Communications network state and topology monitor
First Claim
1. An apparatus for gathering and displaying information concerning status of a communications network, the network including a plurality of distributed switching nodes and a plurality of links connecting the switching nodes, each of the switching nodes performing tasks including communications functions, maintenance of a node list of alarm conditions for the switching node, and maintenance of a node configuration database identifying a configuration for the switching node;
- the apparatus comprising;
a monitor node, coupled to a first switching node of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, comprisingan operator input interface,first means for maintaining topology data indicating the topology of the network and for supporting a first protocol with the first switching node,second means for maintaining a monitor list of alarm conditions entered in the switching node lists of alarm conditions in the network and for supporting a second protocol through the network with the plurality of distributed switching nodes,third means for maintaining a monitor database indicating the configuration of the switching nodes as entered in the switching node configuration databases in the network and for supporting a third protocol through the network with the plurality of distributed switching nodes, anddisplay means, responsive to operator inputs identifying a subject switching node in the network and coupled to the monitor database, the monitor list of alarm conditions and the topology data, for displaying configuration data about the subject switching node, the network topology and the alarm conditions to the operator;
means, on the first switching node, for generating the topology data in response to the communications functions performed on the plurality of switching nodes and for sending, in response to messages according to the first protocol, the topology data to the first means; and
means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node list of alarm conditions on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to the second protocol, for packaging and sending data indicating alarm conditions to the second means, wherein said data from each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes except the first switching node passes through the network to the first switching node, and through the first switching node to the second means;
means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node configuration database on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to the third protocol, for packaging and sending data from the switching node configuration database to the third means, wherein said data from each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes except the first switching node passes through the network to the first switching nodes, and through the first switching node to the third means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system gathers and displays information concerning status of a communications network without overloading the communications channels in the network. The monitoring system includes a monitor node, including an operator input interface. The monitor node is coupled to a first switching node in the distributed switching nodes of the network. The monitor node includes a first application maintaining topology data indicating the topology of the network and supporting a first protocol for updating the data with the first switching node. In addition, the monitor node includes a second application maintaining a list of alarm conditions entered in the node event logs in the network, and supporting a second protocol for updating the list with the plurality of distributed switching nodes. A third application runs in the monitor node for maintaining a monitor database indicating the configuration of the switching nodes as it is entered in the node configuration databases in the network. This third application also supports a third protocol for updating the monitor database with the plurality of distributed switching nodes for updates to the node configuration database. Distributed applications in the switching nodes support the protocols with the monitor node without interference with communications tasks in the network. A display application that is responsive to operator inputs identifying a subject node or other object in the network having plural windows on a display monitor, presents configuration data about the subject node, the network topology and the alarm conditions to the operator.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for gathering and displaying information concerning status of a communications network, the network including a plurality of distributed switching nodes and a plurality of links connecting the switching nodes, each of the switching nodes performing tasks including communications functions, maintenance of a node list of alarm conditions for the switching node, and maintenance of a node configuration database identifying a configuration for the switching node;
- the apparatus comprising;
a monitor node, coupled to a first switching node of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, comprising an operator input interface, first means for maintaining topology data indicating the topology of the network and for supporting a first protocol with the first switching node, second means for maintaining a monitor list of alarm conditions entered in the switching node lists of alarm conditions in the network and for supporting a second protocol through the network with the plurality of distributed switching nodes, third means for maintaining a monitor database indicating the configuration of the switching nodes as entered in the switching node configuration databases in the network and for supporting a third protocol through the network with the plurality of distributed switching nodes, and display means, responsive to operator inputs identifying a subject switching node in the network and coupled to the monitor database, the monitor list of alarm conditions and the topology data, for displaying configuration data about the subject switching node, the network topology and the alarm conditions to the operator; means, on the first switching node, for generating the topology data in response to the communications functions performed on the plurality of switching nodes and for sending, in response to messages according to the first protocol, the topology data to the first means; and means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node list of alarm conditions on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to the second protocol, for packaging and sending data indicating alarm conditions to the second means, wherein said data from each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes except the first switching node passes through the network to the first switching node, and through the first switching node to the second means; means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node configuration database on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to the third protocol, for packaging and sending data from the switching node configuration database to the third means, wherein said data from each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes except the first switching node passes through the network to the first switching nodes, and through the first switching node to the third means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- the apparatus comprising;
-
14. An apparatus for gathering and displaying information concerning status of a communications network, the network including a plurality of distributed switching nodes and a plurality of links connecting the switching nodes defining a network topology, each of the switching nodes performing communications functions, maintaining an event log including alarm conditions for the switching node, and maintaining a configuration database identifying a configuration for the switching node;
- the apparatus comprising;
first monitoring means, coupled to a first switching node of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, for gathering through the first switching node from network nodes and links, and displaying to an operator information concerning the network topology, alarm conditions in the network and configurations for selected nodes in a first subset of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, said first monitoring means including an operator input interface, first means for maintaining topology data indicating the topology of the network and for supporting a first protocol with the first switching node, second means for maintaining a monitor list of alarm conditions entered in the switching node lists of alarm conditions in the network and for supporting a second protocol through the network with the first subset of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, third means for maintaining a monitor database indicating the configuration of the switching nodes as entered in the switching node configuration databases in the network and for supporting a third protocol through the network with the first subset of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, and display means, responsive to operator inputs identifying a subject switching node in the first subset of the plurality of switching nodes and coupled to the monitor database, the monitor list of alarm conditions and the topology data, for displaying configuration data about the subject switching node, the network topology and the alarm conditions to the operator; second monitoring means, independent of the first monitoring means and, coupled to a second switching node of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, for gathering through the second switching node from network nodes and links, and displaying to an operator information concerning the network topology, alarm conditions in the network and configurations for selected nodes in a second subset of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, said second monitoring means including an operator input interface, first means for maintaining topology data indicating the topology of the network and for supporting a fourth protocol with the second switching node, second means for maintaining a monitor list of alarm conditions entered in the switching node lists of alarm conditions in the network and for supporting a fifth protocol through the network with the second subset of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, third means for maintaining a monitor database indicating the configuration of the switching nodes as entered in the switching node configuration databases in the network and for supporting a sixth protocol through the network with the second subset of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, and display means, responsive to operator inputs identifying a subject switching node in the network and coupled to the monitor database, the monitor list of alarm conditions and the topology data, for displaying configuration data about the subject switching node, the network topology and the alarm conditions to the operator; means, on the first switching node, for generating the topology data in response to the communications functions performed on the first subset of the plurality of switching nodes and for sending, in response to messages according to the first protocol, the topology data to the first means on the first monitoring node; means, on the second switching node, for generating the topology data in response to the communications functions performed on the second subset of the plurality of switching nodes and for sending, in response to messages according to the fourth protocol, the topology data to the first means on the second monitoring node; and means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node list of alarm conditions on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to at least one of the second or the fifth protocols, for packaging and sending data indicating alarm conditions to the second means on at least one of the first or second monitoring means, wherein said data from the first and second subsets of the plurality of distributed switching nodes passes through the network to the first switching node or the second switching node, and through the first switching node to the second means on the first monitoring means or through the second switching node to the second means on the second monitoring means; and means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node configuration database on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to at least one of the third or sixth protocols, for packaging and sending data from the switching node configuration database to the third means on at least one of the first or second monitoring means, wherein said data from the first and second subsets of the plurality of distributed switching nodes passes through the network to the first switching node or the second switching node, and through the first switching node to the third means on the first monitoring means or through the second switching node to the third means on the second monitoring means.
- the apparatus comprising;
-
15. An apparatus for gathering and displaying information concerning status of a communications network, the network including a plurality of distributed switching nodes and a plurality of links connecting the switching nodes, each of the switching nodes performing tasks including communications functions, maintenance of an event log listing event records for the switching node, and maintenance of a configuration database identifying a configuration for the switching node;
- the apparatus comprising;
a monitor node, coupled to a first switching node of the plurality of distributed switching nodes, comprising an operator input interface, first means for maintaining topology data indicating the topology of the network and for supporting a first protocol with the first switching node, second means for maintaining a monitor list of event records entered in the switching node event logs in the network and for supporting a second protocol through the network with the plurality of distributed switching nodes, third means for maintaining a monitor database indicating the configuration of the switching nodes as entered in the switching node configuration databases in the network and for supporting a third protocol through the network with the plurality of distributed switching nodes, and display means, responsive to operator inputs identifying a subject switching node in the network and coupled to the monitor database, the monitor list of event records and the topology data, for displaying configuration data about the subject switching node, the network topology and the event records to the operator; means, on the first switching node, for generating the topology data in response to the communications functions performed on the plurality of switching nodes and for sending, in response to messages according to the first protocol, the topology data to the first means; and means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node event log on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to the second protocol, for packaging and sending data indicating event records entered in the switching node event log to the second means, wherein said data from each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes except the first switching node passes through the network to the first switching node, and through the first switching node to the second means; means, on each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes in the network, coupled to the switching node configuration database on the respective switching node, and responsive to messages according to the third protocol, for packaging and sending data from the switching node configuration database to the third means, wherein said data from each of the plurality of distributed switching nodes except the first switching node passes through the network to the first switching node, and through the first switching node to the third means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- the apparatus comprising;
Specification