Distributed network management system using policies

• US 20030021283A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sound View Innovations, LLC (Sound View Innovation Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Martin, Christopher, See, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A distributed network management system that utilizes policy rules in rendering management decisions. The system includes a policy console that populates and manages network policies in a policy repository. Various network devices coupled to the policy repository download policy rules relevant to the devices for managing network elements associated with each network device. Each network device includes a policy decision module for rendering management decisions for its network elements based on the retrieved network policies. Each network device further includes a policy enforcement module for enforcing the management decisions and controlling the associated network elements based on the policies.

Claims

1. A network management system comprising a policy repository and a plurality of network devices coupled to the policy repository, at least one of the network devices being associated with a network element, the management of the network element being distributed to the network device based on network policies retrieved from the policy repository.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a policy console coupled to the policy repository for managing the network policies.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network device is associated with a network role, the network policies retrieved from the policy repository being based on the network role associated with the network device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the network device is a network gateway device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network device is a network end-station.

6. A network management system comprising:

a data store for storing a plurality of network policies;

a first network device coupled to the data store for managing the network policies;

a second network device coupled to the data store and the first network device, the second network device retrieving a first set of network policies associated with the second network device from the data store and enforcing the retrieved policies for control of network elements associated with the second network device; and

a third network device coupled to the central data store and the first network device, the third network device retrieving a third set of network policies associated with the third network device from the data store and enforcing the retrieved policies for control of network elements associated with the third network device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first network device transmits notifications to the second and third network devices of a change in the network policies.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the second and third network devices are associated with a network role, the network policies retrieved from the data store being based on the network role associated with the network device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the network role is determined based on an attribute associated with the network device.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the second and third network devices include a policy decision module for rendering a management decision for controlling the network element associated with the network device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the second and third network devices include a policy enforcement module for enforcing the management decision rendered by the policy decision module.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second and third network devices include a policy cache for storing policies retrieved from the data store.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein one of the network devices is a network gateway device.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein one of the network devices is a network end-station.

15. A method for distributed network management comprising:

storing in a data store a plurality of network policies;

retrieving a portion of the network policies associated with a network device from the data store;

rendering a management decision at the network device based on the retrieved network policies; and

enforcing the management decision at the network device for controlling a network element associated with the network device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting a notification to the network device of a change in the network policies.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the retrieved policies are based on a network role associated with the network device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the network role is determined based on an attribute associated with the network device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the network devices is a network gateway device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the network devices is a network end-station.