Method and System for Network Management with Platform-Independent Protocol Interface for Discovery and Monitoring Processes

• US 20080301267A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Ching-Jye, Ullman, Lorin Evan
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput

Abstract

A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product is presented for management of a distributed data processing system. An action at a target device is requested, and the completion of the action depends upon communication protocol operations on a set of devices along a logical route through the distributed data processing system. A set of supported protocols that are common to the set of devices along the logical route are identified, and a subset of supported protocols in the set of supported protocols that can be used to complete the action is then identified. An allowable supported protocol is selected for the action based on the type of requested action, after which the requesting application may use the action in accordance with the selected allowable supported protocol, e.g., to monitor or discover the target device. A topology mapping is used to derive an endpoint-to-endpoint route for completing the requested action. A comparison of assigned priorities of each allowable supported protocol may be performed to choose the selected allowable supported protocol.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. An apparatus for managing devices within a distributed data processing system, the apparatus comprising:

configuring means for configuring a set of priorities for a set of communication protocols, wherein a user interactively assigns a priority in the set of priorities to a communication protocol in the set of communication protocols, establishing a scheme;

receiving means for receiving a request for a requested action at a requested target device within the distributed data processing system, wherein completion of the requested action depends upon communication protocol operations on each of a set of multiple devices along a logical route through the distributed data processing system to the requested target device, wherein the logical route defines a path between two endpoints connected to a gateway;

identifying means for identifying a set of multiple supported protocols that are common to the set of multiple devices along the logical route;

determining means for determining a set of multiple allowable supported protocols in the set of multiple supported protocols based on the requested action, wherein the set of multiple allowable supported protocols is a subset of the set of multiple supported protocols, and wherein each protocol in the set of multiple allowable supported protocols is usable to complete the requested action;

that can be used to complete the action;

first selecting means for selecting, in response to a determination of the set of multiple allowable supported protocols, an allowable supported protocol for the requested action from the set of multiple allowable supported protocols, wherein selecting the allowable supported protocol for the requested action from the set of multiple allowable supported protocols comprises;

comparing means for comparing priorities of each allowable supported protocol in the set of multiple allowable supported protocols to determine an allowable supported protocol that has a highest priority among the set of multiple allowable supported protocols; and

second selecting means for selecting the allowable supported protocol that has a highest priority among the set of multiple allowable supported protocols to form a selected allowable supported protocol; and

granting means for granting the request for the requested action in accordance with the selected allowable supported protocol.

14. The apparatus of claim 12:

wherein the scheme is based on an action type for requestable actions.

15. The apparatus of claim 12:

wherein the scheme is based on an application type for requesting applications.

16. The apparatus of claim 12:

wherein the scheme is based on an action type for requestable actions and on an application type for requesting applications.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein an action type of the requested action is a protocol query.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring the requested target device using the granted action request in accordance with the selected allowable supported protocol.

22. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

discovering means for discovering the requested target device using the granted action request in accordance with the selected allowable supported protocol.

13. (canceled)

17-19. -19. (canceled)

23. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for managing devices within a distributed data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for configuring a set of priorities for a set of communication protocols, wherein a user interactively assigns a priority in the set of priorities to a communication protocol in the set of communication protocols, establishing a scheme;

instructions for receiving a request for a requested action at a requested target device within the distributed data processing system, wherein completion of the requested action depends upon communication protocol operations on each of a set of multiple devices along a logical route through the distributed data processing system to the requested target device, wherein the logical route defines a path between two endpoints connected to a gateway;

instructions for identifying a set of multiple supported protocols that are common to the set of multiple devices along the logical route;

instructions for determining a set of multiple allowable supported protocols in the set of multiple supported protocols based on the requested action, wherein the set of multiple allowable supported protocols is a subset of the set of multiple supported protocols, and wherein each protocol in the set of multiple allowable supported protocols is usable to complete the requested action;

instructions for selecting, in response to a determination of the set of multiple allowable supported protocols, an allowable supported protocol for the requested action from the set of multiple allowable supported protocols, wherein the instructions for selecting the allowable supported protocol for the requested action from the set of multiple allowable supported protocols comprises;

instructions for comparing priorities of each allowable supported protocol in the set of multiple allowable supported protocols to determine an allowable supported protocol that has a highest priority among the set of multiple allowable supported protocols; and

instructions for selecting the allowable supported protocol that has a highest priority among the set of multiple allowable supported protocols to form a selected allowable supported protocol; and

instructions for granting the request for the requested action in accordance with the selected allowable supported protocol.

25. The computer program product of claim 23:

wherein the scheme is based on an action type for requestable actions.

26. The computer program product of claim 23:

wherein the scheme is based on an application type for requesting applications.

27. The computer program product of claim 23:

wherein the scheme is based on an action type for requestable actions and on an application type for requesting applications.

28. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

instructions for allowing a user to interactively assign a priority to a communication protocol.

29. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

instructions for deriving a set of logical routes from a network topology mapping, wherein each logical route is a series of endpoints that comprise an endpoint-to-endpoint route for completing the requested action.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 further comprising:

instructions for selecting the logical route, wherein the logical route includes a supported protocol that is common to each endpoint in the series of endpoints in the logical route.

31. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein an action type of the requested action is a protocol query.

32. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

instructions for monitoring the requested target device using the granted action request in accordance with the selected allowable supported protocol.

33. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

instructions for discovering the requested target device using the granted action request in accordance with the selected allowable supported protocol.

24. (canceled)