Enterprise Network analyzer architecture framework

• US 20030140137A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Joiner, Herbert V., Elwell, Ken W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,754,705 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 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system and associated method and computer program product are provided for analyzing a network. Included is a plurality of agents coupled to a plurality of computers interconnected via a network. Each agent is adapted to collect information relating to at least one of the computers. Further provided is a plurality of host controllers coupled to the agents for collecting the information from the agents. Still yet, a plurality of zone controllers is coupled to the host controllers for collecting the information from the host controllers.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing a network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of agents coupled to a plurality of computers interconnected via a network, each agent adapted to collect information relating to at least one of the computers;

(b) a plurality of host controllers coupled to the agents for collecting the information from the agents; and

(c) a plurality of zone controllers coupled to the host controllers for collecting the information from the host controllers.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each agent is adapted to collect the information relating to at least one of the computers for a first predetermined time interval.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the agents receive an indication of the first predetermined time interval from the host controllers.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the agents collect the information in response to a demand received from the host controllers.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agents communicate with the host controllers utilizing a layer three protocol.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agents are less than 1 MB in size.

7. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the host controllers are adapted for collecting the information from the agents for a second predetermined time interval greater than the first predetermined time interval.

8. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the host controllers receive an indication of the first predetermined time interval from the zone controllers.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the host controllers are adapted for generating a map based on the information.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the host controllers communicate with the zone controllers utilizing an encrypted layer three protocol.

11. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for collecting the information from the host controllers at predetermined intervals.

12. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for receiving the map from the host controllers.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for reporting on computers included in an associated zone based on the information and the map from the host controllers.

14. A method for analyzing a network, comprising:

(a) collecting information relating to a plurality of computers utilizing a plurality of agents coupled to the computers via a network;

(b) collecting the information from the agents utilizing a plurality of host controllers coupled to the agents; and

(c) collecting the information from the host controllers utilizing a plurality of zone controllers coupled to the host controllers.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein each agent is adapted to collect the information relating to at least one of the computers for a first predetermined time interval.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the agents receive an indication of the first predetermined time interval from the host controllers.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the agents collect the information in response to a demand received from the host controllers.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the agents communicate with the host controllers utilizing a layer three protocol.

19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the agents are less than 1 MB in size.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the host controllers are adapted for collecting the information from the agents for a second predetermined time interval greater than the first predetermined time interval.

21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the host controllers receive an indication of the first predetermined time interval from the zone controllers.

22. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the host controllers are adapted for generating a map based on the information.

23. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the host controllers communicate with the zone controllers utilizing an encrypted layer three protocol.

24. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for collecting the information from the host controllers at predetermined intervals.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for receiving the map from the host controllers.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for reporting on computers included in an associated zone based on the information and the map from the host controllers.

27. A computer program product for analyzing a network, comprising:

(a) computer code for collecting information relating to a plurality of computers utilizing a plurality of agents coupled to the computers via a network;

(b) computer code for collecting the information from the agents utilizing a plurality of host controllers coupled to the agents; and

(c) computer code for collecting the information from the host controllers utilizing a plurality of zone controllers coupled to the host controllers.

28. The computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein each agent is adapted to collect the information relating to at least one of the computers for a first predetermined time interval.

29. The computer program product as recited in claim 28, wherein the agents receive an indication of the first predetermined time interval from the host controllers.

30. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein the agents collect the information in response to a demand received from the host controllers.

31. The computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein the agents communicate with the host controllers utilizing a layer three protocol.

32. The computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein the agents are less than 1 MB in size.

33. The computer program product as recited in claim 28, wherein the host controllers are adapted for collecting the information from the agents for a second predetermined time interval greater than the first predetermined time interval.

34. The computer program product as recited in claim 28, wherein the host controllers receive an indication of the first predetermined time interval from the zone controllers.

35. The computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein the host controllers are adapted for generating a map based on the information.

36. The computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein the host controllers communicate with the zone controllers utilizing an encrypted layer three protocol.

37. The computer program product as recited in claim 34, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for collecting the information from the host controllers at predetermined intervals.

38. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for receiving the map from the host controllers.

39. The computer program product as recited in claim 38, wherein the zone controllers are adapted for reporting on computers included in an associated zone based on the information and the map from the host controllers.

40. A system for analyzing a network, comprising:

(a) logic for collecting information relating to a plurality of computers utilizing a plurality of agents coupled to the computers via a network;

(b) logic for collecting the information from the agents utilizing a plurality of host controllers coupled to the agents; and

(c) logic for collecting the information from the host controllers utilizing a plurality of zone controllers coupled to the host controllers.

41. A system for analyzing a network, comprising:

(a) agent means coupled to a plurality of computers interconnected via a network, the agent means adapted to collect information relating to at least one of the computers;

(b) host controller means for collecting the information from the agent means; and

(c) zone controller means for collecting the information from the host controller means.

42. A system for analyzing a network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of agents coupled to a plurality of computers interconnected via a network, each agent adapted to collect information relating to at least one of the computers for a first predetermined time interval;

(b) a plurality of host controllers coupled to the agents for collecting the information from the agents for a second predetermined time interval greater than the first predetermined time interval; and

(c) a plurality of zone controllers coupled to the host controllers for collecting the information from the host controllers at predetermined intervals.