Method and system for network management with per-endpoint monitoring based on application life cycle

• US 20020112040A1
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Ching-Jye, Ullman, Lorin Evan
• Application Number:
  US09/737,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/103 with adaptive polling, i.e. dynamically adapting the polling rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product is presented for management of a distributed data processing system. A network management framework provides the ability to limit the frequency of discovery/scanning and/or monitoring on an endpoint-by-endpoint basis. A status polling interval can be dynamically determined for each endpoint throughout a highly distributed system whether or not the endpoints are situated behind routers, firewalls, slow communication links, etc. The monitoring operations can be set in accordance with a phase/life cycle of a performance monitoring component.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring devices within a network, the method comprising:

determining a state of the network, wherein the state of the network depends upon a collective state of devices on the network;

setting a polling interval for each of the devices on the network based on the state of the network; and

polling each of the devices on the network for status information in accordance with the set polling interval for each device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving status information from the devices on the network;

modifying the state of the network based upon the received status information;

updating the polling interval for each of the devices on the network based on the modified state of the network; and

polling each of the devices on the network for status information in accordance with the updated polling interval for each device.

3. A method for management of a distributed data processing system, the method comprising:

dynamically discovering endpoints on a network within the distributed data processing system using a network management framework;

determining a state of the network, wherein the state of the network depends upon a collective state of discovered endpoints on the network;

associating a polling interval parameter with each discovered endpoint on the network based on the determined state of the network; and

monitoring each discovered endpoint using the network management framework in accordance with the polling interval parameter associated with each discovered endpoint.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

modifying the state of the network based upon further discovery of endpoints on the network;

updating the polling interval parameters for endpoints on the network based on the modified state of the network; and

polling each of the discovered endpoints on the network for status information in accordance with the updated polling interval parameter associated with each discovered endpoint.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

setting the state of the network based upon a numerical range of a discovery completion percentage for an endpoint discovery process within the network.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

calculating a number of discovered endpoints for the network;

retrieving a maximum number of endpoints on the network; and

computing a discovery completion percentage based upon the number of discovered endpoints for the network and the maximum number of endpoints on the network.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein a state of the network is selected from a group comprising a pre-discovery phase, an initial discovery phase, or a post-discovery phase.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein a state of the network includes a steady-state discovery phase.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein a state of the network includes a status-gathering phase.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein a polling interval parameter is partially based upon a configuration parameter for an endpoint.

11. An apparatus for monitoring devices within a network, the apparatus comprising:

determining means for determining a state of the network, wherein the state of the network depends upon a collective state of devices on the network;

setting means for setting a polling interval for each of the devices on the network based on the state of the network; and

polling means for polling each of the devices on the network for status information in accordance with the set polling interval for each device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving means for receiving status information from the devices on the network;

modifying means for modifying the state of the network based upon the received status information;

updating means for updating the polling interval for each of the devices on the network based on the modified state of the network; and

polling means for polling each of the devices on the network for status information in accordance with the updated polling interval for each device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

modifying means for modifying the state of the network based upon further discovery of endpoints on the network;

updating means for updating the polling interval parameters for endpoints on the network based on the modified state of the network; and

polling means for polling each of the discovered endpoints on the network for status information in accordance with the updated polling interval parameter associated with each discovered endpoint.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

setting means for setting the state of the network based upon a numerical range of a discovery completion percentage for an endpoint discovery process within the network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

calculating means for calculating a number of discovered endpoints for the network;

retrieving means for retrieving a maximum number of endpoints on the network; and

computing means for computing a discovery completion percentage based upon the number of discovered endpoints for the network and the maximum number of endpoints on the network.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a state of the network is selected from a group comprising a pre-discovery phase, an initial discovery phase, or a post-discovery phase.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a state of the network includes a steady-state discovery phase.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a state of the network includes a status-gathering phase.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a polling interval parameter is partially based upon a configuration parameter for an endpoint.

13. An apparatus for management of a distributed data processing system, the apparatus comprising:

discovering means for dynamically discovering endpoints on a network within the distributed data processing system using a network management framework;

determining means for determining a state of the network, wherein the state of the network depends upon a collective state of discovered endpoints on the network;

associating means for associating a polling interval parameter with each discovered endpoint on the network based on the determined state of the network; and

monitoring means for monitoring each discovered endpoint using the network management framework in accordance with the polling interval parameter associated with each discovered endpoint.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for monitoring devices within a network, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for determining a state of the network, wherein the state of the network depends upon a collective state of devices on the network;

instructions for setting a polling interval for each of the devices on the network based on the state of the network; and

instructions for polling each of the devices on the network for status information in accordance with the set polling interval for each device.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

instructions for receiving status information from the devices on the network;

instructions for modifying the state of the network based upon the received status information;

instructions for updating the polling interval for each of the devices on the network based on the modified state of the network; and

instructions for polling each of the devices on the network for status information in accordance with the updated polling interval for each device.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

instructions for modifying the state of the network based upon further discovery of endpoints on the network;

instructions for updating the polling interval parameters for endpoints on the network based on the modified state of the network; and

instructions for polling each of the discovered endpoints on the network for status information in accordance with the updated polling interval parameter associated with each discovered endpoint.

25. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

instructions for setting the state of the network based upon a numerical range of a discovery completion percentage for an endpoint discovery process within the network.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 further comprising:

instructions for calculating a number of discovered endpoints for the network;

instructions for retrieving a maximum number of endpoints on the network; and

instructions for computing a discovery completion percentage based upon the number of discovered endpoints for the network and the maximum number of endpoints on the network.

27. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein a state of the network is selected from a group comprising a pre-discovery phase, an initial discovery phase, or a post-discovery phase.

28. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein a state of the network includes a steady-state discovery phase.

29. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein a state of the network includes a status-gathering phase.

30. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein a polling interval parameter is partially based upon a configuration parameter for an endpoint.

23. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for management of a distributed data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for dynamically discovering endpoints on a network within the distributed data processing system using a network management framework;

instructions for determining a state of the network, wherein the state of the network depends upon a collective state of discovered endpoints on the network;

instructions for associating a polling interval parameter with endpoint on the network based on the determined state of the network; and

instructions for monitoring each discovered endpoint using the network management framework in accordance with the polling interval parameter associated with each discovered endpoint.