METHOD AND APPARATUS PROVIDING DEVICE-INITIATED NETWORK MANAGEMENT

• US 20110060829A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Burjiz Pithawala, Clemm L. Alexander
• Original Assignee: Burjiz Pithawala, Clemm L. Alexander
• Inventors: Clemm, L. Alexander, Pithawala, Burjiz
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/04 Network management architectures or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/34 Signalling channels for network management communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable

Abstract

A method is disclosed for managing a network entity that is initiated by the network entity, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps performed at the network entity of monitoring the network entity; periodically evaluating one or more specified conditions at the managed network entity; when one or more of the specified conditions are satisfied, then gathering specified information from the managed network entity, preparing a message that includes the specified information and the specified conditions that were satisfied, and sending the message to a management point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first definition of a trigger for a network element, the trigger comprising one or more conditions;

receiving a second definition of report information to be communicated to a management application when the trigger is satisfied at the network element, wherein the management application is external to the network element;

determining that the trigger defined by the first definition is satisfied at the network element, and in response thereto, initiating communication of the report information defined by the second definition to a management application or a management proxy.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions comprise a state of the network element, an event, an alarm, a combination of events or alarms, or a pattern of events or alarms.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the report information comprises any of a core dump from the network element, a configuration of the network element, state information for the network element, a log of the network element, information about the one or more conditions of the trigger.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the steps are performed by a proxy server, wherein the proxy server is logically separate from the network element, wherein the proxy server manages notifications to the management application for a plurality of network elements.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the steps are performed by the network element.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first definition and the second definition are received from a configuration tool associated with the management application.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication of the report information is initiated without the management application having solicited the report information between the time the one or more conditions were satisfied at the network element and the time the communication of the report information is initiated.

8. One or more computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

receiving a first definition of a trigger for a network element, the trigger comprising one or more conditions;

receiving a second definition of report information to be communicated to a management application when the trigger is satisfied at the network element, wherein the management application is external to the network element;

determining that the trigger defined by the first definition is satisfied at the network element, and in response thereto, initiating communication of the report information defined by the second definition to a management application or a management proxy.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the one or more conditions comprise a state of the network element, an event, an alarm, a combination of events or alarms, or a pattern of events or alarms.

10. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the report information comprises any of a core dump from the network element, a configuration of the network element, state information for the network element, a log of the network element, information about the one or more conditions of the trigger.

11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executed by a proxy server, wherein the proxy server is logically separate from the network element, wherein the proxy server manages notifications to the management application for a plurality of network elements.

12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executed by the network element.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the first definition and the second definition are received from a configuration tool associated with the management application.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the communication of the report information is initiated without the management application having solicited the report information between the time the one or more conditions were satisfied at the network element and the time the communication of the report information is initiated.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

one or more processors;

a subsystem that receives a first definition of a trigger for a network element, the trigger comprising one or more conditions;

a subsystem that receives a second definition of report information to be communicated to a management application when the trigger is satisfied at the network element, wherein the management application is external to the network element;

a subsystem that determines that the trigger defined by the first definition is satisfied at the network element, and in response thereto, initiates communication of the report information defined by the second definition to a management application or a management proxy.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more conditions comprise a state of the network element, an event, an alarm, a combination of events or alarms, or a pattern of events or alarms.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the report information comprises any of a core dump from the network element, a configuration of the network element, state information for the network element, a log of the network element, information about the one or more conditions of the trigger.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the apparatus is a proxy server, wherein the proxy server is logically separate from the network element, wherein the proxy server manages notifications to the management application for a plurality of network elements.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the apparatus is the network element.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the first definition and the second definition are received from a configuration tool associated with the management application.

21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the communication of the report information is initiated without the management application having solicited the report information between the time the one or more conditions were satisfied at the network element and the time the communication of the report information is initiated.