Monitoring device having a memory containing data representing access information configured to be used by multiple implementations of protocol access functions to extract information from networked devices

• US 20060168197A1
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for encoding data representing access information configured to be used by a selected communication protocol to extract status information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network, and a monitoring device having a memory containing data representing access information configured to be used by a selected communication protocol to extract information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network. The access information is generated by a method including the steps of (1) retrieving, from an external storage device, a plurality of implementation identifiers, wherein each implementation identifier identifies at least one access function configured to access the monitored device to obtain at least one of model information, a unique identifier, and status information of the monitored device; and (2) accessing an external information storage unit to obtain support information for accessing the monitored device using the at least one access function, the support information including precondition information used for obtaining the at least one of the model information, the unique identifier, and the status information from the monitored device, wherein the precondition information restricts a location of a type of information of interest obtainable from the monitored device.

Claims

1. A monitoring device having a memory containing data representing access information configured to be used by a selected communication protocol to extract information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network, the access information being generated by a method comprising:

retrieving, from an external storage device, a plurality of implementation identifiers, wherein each implementation identifier identifies at least one access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain at least one of model information, a unique identifier, and status information of the monitored device;

selecting an implementation identifier among the plurality of implementation identifiers;

accessing an external information storage unit to obtain support information for accessing the monitored device using the at least one access function, the support information including precondition information used for obtaining the at least one of the model information, the unique identifier, and the status information from the monitored device, wherein the precondition information restricts a location of a type of information of interest obtainable from the monitored device; and

storing, as said data representing the access information, the support information in association with the implementation identifier and vendor information of the monitored device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises:

storing, as said data representing the access information, the precondition information in association with the vendor and model information, the access information configured to be used to obtain the unique identifier from the monitored device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises:

storing, as said data representing the access information, the precondition information in association with the vendor and model information, the access information configured to be used to obtain the status information from the monitored device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises:

storing, as said data representing the access information, the precondition information in association with the vendor information, the access information configured to be used to obtain the model information from the monitored device.

5. A method for encoding data representing access information configured to be used by a selected communication protocol to extract status information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for vendor information of the monitored device;

writing the vendor information in the storage buffer;

reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for model information of the monitored device, wherein the memory locations for model information are associated with the memory locations for vendor information;

writing the model information in the storage buffer;

reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for support information for accessing the monitored device, including precondition information used for obtaining the status information from the monitored device, wherein the memory locations for support information are associated with the memory locations for vendor information and the memory locations for model information; and

writing the support information in the storage buffer,

wherein the precondition information restricts a location of a type of information of interest obtainable from the monitored device.

6. A computer program product storing instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to encode data representing access information configured to be used by a selected communication protocol to extract status information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for vendor information of the monitored device;

instructions for writing the vendor information in the storage buffer;

instructions for reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for model information of the monitored device, wherein the memory locations for model information are associated with the memory locations for vendor information;

instructions for writing the model information in the storage buffer;

instructions for reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for support information for accessing the monitored device, including precondition information used for obtaining the status information from the monitored device, wherein the memory locations for support information are associated with the memory locations for vendor information and the memory locations for model information; and

instructions for writing the support information in the storage buffer,

wherein the precondition information restricts a location of a type of information of interest obtainable from the monitored device.

7. A system for encoding data representing access information configured to be used by a selected communication protocol to extract status information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

means for reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for vendor information of the monitored device;

means for writing the vendor information in the storage buffer;

means for reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for model information of the monitored device, wherein the memory locations for model information are associated with the memory locations for vendor information;

means for writing the model information in the storage buffer;

means for reserving, in a storage buffer, memory locations for support information for accessing the monitored device, including precondition information used for obtaining the status information from the monitored device, wherein the memory locations for support information are associated with the memory locations for vendor information and the memory locations for model information; and

means for writing the support information in the storage buffer,

wherein the precondition information restricts a location of a type of information of interest obtainable from the monitored device.