Extensible device data gathering

• US 20040128381A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Burgess, Christopher L., Achtelstetter, Dieter, Balakrishnan, Shobana, Rowland, Craig, Sandford, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]

Abstract

Extensible device data gathering is performed by a server in concert with at least one gatherer. The server accepts requests from clients and dispatches a gatherer to gather device data from devices on a network. When the data is returned, the server stores the data in a repository. The server also handles requests for repository data from clients. A gatherer presents an interface to the server which the server can use to dispatch the gatherer. The system is extensible because new gatherers may be created and may register with the server without any changes to the server. In one embodiment, this extensibility is achieved using the COM (Component Object Model) technology.

Claims

1. A method for extensible device data gathering in a network having one or more devices, comprising:

storing gatherer module set information regarding at least one existing gatherer module, each said existing gatherer module capable of accepting a request to gather data from at least one of said devices and gathering data according to said request;

accepting new gatherer module information regarding a new gatherer module;

adding said new gatherer module information to said stored gatherer module set information;

accepting a request to gather device data;

requesting said data from at least one selected gatherer module; and

receiving said data from said at least one selected gatherer module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing said received data in a repository.

3. The method of claim 2, where said method further comprises:

accepting a request for data from said repository; and

responding to said request for data with data from said repository.

4. The method of claim 2, where said method further comprises:

accepting a request to persist data from said repository; and

persisting data from said repository.

5. The method of claim 1, where said accepting a request to gather device data comprises:

exposing a device data gathering request interface; and

accepting requests received via said data gathering request interface.

6. The method of claim 5, where said exposing a device data gathering interface comprises exposing a COM interface.

7. The method of claim 1, where said accepting new gatherer module information comprises:

exposing a new gatherer module information interface; and

accepting new gatherer module information via said new gatherer module information interface.

8. The method of claim 7, where said exposing a new gatherer module information interface comprises exposing a COM interface.

9. The method of claim 1 where each of said gatherer modules is a COM component and where said step of accepting new gatherer module information regarding a new gatherer module comprises accepting information via a COM interface.

10. A system for extensible device data gathering in a network having one or more devices, comprising:

gatherer module set storage for gatherer module set information regarding at least one existing gatherer module, each of said existing gatherer module capable of accepting a request to gather data from at least one of said devices and gathering data according to said request;

new gatherer module acceptance logic for accepting new gatherer module information regarding a new gatherer module;

gatherer module set storage adding logic for adding said new gatherer module information to said stored gatherer module set information in said gatherer module set storage;

device data request acceptance logic for accepting a request to gather device data;

gatherer request logic for requesting said data from at least one selected gatherer module; and

gatherer data receipt logic for receiving said data from said at least oneselected gatherer module.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a repository for storing said data received from said selected gatherer modules.

12. The system of claim 11, where said system further comprises:

repository request logic for accepting a request for data from said repository; and

repository request response logic for responding to said request for data with data from said repository.

13. The system of claim 12, where repository request logic comprises:

a device data gathering request interface.

14. The system of claim 13, where said a device data gathering request interface comprises a COM interface.

15. The system of claim 11, where said system further comprises:

persist request logic for accepting a request to persist data from said repository; and

persist logic for persisting data from said repository.

16. The system of claim 10, where new gatherer module acceptance logic comprises:

a new gatherer module information interface.

17. The system of claim 16, where said a new gatherer module information interface comprises a COM interface.

18. The system of claim 10 where each of said gatherer modules is a COM component and where said new gatherer module acceptance logic comprises a COM interface.

19. A computer-readable medium for extensible device data gathering in a network having one or more devices, said computer-readable medium with instructions to perform acts comprising:

storing existing gatherer module set information regarding at least one existing gatherer module, each of said gatherer module capable of accepting a request to gather data from at least one of said devices and gathering data according to said request;

accepting new gatherer module information regarding a new gatherer module;

adding said new gatherer module information to said stored gatherer module set information;

accepting a request to gather device data;

requesting said data from at least one selected gatherer module; and

receiving said data from said at least one selected gatherer module.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, said acts further comprising:

storing said received data in a repository.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, where said acts further comprise:

accepting a request for data from said repository; and

responding to said request for data with data from said repository.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, where said acts further comprise:

accepting a request to persist data from said repository; and

persisting data from said repository.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, where said accepting a request to gather device data comprises:

exposing a device data gathering request interface; and

accepting requests received via said data gathering request interface.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, where said exposing a device data gathering interface comprises exposing a COM interface.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, where said accepting new gatherer module information comprises:

exposing a new gatherer module information interface; and

accepting new gatherer module information via said new gatherer module information interface.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, where said exposing a new gatherer module information interface comprises exposing a COM interface.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 where each of said gatherer modules is a COM component and where said act of accepting new gatherer module information regarding a new gatherer module comprises accepting information via a COM interface.

28. A system for extensible device data gathering in a network having one or more devices, comprising:

gatherer module set storage means for gatherer module set information regarding at least one existing gatherer module, each of said existing gatherer module capable of accepting a request to gather data from at least one of said devices and gathering data according to said request;

new gatherer module acceptance means for accepting new gatherer module information regarding a new gatherer module;

gatherer module set storage adding means for adding said new gatherer module information to said stored gatherer module set information in said gatherer module set storage means;

device data request acceptance means for accepting a request to gather device data;

gatherer request means for requesting said data from at least one selected gatherer module; and

gatherer data receipt means for receiving said data from said at least oneselected gatherer module.