Apparatus and method for generating automatic customized event requests
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring a plurality of network devices, comprising the steps of:
- reading a plurality of predefined event requests from computer memory;
each predefined event request including at least one variable/threshold pair where the variable in each pair corresponds to a variable whose value is stored in a respective network device'"'"'s Management Information Base and the threshold in each pair is a threshold value for the variable in that pair;
each variable/threshold pair defining an event corresponding to the variable in the pair reaching a value having a predefined relationship to the threshold in the pair;
in response to a user request,displaying a list of devices, anddisplaying a list of predefined event requests;
in response to user customization commands, generating customized event requests by associating various ones of the displayed devices with various ones of the displayed predefined event requests, wherein at most one respective predefined event request is associated with each device;
periodically sending the customized event requests to the devices with which they have been associated;
receiving response messages from the devices in accordance with the predefined event requests sent to the devices; and
indicating status of the responding devices according to the response messages that are received.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network management system allows a user to generate a customized event request for network accessible devices. In response to a user request the system displays a list of devices, and a list of predefined event requests. In response to user customization commands the system generates customized event requests by associating various ones of the displayed devices with various ones of the displayed predefined event requests. At most one predefined event request is associated with each device. The network management system periodically sends the customized event requests to the devices with which they have been associated, and receives response messages from those devices. A display or report may be generated showing the status of the responding devices, using the information in the received response messages. A predefined event request may be formed by storing one or more variable/threshold pairs in a predefined event request data structure. The network management system allows an administrator to define or change the system by associating devices with predefined event requests, eliminating the need to write or modify computer programs.
47 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring a plurality of network devices, comprising the steps of:
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reading a plurality of predefined event requests from computer memory; each predefined event request including at least one variable/threshold pair where the variable in each pair corresponds to a variable whose value is stored in a respective network device'"'"'s Management Information Base and the threshold in each pair is a threshold value for the variable in that pair;
each variable/threshold pair defining an event corresponding to the variable in the pair reaching a value having a predefined relationship to the threshold in the pair;in response to a user request, displaying a list of devices, and displaying a list of predefined event requests; in response to user customization commands, generating customized event requests by associating various ones of the displayed devices with various ones of the displayed predefined event requests, wherein at most one respective predefined event request is associated with each device; periodically sending the customized event requests to the devices with which they have been associated; receiving response messages from the devices in accordance with the predefined event requests sent to the devices; and indicating status of the responding devices according to the response messages that are received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for automatically monitoring a plurality of devices on a network, comprising:
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memory for storing a plurality of different predefined event requests; and each predefined event request including at least one variable/threshold pair where the variable in each pair corresponds to a variable whose value is stored in a respective network device'"'"'s Management Information Base and the threshold in each pair is a threshold value for the variable in that pair;
each variable/threshold pair defining an event corresponding to the variable in the pair reaching a value having a predefined relationship to the threshold in the pair;a processor for reading the predefined event requests from the memory, in response to a user request, displaying a list of devices, and displaying a list of predefined event requests; generating a customized event request by associating at least one of the displayed predefined event requests with at least one of the displayed devices in response to user customization commands, wherein at most one respective predefined event request is associated with each device, and periodically, at a defined polling interval, transmitting the customized event request to the respective device; receiving response messages from the devices in accordance with the predefined event requests sent to the devices; and indicating status of the responding devices according to the response messages that are received. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product for monitoring a plurality of network devices, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:
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a plurality of different predefined event requests; and each predefined event request including at least one variable/threshold pair where the variable in each pair corresponds to a variable whose value is stored in a respective network device'"'"'s Management Information Base and the threshold in each pair is a threshold value for the variable in that pair;
each variable/threshold pair defining an event corresponding to the variable in the pair reaching a value having a predefined relationship to the threshold in the pair;a first set of instructions that read the predefined event requests from a memory, a second set of instructions that in response to a user request, display a list of devices, and display a list of predefined event requests, and generate customized event requests by associating various one of the displayed predefined event requests with various ones of the displayed devices in response to user customization commands, wherein at most one respective predefined event request is associated with each device, and a third set of instructions that periodically, at a defined polling interval, transmit the customized event request to the respective devices; a fourth set of instructions that receive response messages from the devices in accordance with the predefined event requests sent to the devices; and a fifth set of instructions that indicate status of the responding devices according to the response messages that are received. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification