DECENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT ARCHITECTURE FOR A MODULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20030055929A1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: THOMPSON, BRENDA A., DING, DA-HAI, PARISEAU, LUC A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,981,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]

Abstract

A decentralized management model enables a plurality of interconnected modules to be managed and controlled as an integrated unit without requiring any one of the interconnected modules to operate as a fully centralized manager. One of the interconnected modules is configured to operate as a base module, which coordinates certain network management operations among the interconnected modules. Each of the interconnected modules is capable of sending and receiving management and control information. Each of the interconnected modules maintains a segmented management database containing network management parameters that are specific to the particular module, and also maintains a shadowed management database containing network management parameters that are common to all of the interconnected modules in the stack. Management and control operations that do not require synchronization or mutual exclusion among the various interconnected modules are typically handled by the module that receives a management/control request. Management and control operations that require synchronization or mutual exclusion among the various interconnected modules are handled by the base module.

Claims

1. A decentralized management method for managing a plurality of interconnected modules, the decentralized management method comprising:

maintaining, by each module, a number of module-specific parameters in a database;

maintaining, by each module, a number of stack-wide parameters in a database; and

maintaining, by each module, a management interface for managing the plurality of interconnected modules.

2. The decentralized management method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the number of stack-wide parameters comprises:

maintaining, by each module, a portion of information relating to a stack-wide parameter;

distributing, by each module to the other cooperating modules, the portion of information relating to the stack-wide parameter; and

calculating, by each module, the stack-wide parameter based upon the portion of information maintained by the module and the portions of information received from each of the other cooperating modules.

3. The decentralized management method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to read a parameter by a receiving module;

determining whether the requested parameter is maintained by the receiving module or a cooperating module;

retrieving the requested parameter from the database, if the requested parameter is maintained by the receiving module;

retrieving the requested parameter from a cooperating module, if the requested parameter is maintained by the cooperating module; and

sending a response by the receiving module, the response including the requested parameter.

4. The decentralized management method of claim 3, wherein retrieving the requested parameter from a cooperating module comprises utilizing a remote procedure call to retrieve the requested parameter from the cooperating module.

5. The decentralized management method of claim 3, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get request.

6. The decentralized management method of claim 3, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get-next request.

7. The decentralized management method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an Address Resolution Protocol message by a receiving module; and

distributing the Address Resolution Protocol message to the other cooperating modules.

8. The decentralized management method of claim 7, further comprising:

updating, by each of the modules, an Address Resolution Protocol cache based upon a Medium Access Control address and Internet Protocol address included in the Address Resolution Protocol message.

9. The decentralized management method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating one module as a base module for the plurality of interconnected modules.

10. The decentralized management method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring, by the base module, a predetermined set of parameters;

comparing, by the base module, the predetermined set of parameters to a predetermined set of trap criteria; and

generating, by the base module, a trap message upon determining that the predetermined set of parameters meets a trap criterion.

11. The decentralized management method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by a receiving module other than the base module, a request requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the plurality of interconnected modules; and

forwarding the request by the receiving module to the base module.

12. The decentralized management method of claim 11, wherein the request is a request to write a parameter.

13. The decentralized management method of claim 12, wherein the request to write the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol set request.

14. The decentralized management method of claim 11, wherein the request is a Bootstrap Protocol response message.

15. The decentralized management method of claim 11, wherein the request is a TELNET message.

16. The decentralized management method of claim 11, wherein the request is a web message.

17. The decentralized management method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message by a receiving module; and

distributing the Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message to the other cooperating modules.

18. The decentralized management method of claim 9, further comprising:

configuring the plurality of interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit; and

broadcasting an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address, wherein the Medium Access Control address is one of a number of Medium Access Control addresses associated with the base module.

19. The decentralized management method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting, by at least one of the interconnected modules, that the base module failed;

designating a new base module from among a number of remaining interconnected modules;

reconfiguring, by the new base module, the number of remaining interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit; and

broadcasting an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address, wherein the Medium Access Control address is one of a number of Medium Access Control addresses associated with the new base module.

20. A module for operating in a communication system having a plurality of interconnected modules including a base module and at least one non-base module, the module comprising:

at least one management database; and

management/control logic, wherein the management/control logic comprises;

database interface logic operably coupled to the at least one management database for maintaining a number of module-specific objects and parameters and a number of stack-wide objects and parameters;

management interface logic operably coupled to enable the management/control logic to communicate with a network manager;

inter-module communication logic operably coupled to enable the management/control logic to communicate with the plurality of interconnected modules;

local handlers operably coupled to process network management information received from the network manager via the management interface logic and from the other interconnected modules via the inter-module communication logic, and to send network management information to the other interconnected modules; and

service logic operably coupled to receive a protocol message from the management interface logic and to direct the protocol message to the local handlers, if the module is the base module or the protocol message is not one of a number of protocol messages requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the various interconnected modules, and to the base module via the inter-module communication logic, if the module is a non-base module and the protocol message is one of the number of protocol messages requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the various interconnected modules.

21. The module of claim 20, wherein:

the protocol message is a request to read a parameter; and

the service logic is operably coupled to forward the protocol message to the local handlers.

22. The module of claim 21, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get request.

23. The module of claim 21, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get-next request.

24. The module of claim 21, wherein the local handlers are operably coupled to determine whether the requested parameter is maintained by the module or by a cooperating module;

retrieve the requested parameter from the at least one management database via the database interface logic, if the requested parameters is maintained by the module;

retrieve the requested parameter from the cooperating module via the inter-module communication logic, if the requested parameter is maintained by the cooperating module; and

send a response including the requested parameter.

25. The module of claim 20, wherein:

the module is a non-base module;

the protocol message is a request requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the plurality of interconnected modules; and

the service logic is operably coupled to forward the protocol message to the base module via the inter-module communication logic.

26. The module of claim 25, wherein the request is a request to write a parameter.

27. The module of claim 26, wherein the request to write the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol set request.

28. The module of claim 25, wherein the request is a Bootstrap Protocol response message.

29. The module of claim 25, wherein the request is a TELNET message.

30. The module of claim 25, wherein the request is a web message.

31. The module of claim 20, wherein:

the protocol message is an Address Resolution Protocol message; and

the service logic is operably coupled to forward the Address Resolution Protocol message to the local handlers.

32. The module of claim 31, wherein the local handlers are operably coupled to distribute the Address Resolution Protocol message to the plurality of interconnected modules via the inter-module communication logic.

33. The module of claim 20, wherein:

the module is the base module;

the local handlers are operably coupled to monitor a predetermined set of parameters, compare the predetermined set of parameters to a predetermined set of trap criteria, and generate a trap message upon determining that the predetermined set of parameters meets a trap criterion.

34. The module of claim 20, wherein the local handlers are operably coupled to maintain a portion of information relating to a stack-wide parameter, distribute the portion of information to the other cooperating modules via the inter-module communication logic, receive from the other cooperating modules via the inter-module communication logic portions of information relating to the stack-wide parameter, and calculate the stack-wide parameter based upon the portion of information maintained by the module and the portions of information received from each of the other cooperating modules.

35. The module of claim 20, wherein:

the protocol message is Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message; and

the service logic is operably coupled to forward the Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message to the local handlers.

36. The module of claim 35, wherein the local handlers are operably coupled to distribute the Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message to the plurality of interconnected modules via the inter-module communication logic.

37. The module of claim 20, wherein:

the module is the base module; and

the local handlers are operably coupled to configure the plurality of interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit and broadcast an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address that is associated with the module.

38. The module of claim 20, wherein:

the module is a non-base module; and

the local handlers are operably coupled to detect a failure of the base module, reconfigure a number of remaining interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit, and broadcast an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address that is associated with the module.

39. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for managing a module operating among a plurality of interconnected modules including a base module and at least one non-base module, the computer program comprising:

database interface logic programmed to maintain a number of module-specific objects and parameters and a number of stack-wide objects and parameters in a management database;

management interface logic programmed to communicate with a network manager;

inter-module communication logic programmed to communicate with the plurality of interconnected modules;

local handlers programmed to process network management information received from the network manager via the management interface logic and from the other interconnected modules via the inter-module communication logic, and to send network management information to the other interconnected modules; and

service logic programmed to receive a protocol message from the management interface logic and to direct the protocol message to the local handlers, if the module is the base module or the protocol message is not one of a number of protocol messages requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the various interconnected modules, and to the base module via the inter-module communication logic, if the module is a non-base module and the protocol message is one of the number of protocol messages requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the various interconnected modules.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein:

the protocol message is a request to read a parameter; and

the service logic is programmed to forward the protocol message to the local handlers.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get request.

42. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get-next request.

43. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the local handlers are programmed to determine whether the requested parameter is maintained by the module or by a cooperating module;

retrieve the requested parameter from the at least one management database via the database interface logic, if the requested parameters is maintained by the module;

retrieve the requested parameter from the cooperating module via the inter-module communication logic, if the requested parameter is maintained by the cooperating module; and

send a response including the requested parameter.

44. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein:

the module is a non-base module;

the protocol message is a request requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the plurality of interconnected modules; and

the service logic is programmed to forward the protocol message to the base module via the inter-module communication logic.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the request is a request to write a parameter.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the request to write the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol set request.

47. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the request is a Bootstrap Protocol response message.

48. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the request is a TELNET message.

49. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the request is a web message.

50. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein:

the protocol message is an Address Resolution Protocol message; and

the service logic is programmed to forward the Address Resolution Protocol message to the local handlers.

51. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the local handlers are programmed to distribute the Address Resolution Protocol message to the plurality of interconnected modules via the inter-module communication logic.

52. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein:

the module is the base module;

the local handlers are programmed to monitor a predetermined set of parameters, compare the predetermined set of parameters to a predetermined set of trap criteria, and generate a trap message upon determining that the predetermined set of parameters meets a trap criterion.

53. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the local handlers are programmed to maintain a portion of information relating to a stack-wide parameter, distribute the portion of information to the other cooperating modules via the inter-module communication logic, receive from the other cooperating modules via the inter-module communication logic portions of information relating to the stack-wide parameter, and calculate the stack-wide parameter based upon the portion of information maintained by the module and the portions of information received from each of the other cooperating modules.

54. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein:

the protocol message is Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message; and

the service logic is programmed to forward the Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message to the local handlers.

55. The computer program product of claim 54, wherein the local handlers are programmed to distribute the Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message to the plurality of interconnected modules via the inter-module communication logic.

56. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein:

the module is the base module; and

the local handlers are programmed to configure the plurality of interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit and broadcast an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address that is associated with the module.

57. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein:

the module is a non-base module; and

the local handlers are programmed to detect a failure of the base module, reconfigure a number of remaining interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit, and broadcast an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address that is associated with the module.

58. A communication system comprising a plurality of interconnected modules, wherein each module maintains a number of module-specific parameters, a number of stack-wide parameters, and a management interface for managing the plurality of interconnected modules.

59. The communication system of claim 58, wherein:

each module maintains a portion of information relating to a stack-wide parameter;

each module distributes to the other cooperating modules the portion of information relating to the stack-wide parameter; and

each module calculates the stack-wide parameter based upon the portion of information maintained by the module and the portions of information received from each of the other cooperating modules.

60. The communication system of claim 58, wherein:

a receiving module receives a request to read a parameter;

the receiving module determines whether the requested parameter is maintained by the receiving module or by a cooperating module;

the receiving module retrieves the requested parameter from the database, if the requested parameter is maintained by the receiving module;

the receiving module retrieves the requested parameter from a cooperating module, if the requested parameter is maintained by the cooperating module; and

the receiving module sends a response including the requested parameter.

61. The communication system of claim 60, wherein the receiving module utilizes a remote procedure call to retrieve the requested parameter from the cooperating module.

62. The communication system of claim 60, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get request.

63. The communication system of claim 60, wherein the request to read the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol get-next request.

64. The communication system of claim 58, wherein:

a receiving module receives an Address Resolution Protocol message; and

the receiving module distributes the Address Resolution Protocol message to the other cooperating modules.

65. The communication system of claim 64, wherein each module updates an Address Resolution Protocol cache based upon a Medium Access Control address and Internet Protocol address included in the Address Resolution Protocol message.

66. The communication system of claim 58, wherein one of the modules is designated as a base module for the plurality of interconnected modules.

67. The communication system of claim 66, wherein the base module monitors a predetermined set of parameters, compares the predetermined set of parameters to a predetermined set of trap criteria, and generates a trap message upon determining that the predetermined set of parameters meets a trap criterion.

68. The communication system of claim 66, wherein:

a receiving module, other than the base module, receives a request requiring synchronization or mutual exclusion among the plurality of interconnected modules; and

the receiving module forwards the request to the base module.

69. The communication system of claim 68, wherein the request is a request to write a parameter.

70. The communication system of claim 69, wherein the request to write the parameter is a Simple Network Management Protocol set request.

71. The communication system of claim 68, wherein the request is a Bootstrap Protocol response message.

72. The communication system of claim 68, wherein the request is a TELNET message.

73. The communication system of claim 68, wherein the request is a web message.

74. The communication system of claim 58, wherein:

a receiving module receives a Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message; and

the receiving module distributes the Trivial File Transfer Protocol response message to the other cooperating modules.

75. The communication system of claim 66, wherein the base module configures the plurality of interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit and broadcasts an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address, wherein the Medium Access Control address is one of a number of Medium Access Control addresses associated with the base module.

76. The communication system of claim 66, wherein a non-base module detects that the base module failed, reconfigures the number of remaining interconnected modules to operate as an integrated unit, and broadcasts an Address Resolution Protocol request message including an Internet Protocol address and a Medium Access Control address, wherein the Medium Access Control address is one of a number of Medium Access Control addresses associated with said non-base module.