Remote data collection and control using a custom SNMP MIB

• US 20040236759A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: Young, Joel K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A Management Information Base (MIB) in a computer device adapted to use Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). The MIB comprises at least one message construct to function as a definition for a constrained attribute set for an object in a remote device that has a device-specific communication protocol. Each message construct includes a number of entries, and each entry stores a user-specified value for the definition of the constrained attribute set. One of the number of entries in the message construct includes a user-specified message string mapped to the constrained attribute set for the object in the remote device. The message string is sufficiently compatible with the device-specific communication protocol for the constrained attribute set and the MIB allows the constrained attribute set to be managed using SNMP.

Claims

1. A Management Information Base (MIB) in a computer device adapted to use Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), the MIB comprising:

at least one message construct to function as a definition for a constrained attribute set for an object in a remote device, wherein the object in the remote device has a device-specific communication protocol;

each message construct including a number of entries, and each entry to store a user-specified value for the definition of the constrained attribute set; and

one of the number of entries including a user-specified message string mapped to the constrained attribute set for the object in the remote device, wherein the message string is sufficiently compatible with the device-specific communication protocol for the constrained attribute set, wherein the MIB allows the constrained attribute set to be managed using SNMP.

2. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the message construct includes a read message construct for reading at least one data element in the constrained attribute set from the remote device, the number of entries for the read message construct including:

a user-specified query string to request the data element in the constrained attribute set; and

a response entry to store the data element such that the at least one data element is available for SNMP messages.

3. The MIB of claim 2, wherein the number of entries for the read message construct further includes:

a name entry to identify a field read in the remote device as presented to the user;

an update interval entry representing a frequency of reading the data element;

a last update entry representing a time duration since the last update;

a retry entry to define a number of times to retry the read message when a response entry is not received;

a retry interval entry to define a time interval between read message retries when a response to the read message is not received; and

a read enable entry to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

4. The MIB of claim 2, wherein the response entry has a format of a regular expression.

5. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the at least one message construct includes a write message construct to write at least one data element in the constrained attribute set to the remote device, the number of entries for the write message construct including a user-specified data string to write the at least one data element in the constrained attribute set.

6. The MIB of claim 5, wherein the number of entries for the write message construct includes:

a name entry to identify the field in the remote device as presented to the user;

a write response entry indicating the success of the write message;

a retry entry to define a number of times to retry the write message when a response entry is not received;

a retry interval entry to define a time interval between write message retries when a response to the write message is not received; and

a write enable entry to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

7. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the at least one message construct includes an unsolicited message construct for recognizing at least one data element from the object of the remote device that was not requested, the unsolicited message construct including a message string to recognize the unsolicited message that is within the constrained attribute set.

8. The MIB of claim 7, wherein the number of entries for the unsolicited message construct further includes:

a name entry to identify the field in the remote device as presented to the user;

a timestamp entry to identify when the unsolicited message originated from the remote device; and

an enable entry containing enables to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

9. The MIB of claim 7, wherein the message string includes at least one of a user-specified message string and a regular expression.

10. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the at least one message construct includes:

a read message construct to read at least one data element in the constrained attribute set from the remote device, the number of entries for the read message construct including;

a user-specified query string to request the at least one data element in the constrained attribute set; and

a response entry to store the at least one data element such that the at least one data element is available for SNMP messages;

a write message construct to write at least one data element in the constrained attribute set to the remote device, the number of entries for the write message construct including a user-specified data string to write the at least one data element in the constrained attribute set; and

an unsolicited message construct to recognize at least one data element from the object of the remote device that was not requested, the unsolicited message construct including a user-specified message string to recognize the unsolicited message that is within the constrained attribute set.

11. The MIB of claim 10, wherein the response entry has a format of a regular expression.

12. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the MIB further includes a web browser interface used to provide the user-specified message string mapped to the constrained attribute set.

13. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the user-specified message string mapped to the constrained attribute set is provided by the user through an SNMP manager.

14. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the MIB is implemented in software.

15. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the MIB is implemented in hardware.

16. The MIB of claim 1, wherein the MIB is implemented in a combination of hardware and software.

17. A network device, comprising:

at least one processor;

a network interface to communicate with the at least one processor and a network using a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP); and

a Management Information Base (MIB) to communicate with the at least one processor and with a remote device, wherein the MIB includes;

at least one message construct to function as a definition for a constrained attribute set for an object in the remote device, wherein the object in the remote device has a device-specific communication protocol;

each message construct including a number of entries, and each entry to store a user-specified value for the definition of the constrained attribute set; and

one of the number of entries including a user-specified message string mapped to the constrained attribute set for the object in the remote device, wherein the message string is sufficiently compatible with the device-specific communication protocol for the constrained attribute set, and wherein the MIB allows the network device to function as a user-definable SNMP agent for the constrained attributes.

18. The network interface of claim 17, wherein the network interface is implemented as a web browser interface.

19. The network of claim 17, wherein the network interface communicates over the network with applications internal and applications external to the network device.

20. A network device, comprising:

at least one processor;

a network interface to communicate with the at least one processor and a network using a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP); and

means to manage an object of a remote device that operates with a device-specific communication protocol, including means to provide a user-definable SNMP agent for a set of constrained attributes for an object of the remote device.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the device includes means to map a user-definable data string compatible with the device-specific communication protocol for the constrained attribute set.

22. In a computer network managed using a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), a method, comprising:

providing a Management Information Base with at least one message construct to function as a definition for a constrained attribute set for an object in a remote device, wherein the object in the remote device has a device-specific communication protocol;

providing a number of entries for each message construct to store a user-specified value for the definition of the constrained attribute set; and

mapping a user-specified message string stored in one of the number of entries to the constrained attribute set for the object in the remote device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein providing a Management Information Base with at least one message construct further includes providing a read message construct to read at least one data element in the constrained attribute set from the remote device, and wherein the providing a number of entries further includes:

a user-specified query string to request the at least one data element in the constrained attribute set; and

a response entry to store the at least one data element such that the at least one data element is available for SNMP messages.

24. The method claim 23, wherein providing a number of entries further includes:

providing a name entry to identify a field read in the remote device as presented to the user;

providing an update interval entry representing a frequency of reading the data element;

providing a last update entry representing a time duration since the last update;

providing a retry entry to define a number of times to retry the read message when a response entry is not received;

providing a retry interval entry to define a time interval between read message retries message retries when a response to the read message is not received; and

providing a read enable entry to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein providing a Management Information Base with at least one message construct further includes providing a write message construct for writing at least one data element in the constrained attribute set to the remote device, and wherein the providing the number of entries further includes a user-specified data string to write the at least one data element in the constrained attribute set.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein providing a number of entries further includes:

providing a name entry to identify a field in the remote device as presented to the user;

providing a write response entry indicating the success of the write construct;

providing a retry entry to define a number of times to retry the write construct when a response to the write construct is not received;

providing a retry interval entry to define a time interval between write message retries when a response to the write construct is not received; and

providing a write enable entry to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein providing a Management Information Base with at least one message construct further includes providing an unsolicited message construct for recognizing at least one data element from the object of the remote device that was not requested, and wherein the providing the number of entries further includes a user-specified message string to recognize the unsolicited message that is within the constrained attribute set.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein providing a number of entries further includes:

providing a name entry to identify a field in the remote device as presented to the user;

providing a timestamp entry to identify when the unsolicited message originated from the remote device; and

providing an enable entry containing enables to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

29. A computer readable medium to implement a Management Information Base (MIB) adapted to use Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), the computer readable medium comprising:

at least one message construct module to define a constrained attribute set for an object in a remote device, wherein the object in the remote device has a device-specific communication protocol, the at least one message construct including a number of entries, each of the number of entries storing a user-specified value to define the constrained attribute set, at least one of the number of entries including a message string; and

a messaging module to access a constrained attribute set using the message string.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the number of entries includes a user-specified message string mapped to the constrained attribute set for the object in the remote device, wherein the message string is sufficiently compatible with the device-specific communication protocol for the constrained attribute set, wherein the MIB allows the constrained attribute set to be managed using SNMP.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the at least one message construct includes a read message construct for reading at least one data element in the constrained attribute set from the remote device, the number of entries for the read message construct including:

a user-specified query string to request the at least one data element in the constrained attribute set; and

a response entry to store the at least one data element such that the at least one data element is available for SNMP messages.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the number of entries for the read message construct further includes:

a name entry to identify a field read in the remote device as presented to the user;

an update interval entry representing a frequency of reading the data element;

a last update entry representing a time duration since the last update;

a retry entry to define a number of times to retry the read message when a response entry is not received;

a retry interval entry to define a time interval between read message retries when a response to the read message is not received; and

a read enable entry to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the at least one message construct includes a write message construct for writing at least one data element in the constrained attribute set to the remote device, the number of entries for the write message construct including a user-specified data string to write the at least one data element in the constrained attribute set.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein the number of entries for the write message construct includes:

a name entry to identify the field in the remote device as presented to the user;

a write response entry indicating the success of the write message;

a retry entry to define a number of times to retry the write message when a response entry is not received;

a retry interval entry to define a time interval between write message retries when a response to the write message is not received; and

a write enable entry to allow definition of fields in the remote device.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the at least one message construct includes an unsolicited message construct for recognizing at least one data element from the object of the remote device that was not requested, the unsolicited message construct including a user-specified message string to recognize the unsolicited message that is within the constrained attribute set.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the number of entries for the unsolicited message construct further includes:

a name entry to identify the field in the remote device as presented to the user;

a timestamp entry to identify when the unsolicited message originated from the remote device; and

an enable entry containing enables to allow definition of fields in the remote device.