Object oriented SNMP agent

• US 20030069956A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bigband Networks Incorporated (II-VI Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bigband Networks Incorporated (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, Huimin, Gieseke, Eric James
• Application Number:
  US09/972,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069956A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor

Abstract

An improved SNMP agent and configuration server apparatus and method is detailed that manages configuration and tasking of components, elements, and modules, of network elements, modular rack chassis'"'"'s, and network systems. The improved SNMP agent and configuration server apparatus and method utilizes an object oriented approach to representing configuration information for managed modules and elements. This object oriented approach allows for ease of implementation, reduced errors, and faster generation for CLI command sets and MIB databases.

Claims

1. A network element comprising:

a memory;

a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent;

at least one configurable component;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface; and

a computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

configuring the at least one configurable component.

2. A method of operating a network element, comprising:

receiving configuration input data;

representing the received configuration input data in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to requests for configuration information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving configuration input data further comprises receiving configuration input data where the input data is selected from the group consisting of configuration files, information databases, and configuration change events.

4. An object oriented network element comprising:

a memory;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface; and

a computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method with an object model comprising;

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming part of the object model; and

responding to requests for configuration information.

5. A network element comprising:

one or more components; and

a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent to configure the one or more components, wherein the simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent comprises;

a memory;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface; and

a computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to requests for configuration information.

6. A method of generating a CLI command set from a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent, comprising:

receiving configuration input data;

representing the received configuration input data in one or more object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to a “

show running config”

request by generating a CLI command set from the one or more object instances.

7. A method of generating running configuration information in a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent, comprising:

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in one or more object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to a selected request command by generating running configuration information from the one or more object instances.

8. An object oriented network element with a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent comprising:

a memory;

a storage medium;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory, the storage medium and the network interface; and

an object model stored in the storage medium and executable on the processor.

9. A configuration server comprising:

a memory;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface; and

a computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to requests for configuration information.

10. A method of operating a configuration server, comprising:

receiving configuration input data;

representing the received configuration input data in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to requests for configuration information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving configuration input data further comprises receiving configuration input data where the input data is selected from the group consisting of configuration files, information databases, and configuration change events.

12. An object oriented configuration server comprising:

a memory;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface; and

a computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method with an object model comprising;

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming part of the object model; and

responding to requests for configuration information.

13. A network rack system comprising:

one or more modules; and

a configuration server to configure the one or more modules, wherein the configuration server comprises;

a memory;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface; and

a computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to requests for configuration information.

14. A method of generating a CLI command set from a configuration server, comprising:

receiving configuration input data;

representing the received configuration input data in one or more object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to a “

show running config”

request by generating a CLI command set from the one or more object instances.

15. A method of generating running configuration information in a configuration server, comprising:

receiving configuration input information;

representing the received configuration input information in one or more object instances of a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects forming an object model; and

responding to a selected request command by generating running configuration information from the one or more object instances.

16. An object oriented configuration server comprising:

a memory;

a storage medium;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the memory, the storage medium and the network interface; and

an object model stored in the storage medium and executable on the processor.