Computer network system for collecting distributed management information

• US 5,920,691 A
• Filed: 07/16/1996
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsutsui, Hiroshi, Nukui, Harumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US08/680,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 395/200.3, 395/200.31
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks

Abstract

A computer network includes a plurality of computer nodes each including a file system and a central processing unit usable by other computer nodes and which are connected to each other via a communication medium. Each respective computer node has a capability of issuing a transfer request requesting management information, including user log-in information, active process information, and so forth, to another computer node over the communication medium. The computer node receiving the transfer request collects its own management information and transfers it to the computer node which issued the transfer request through the communication medium.

Claims

1. A computer network system comprising a plurality of nodes connected through a communication medium to each other, each of said plurality of nodes having a computer system, the computer system comprising a process monitor, a process status server, and a display wherein

said process monitor is coupled to said communication medium, including first means for issuing a transfer request of management information to said process status server on a different node through said communication medium, and second means for receiving the management information sent from said process status server on the different node;

said process status server is connected to said process monitor, including at least a first collecting means for collecting the management information in the process status server'"'"'s own node, said management information at least containing user names who are logging in, terminal names that the users are using and user log-in time, and third means for activating said first collecting means when said transfer request of the management information is received through said communication medium and for transferring the management information in its own node being collected by said first collecting means, to the process monitor which issued said transfer request through said communication medium; and

said display device is associated with said second means of said process monitor for displaying said management information transferred from said process status server on the different node,

wherein said third means waits for said transfer request from another different node and activates a second collecting means for simultaneously collecting said own management information for transferring the own management information, being collected by said second collecting means, to the process monitor of the another different node which issued said transfer request through said communication medium.

2. The computer network as set forth in claim 1, wherein the process status server is automatically started and resides in the respective computer node when the respective computer node is started.

3. The computer network as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said process monitor further comprises:

a timer being set when the transfer request is issued by said first means and timing out when said second means does not receive management information to be sent from said process status server on the different node within a predetermined time period; and

a cancellation means for canceling the transfer request when the timer times out.

4. The network as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transfer request issued by the first means is a broadcast request for simultaneously requesting management information from all other nodes in the network.

5. A computer network system comprising a plurality of nodes connected through a communication medium to each other, each of said plurality of nodes having a computer system, the computer system comprising a process monitor, a process status server, and a display, wherein

said process monitor is coupled to said communication medium, including first means for issuing a transfer request of management information to said process status server on a different node through said communication medium, and second means for receiving the management information sent from said process status server on the different node;

said display device is associated with said second means of said process monitor for displaying said management information transferred from said process status server on the different node; and

said process status server is connected to said process monitor, including third means for receiving said transfer request and fourth means for starting a child process which can operate in parallel with the said operation of said third means,

wherein said child process comprises

at least a first and second collecting means for collecting the management information in process status server'"'"'s own node, said management information at least containing user names who are logging in, terminal names that the users are using and user log-in time,

fifth means for activating said first collecting means and said second collecting means when said third means receives multiple transfer requests of the management information from different process monitors through said communication medium and said fifth means for further transferring the management information in its own node being collected by said first and second collecting means, to the appropriate process monitor which issued said transfer request through said communication medium.

6. The computer network as set forth in claim 5, wherein the process status server is automatically started and resides in the respective computer node when the respective computer node is started.

7. The computer network as set forth in claim 5, wherein each process monitor further comprises:

a timer being set when said transfer request is issued by the first means and timing out when the second means does not receive management information to be sent from said process status server on the different node within a predetermined time period; and

a cancel means for canceling the transfer request when the timer times out.

8. The computer network as set forth in claim 5, wherein the request issued by the first means is a broadcast request for simultaneously requesting management information from all other computer nodes in the network.

9. A network including a plurality of nodes, each respective node comprising both a client function and a server function, wherein

said client function is coupled to a communication medium, including first means for issuing a transfer request of management information to said process status server on a different node through said communication medium, and second means for receiving the management information sent from said process status server on the different node;

and

said server function is connected to said first means, including a plurality of collecting means for collecting the management information in the process status server'"'"'s own node, said management information at least containing user names who are logging in, terminal names that the users are using and user log-in time, and third means for activating at least one of said plurality of collecting means when more than one transfer request from different first means of the management information is received through said communication medium and for transferring the management information in its own node being collected by said plurality of collecting means, to the first means of the node which issued said transfer request through said communication medium.

10. A method of retrieving management information from computer nodes in a system comprising a plurality of computer nodes connected to each other through a communication medium, each of said plurality of computer nodes comprising both a client process and a server process;

wherein the client process performs the steps of

issuing a transfer request of management information to another of the plurality of computer nodes through the communication medium; and

receiving the management information issued from another computer node through the communication medium; and

wherein the server process performs the steps of

receiving a plurality of transfer requests from said plurality of computer nodes through the communication medium;

collecting the management information in its own node, said management information at least containing user names who are logging in, terminal names that the users are using and user log-in time, when said transfer request of management information is received through said communication medium; and

transmitting the collected management information in its own node to each of said plurality of computer nodes through the communication medium that requested the transfer.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the server process is automatically started and resides in the respective computer node when the respective computer node is started.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the client process further performs the step of:

canceling said transfer request when management information is not received from the computer node within a predetermined time period.

13. A method of retrieving management information from computer nodes in a system comprising a plurality of computer nodes connected to each other through a communication medium, each of said plurality of computer nodes comprising both a client process and a server process;

wherein the client process performs the steps of

issuing a transfer request of management information to another of the plurality of computer nodes through the communication medium; and

receiving the management information issued from another computer node through the communication medium;

wherein the server process performs the steps of

receiving multiple transfer requests from the plurality of computer nodes through the communication medium; and

starting a plurality of child process which can operate in parallel with each other and the operation of the server process when said transfer request of management information is received through said communication medium,

wherein each of said plurality of child process performs the steps of

collecting the management information in its own node, said management information at least containing user names who are logging in, terminal names that the users are using and user log-in time, and

transmitting the collected management information in its own node through the communication medium to each of said computer nodes that requested the transfer.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the server process is automatically started and resides in the respective computer node when the respective computer node is started.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the client process further performs the step of:

canceling said transfer request when management information is not received from the computer node within a predetermined time period.