cluster.
33. The primary status indicator of claim 31 ,
wherein the normal status section is operable to be illuminated if no components are failing or have failed; and
wherein the alert status indicator is operable to be illuminated if a component is failing or has failed.
34. The primary status indicator of claim 33 , wherein the normal status section is operable to be illuminated in the color blue.
35. The primary status indicator of claim 31 , wherein the normal status section displays a corporate logo.
36. A method for displaying status information for a computer system, wherein the computer system includes multiple computer components, and wherein the computer system includes a primary status indicator communicatively coupled to a server management software to monitor the computer components and determine whether a component is failing or has failed, the method comprising the steps of:
illuminating the primary status indicator in a first state if no computer components are failing or have failed; and
illuminating the primary status indicator in a second state if any one of the computer components is failing or has failed.
37. The method for displaying status information of claim 36 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in the color blue for the first state.
38. The method for displaying status information of claim 36 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the first state.
39. The method for displaying status information of claim 36 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the second state.
40. The method for displaying status information of claim 36 , wherein the primary status indicator is mounted on a bezel, wherein the bezel is mounted to substantially cover a front panel of the computer system.
41. The method for displaying status information of claim 40 , wherein the primary status indicator is cycloptically positioned on the bezel.
42. The method for displaying status information of claim 36 , wherein the primary status further comprises
a normal status section; and
an alert status section.
43. The method for displaying status information of claim 42 , wherein the step of illuminating the primary status indicator in a first state further comprises the step of illuminating the normal status section.
44. The method for displaying status information of claim 42 , wherein the step of illuminating the primary status indicator in a second state further comprises the step of illuminating the alert status section.
45. The method for displaying status information of claim 42 , wherein the normal status section displays a corporate logo.
46. A method for displaying status information for a group of computer systems, wherein each computer system comprises multiple computer components, comprising the steps of:
providing a primary status indicator communicatively coupled to server management software to monitor the computer components of each computer system and determine whether a computer component is failing or has failed;
illuminating the primary status indicator in a first state if no computer components are failing or have failed; and
illuminating the primary status indicator in a second state if any one computer component of any computer system is failing or has failed.
47. The method of claim 46 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in the color blue in a first state.
48. The method of claim 46 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the first state.
49. The method of claim 46 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the second state.
50. The method of claim 46 , wherein the group of computer systems are mounted in a cabinet.
51. The method of claim 46 , wherein the group of computer systems are mounted in a plurality of cabinets that are organized into a bank.
52. The method of claim 46 , wherein the primary status further comprises
a normal status section; and
an alert status section.
53. The method of claim 52 , wherein the step of illuminating the primary status indicator in a first state further comprises the step of illuminating the normal status section.
54. The method of claim 52 , wherein the step of illuminating the primary status indicator in a second state further comprises the step of illuminating the alert status section.
55. The method of claim 52 , wherein the normal status section displays a corporate logo.
56. A computer system that includes multiple computer components comprising:
a housing;
server management software for monitoring the computer components, wherein the server management software is operable to determine if any one of the computer components is failing or has failed; and
a primary status indicator positioned on an outer surface of the housing, wherein the primary status indicator is communicatively coupled to server management software, wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a first state if no computer components are failing or have failed, and wherein the primary status indicator is operable to be illuminated in a second state if any one of the computer components is failing or has failed.
57. The computer system of claim 56 ,
further comprising a front panel; and
wherein the primary status indicator positioned on the front panel.
58. The computer system of claim 57 , wherein the primary status indicator is cycloptically positioned on the front panel.
59. The computer system of claim 56 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in the color blue for the first state.
60. The computer system of claim 56 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the first state.
61. The computer system of claim 56 , wherein the primary status indicator is illuminated in an off state for the second state.
62. The computer system of claim 56 ,
wherein the primary status indicator comprises,
a normal status section; and
an alert status section.
63. The computer system of claim 62 , wherein the normal status section and alert status section are presented as a cluster.
64. The computer system of claim 62 ,
wherein the normal status section is operable to be illuminated if no components are failing or have failed; and
wherein the alert status indicator is operable to be illuminated if a component is failing or has failed.
65. The computer system of claim 64 , wherein the normal status section is operable to be illuminated in the color blue.
66. The computer system of claim 64 , wherein the normal status section displays a corporate logo.
67. The computer system of claim 56 , wherein the primary status indicator is operable to rotate to remain level.