REMOTE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION AND SEAMLESS SERVICE INTEGRATION OF A DATA COMMUNICATION NETWORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20020169867A1
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: SITARAMAN, ARAVIND, DENG, MINGQI, THOMAS, LESLIE, MANN, JOE
• Granted Patent: US 6,654,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

A method for providing remote management and maintenance of a node or service within a data communications network that is activated by the data communications network management system'"'"'s receipt of signals of an abnormal condition at a node or service or failure to receive operational status signals from a node or service. A control adapter running on a node within a Point of Presence is started. The control adapter is capable of starting all service adapters associated with all services running on the node. Operational status signals and abnormal condition signals are transmitted from the control adapter and service adapters on to an information bus. If a network management control host receives abnormal condition signals, notification is sent to a remote system administrator that alerts of an error experienced by a node or service. If a network management control host fails to receive operational status signals, notification is sent to a remote system administrator that no signals are being received from a node or service. The system administrator can take appropriate remote action to rectify the problem. The integration of a manually started node or service into a data communications network management system is achieved by manually implementing, at a Point of Presence within a data communications network, a node or service that has an adapter running on it and is in communication with an information bus. The node or service begins signalling operational status upon implementation. These signals are not recognized by network management control hosts. The network management control host transmits signals asking the newly started node or service for identification. The node or service receives the identity request and transmits signals back to the network management control host.

Claims

1. A method for remote management of a node of a data communications network comprising:

starting a control adapter running on a node within a point of presence within said data communications network;

signaling at said control adapter the operational status of said node; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said signaling at said control adapter stops.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

starting at least one service with said control adapter, said service including a service adapter in communication with said control adapter;

signaling at said service adapter the operational status of said service; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said signaling at said service adapter stops.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the operational status signal sent from said control adapter at a network management control host.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

receiving the operational status signal sent from said service adapter at a network management control host.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

sending notification from said network operational center host to said remote system administrator that said signaling at said control adapter has stopped.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said signaling at said control adapter includes publishing a heartbeat event on to an information bus.

8. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said signaling at said service adapter includes publishing a heartbeat event on to an information bus.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said notifying includes sending electronic mail to said remote system administrator.

10. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said notifying includes sending electronic mail to said remote system administrator.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein said electronic mail further comprises pageable, Simple Message Transfer Protocol electronic mail.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein said electronic mail further comprises pageable, Simple Message Transfer Protocol electronic mail.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

starting at least one service with said control adapter, said service including a service adapter in communication with said control adapter;

signaling at said service adapter an abnormal condition existing at said service; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said abnormal condition at said service requires system administrator notification.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the abnormal condition signals sent from said control adapter at a network management control host.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the abnormal condition signals sent from said service adapter at a network management control host.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising:

sending notification from said network operational center host to said remote system administrator that an abnormal condition exists at said node.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

sending notification from said network operational center host to said remote system administrator that an abnormal condition exists at said service.

19. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said signaling at said control adapter includes publishing exception events on to an information bus.

20. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said signaling at said service adapter includes publishing exception events on to an information bus.

21. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said notifying includes sending electronic mail to said remote system administrator.

22. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said notifying includes sending electronic mail to said remote system administrator.

23. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said electronic mail further comprises pageable, Simple Message Transfer Protocol electronic mail.

24. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said electronic mail further comprises pageable, Simple Message Transfer Protocol electronic mail.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26, further comprising:

receiving the operational status signals of said service at a network operation center host;

signaling at said network management control host for the identification information of said service;

receiving the identification information request signal at said service adapter;

signaling at said service adapter identification information requested in said identification information request signal;

receiving the identification information signal of said service at said network management control host; and

storing said identification information of said service within a database.

28. A method in accordance with claim 26, wherein said signaling at said service adapter includes publishing a heartbeat event on to an information bus.

29. A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein said signaling at said network management control host includes publishing a discover event on to an information bus.

30. A method in accordance with claim 27 wherein said signaling at said service adapter identification information includes publishing an identity event on to an information bus.

6. A method in accordance with 4, further comprising:

sending notification from said network operational center host to said remote system administrator that said signaling at said service adapter has stopped.

13. A method for remote management of a node of a data communications network comprising:

starting a control adapter running on a node within a point of presence within said data communications network;

signaling at said control adapter if an abnormal condition exists at said node; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said abnormal condition at said node requires system administrator notification.

25. A method for remotely managing a data communications network comprising:

starting a control adapter running on a node within a point of presence within said data communications network;

starting at least one service with said control adapter, said service including a service adapter in communication with said control adapter;

signaling at said control adapter the operational status of said node;

signaling at said service adapter the operational status of said service;

signaling at said control adapter if an abnormal condition exists at said node;

signaling at said service adapter an abnormal condition existing at said service;

notifying a remote system administrator if the operational status signaling at said control adapter stops;

notifying a remote system administrator if the operational status signaling at said service adapter stops;

notifying a remote system administrator if said abnormal condition at said node requires system administrator notification; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said abnormal condition at said service requires system administrator notification.

26. A method for integration of a manually started service into a data communications network management system, the method comprising:

starting a service manually at a Point of Presence (PoP) within said data communications network;

said service having a service adapter in communication with an information bus; and

signaling by said service adapter over said information bus operational status of said service.

31. A method for integration of a manually started node into a data communications network management system, the method comprising:

starting a node manually at a Point of Presence (PoP) within said data communications network;

said node having a control adapter in communication with an information bus; and

signaling by said control adapter over said information bus operational status of said node.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, further comprising:

receiving the operational status signals of said node at a network operation center host;

signaling at said network management control host for the identification information of said node;

receiving the identification information request signal at said control adapter;

signaling at said control adapter identification information requested in said identification information request signal;

receiving the identification information signal of said node at said network management control host; and

storing said identification information of said node within a database.

33. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein said signaling at said control adapter includes publishing a heartbeat event on to an information bus.

34. A method in accordance with claim 32, wherein said signaling at said network management control host includes publishing a discover event on to an information bus.

35. A method in accordance with claim 32 wherein said signaling at said service adapter identification information includes publishing an identity event on to an information bus.

36. A network management control host within a data communications network comprising:

a network management application;

a database adapter in communication with said network management application and an information bus,

a database in communication with said network management application and said database adapter, and

a remote system administrator notifier in communication with said network management application and said database adapter.

37. A data communications network:

a first processor including;

a network management application,

an database adapter in communication with said network management application and an information bus,

a database in communication with said network management application and said database adapter, and

a remote system administrator notifier in communication with said network management application and said database adapter; and

a second processor including;

a control adapter in communication with said information bus,

at least one service running on said second processor, and

a service adapter connected to said service, said service adapter in communication with said control adapter and said information bus.

38. A network management control host within a data communications network comprising:

a means for receiving an operational status signal published on an information bus by a node or service, said node or said service located in said data communications network; and

a means for notifying a remote system administrator if said host stops receiving said operational status signals.

39. A network management control host within a data communications network comprising:

a means for receiving an abnormal condition signal published on to an information bus by a node or service, said node or said service located in said data communications network; and

a means for notifying a remote system administrator if said host receives said abnormal condition signal and said abnormal condition signal requires remote system administrator notification.

40. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for remote management of a node of a data communications network, the method comprising:

starting a control adapter running on a node within a point of presence within said data communications network;

signaling at said control adapter the operational status of said node; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said signaling at said control adapter stops.

41. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for remote management of a node of a data communications network, the method comprising:

starting a control adapter running on a node within a point of presence within said data communications network;

signaling at said control adapter if an abnormal condition exists at said node; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said abnormal condition at said node requires system administrator notification.

42. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for remotely managing a data communications network, the method comprising:

starting a control adapter running on a node within a point of presence within said data communications network;

starting at least one service with said control adapter, said service including a service adapter in communication with said control adapter;

signaling at said control adapter the operational status of said node;

signaling at said service adapter the operational status of said service;

signaling at said control adapter if an abnormal condition exists at said node;

signaling at said service adapter an abnormal condition existing at said service;

notifying a remote system administrator if the operational status signaling at said control adapter stops;

notifying a remote system administrator if the operational status signaling at said service adapter stops;

notifying a remote system administrator if said abnormal condition at said node requires system administrator notification; and

notifying a remote system administrator if said abnormal condition at said service requires system administrator notification.

43. A program storage device read able by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for integration of a manually started node into a data communications network management system, the method comprising:

starting a node manually at a Point of Presence (PoP) within said data communications network;

said node having a control adapter in communication with an information bus; and

signaling by said control adapter over said information bus operational status of said node.