Method and apparatus for identifying an agent running on a device in a computer network
First Claim
1. A method for identifying an agent running on a device in a network system, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) a network management station (NMS) establishing a plurality of agents as a set of possible agents;
b) said NMS transmitting a current query over said network to said agent, said current query requesting information regarding one or more characteristics of said agent;
c) said NMS receiving a current response over said network from said agent;
d) determining a set of likely agents based on said current response, said set of likely agents being a subset of said set of possible agents;
e) if said set of likely agents includes more than one agent, then said NMS;
i) selecting a new query based upon said current response,ii) establishing said new query as said current query,iii) establishing said set of likely agents as said possible set of agents,iv) repeating steps (b) through (e) until said set of likely agents includes less than two agents; and
f) if said set of likely agents includes a single agent, then said NMS selecting said single agent to identify said agent.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for identifying an agent based on a decision tree is provided. The apparatus transmits a series of queries to the agent and the agent transmits responses to the queries back to the apparatus. Based on the responses, the apparatus determines the identity of the agent. The apparatus determines the series of queries by traversing the decision tree based on responses sent by the agent to previous queries. When the traversal arrives at a leaf node of the decision tree, an agent associated with the leaf node is used to identify the agent. If the traversal fails before arriving at a leaf node, then a weight is determined for each supported agent based on the responses sent by the agent, and the agent with the greatest weight is used to identify the agent.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for identifying an agent running on a device in a network system, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) a network management station (NMS) establishing a plurality of agents as a set of possible agents; b) said NMS transmitting a current query over said network to said agent, said current query requesting information regarding one or more characteristics of said agent; c) said NMS receiving a current response over said network from said agent; d) determining a set of likely agents based on said current response, said set of likely agents being a subset of said set of possible agents; e) if said set of likely agents includes more than one agent, then said NMS; i) selecting a new query based upon said current response, ii) establishing said new query as said current query, iii) establishing said set of likely agents as said possible set of agents, iv) repeating steps (b) through (e) until said set of likely agents includes less than two agents; and f) if said set of likely agents includes a single agent, then said NMS selecting said single agent to identify said agent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for identifying an agent running on a device in a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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A. constructing a decision tree by performing the steps of (1) reading a script file; (2) providing a plurality of nodes, said plurality of nodes including a root node and a plurality of leaf nodes; (3) associating an agent to each node of said plurality of nodes; (4) associating a query with each node of said plurality of nodes except said plurality of leaf nodes; (5) providing a plurality of branches, each branch of said plurality of branches originating in an originating node of said plurality of nodes and terminating in a terminating node of said plurality of nodes; (6) establishing a response group for each branch of said plurality of branches, said response group for a given branch of said plurality of branches including at least one possible response to said query associated with said originating node; B. identifying said agent based upon said decision tree by performing the steps of (1) establishing said root node as a current node, said current node being said originating node for a plurality of current branches; (2) establishing said query associated with said current node as a current query; (3) transmitting said current query to said agent over said network; (4) receiving said a current response to said current query from said agent over said network; (5) comparing said current response to said response groups associated with said current branches; (a) if said current response belongs to a given response group associated with a given current branch and said terminating node of said given current branch is a leaf node, then selecting said agent associated with said terminating node to identify said agent; and (b) if said current response belongs to a given response group associated with a given current branch and said terminating node of said given current branch is not a leaf node, then establishing said terminating node as said current node and repeating steps (B)(2) to (B)(5).
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13. An apparatus for identifying an agent running on a device in a network, the apparatus comprising:
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a network access unit connected to the device over the network; a storage unit for storing a plurality of instructions, for storing a decision tree and for storing a database, said database including data indicative of a plurality of agents; and a processor coupled to the network access unit and the storage unit, the processor being configured to read and execute said plurality of instructions from said storage unit; said plurality of instructions including instructions for; a) establishing a root node of said decision tree as a current node; b) causing said network access unit to transmit a current query over said network to said agent, said current query being a query associated with said current node, said current query requesting information regarding one or more characteristics of said agent; c) receiving a current response over said network from said agent through said network access unit; d) comparing said current response to a plurality of current response groups to determine a matching branch, each current response group of said plurality of current response groups being a response group associated with a branch originating at said current node, said matching branch being a branch associated with a current response group which matches said current response, said matching branch having a terminating node; e) identifying said agent associated with said terminating node if said terminating node is a leaf node; and f) establishing said terminating node as said current node and repeating steps (a) to (e) if said terminating node is not a leaf node. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification