Method and system for extracting information from networked devices using multiple implementations of protocol access functions

• US 20060184659A1
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Application Number:
  US11/032,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for extracting, using a selected communication protocol, information related to a monitored device communicatively coupled to a network. The method includes retrieving, from a first memory, implementation identifiers, each of which identifies (1) a first access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain vendor and model information of the monitored device, and (2) a second access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain status information of the monitored device; selecting an implementation identifier among the plurality of implementation identifiers; and accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier to attempt to obtain vendor and model information related to the device. In addition, if the vendor and model information was obtained from the device, the method stores, in association with the obtained vendor and model information in a second memory, the selected implementation identifier.

Claims

1. A method of extracting, using a selected communication protocol, information related to a monitored device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

retrieving, from a first memory, a plurality of implementation identifiers, wherein each implementation identifier identifies (1) a first access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain vendor and model information of the monitored device, and (2) a second access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain status information of the monitored device;

selecting an implementation identifier among the plurality of implementation identifiers;

accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier to attempt to obtain vendor and model information related to the device;

determining whether the vendor and model information was obtained from the device;

if the determining step determines that the vendor and model information was obtained from the device, storing, in association with the obtained vendor and model information in a second memory, the selected implementation identifier; and

if the determining step determines that the vendor and model information was not obtained from the device, repeating the selecting, accessing, and determining steps until the vendor and model information is obtained or until each implementation identifier in the plurality of implementation identifiers has been selected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the second access function associated with the selected implementation identifier to obtain status information related to the monitored device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in a second memory, each of the retrieved plurality of implementation identifiers in association with a corresponding boolean value, wherein the boolean value for each identifier is initialized to false; and

if the vendor and model information was not obtained from the device using the first access fimction associated with the selected implementation identifier, erasing the selected implementation identifier from the second memory.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in a second memory, each of the retrieved plurality of implementation identifiers in association with a corresponding boolean value, wherein the boolean value for each identifier is initialized to a value of false; and

if the vendor and model information was obtained from the device using the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier, setting the boolean value associated with the selected implementation identifier to a value of true.

5. A system for extracting, using a selected communication protocol, information related to a monitored device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

means for retrieving, from a first memory, a plurality of implementation identifiers, wherein each implementation identifier identifies (1) a first access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain vendor and model information of the monitored device, and (2) a second access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain status information of the monitored device;

means for selecting an implementation identifier among the plurality of implementation identifiers;

means for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier to attempt to obtain vendor and model information related to the device;

means for determining whether the vendor and model information was obtained from the device;

if the means for determining determines that the vendor and model information was obtained from the device, means for storing, in association with the obtained vendor and model information in a second memory, the selected implementation identifier; and

if the means for determining determines that the vendor and model information was not obtained from the device, means for causing repeated execution of the means for selecting, the means for accessing, and the means for determining until the vendor and model information is obtained or until each implementation identifier in the plurality of implementation identifiers has been selected.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the second access function associated with the selected implementation identifier to obtain status information related to the monitored device.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for storing, in a second memory, each of the retrieved plurality of implementation identifiers in association with a corresponding boolean value, wherein the boolean value for each identifier is initialized to false; and

if the vendor and model information was not obtained from the device using the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier, means for erasing the selected implementation identifier from the second memory.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for storing, in a second memory, each of the retrieved plurality of implementation identifiers in association with a corresponding boolean value, wherein the boolean value for each identifier is initialized to a value of false; and

if the vendor and model information was obtained from the device using the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier, means for setting the boolean value associated with the selected implementation identifier to a value of true.

9. A computer program product storing instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to extract, using a selected communication protocol, information related to a monitored device communicatively coupled to a network, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for retrieving, from a first memory, a plurality of implementation identifiers, wherein each implementation identifier identifies (1) a first access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain vendor and model information of the monitored device, and (2) a second access function configured to access the monitored device using the selected communication protocol to obtain status information of the monitored device;

instructions for selecting an implementation identifier among the plurality of implementation identifiers;

instructions for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier to attempt to obtain vendor and model information related to the device;

instructions for determining whether the vendor and model information was obtained from the device;

if the instructions for determining determines that the vendor and model information was obtained from the device, instructions for storing, in association with the obtained vendor and model information in a second memory, the selected implementation identifier; and

if the instructions for determining determines that the vendor and model information was not obtained from the device, instructions for repeating the instructions for selecting, the instructions for accessing, and the instructions for determining until the vendor and model information is obtained or until each implementation identifier in the plurality of implementation identifiers has been selected.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the second access function associated with the selected implementation identifier to obtain status information related to the monitored device.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions for storing, in a second memory, each of the retrieved plurality of implementation identifiers in association with a corresponding boolean value, wherein the boolean value for each identifier is initialized to false; and

if the vendor and model information was not obtained from the device using the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier, instructions for erasing the selected implementation identifier from the second memory.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions for storing, in a second memory, each of the retrieved plurality of implementation identifiers in association with a corresponding boolean value, wherein the boolean value for each identifier is initialized to a value of false; and

if the vendor and model information was obtained from the device using the first access function associated with the selected implementation identifier, instructions for setting the boolean value associated with the selected implementation identifier to a value of true.