Remote node maintenance and management method and system in communication networks using multiprotocol agents

• US 5,961,594 A
• Filed: 02/25/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Millet, Jean-Marc, Bouvier, Francois
• Primary Examiner(s): Leonard-Barry, Esq., Lance
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US08/806,184
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 395/200.68, 395/200.76, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/238, 709/246, 709/223, 714/10, 707/10, 707/4
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A system and method for remotely accessing communication network nodes and for monitoring each type of resource within such nodes in a fast, reliable and efficient manner. The system components are a web browser as user interface, a web server for generating and transmitting commands to the destination node using the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) of the web server and a dedicated multiprotocol agent hosted in each node communicating with the web server by means of an appropriate protocol.

Claims

1. A maintenance and management system for a remote node in a communication network having a plurality of nodes interconnected with communication lines, each node having at least one resource, said system comprising:

a web server including;

a network web agent proxy for sending a command to a destination resource in any destination node of a communication network, said command including an identification of the destination resource and at least one request;

a multiprotocol agent attached to each node including;

a receiver module for receiving a command from the web server;

a conversion module for converting the at least one request included in said command in a protocol understandable by the destination resource within the node;

a transmitter module for transmitting said converted at least one request to the destination resource.

2. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said multiprotocol agent in each node further comprises:

a receiver module for receiving the command from another multiprotocol agent in another node wherein said command includes an identification of the destination node;

a network web agent daemon gateway for routing the command to a multiprotocol agent in the destination node containing the destination resource or to a multiprotocol agent in a neigh boring node along the path to the destination node containing the destination resource.

3. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 2 wherein each command sent by the web server to the multiprotocol agent comprises:

a data field including at least one request; and

a header field for routing said at least one request to the destination resource.

4. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 3 wherein said header field comprises:

a destination node identifier for routing the command from the web server to the destination node;

a protocol identifier for adapting the at least one request transmitted in the data field in a protocol understandable by the destination resource;

a destination resource identifier for routing said at least one request transmitted in the data field to the destination resource within the node;

a destination resource port address for establishing a TCP/IP connection between the multiprotocol agent and the line adapter inside the node containing the destination resource.

5. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said multiprotocol agent in each node further comprises:

a transmitter module for transmitting a response from the destination resource to the web server or to a neighboring node along the path to the web server.

6. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 5 wherein:

for each command sent by the web server a new connection is established;

the response associated with said command is returned to the web server using the new connection;

said new connection is closed after the response has been transmitted to the web server.

7. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 6 wherein said commands and responses exchanged between the web server and the multiprotocol agents are transmitted over TCP/IP connections.

8. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 6 wherein commands from the web server and responses from the destination resources are transmitted through the network lines and network nodes.

9. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said web server receives requests and sends responses, in particular HTML pages, to at least one web browser through an internet or intranet network.

10. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said destination resource is a multiprotocol agent.

11. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said destination resource is a line adapter.

12. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said destination resource is an error log.

13. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said destination resource is a configuration data base.

14. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said destination resource is a CMIP or SNMP interface.

15. The maintenance and management system for a remote node according to claim 1 wherein said destination resource is a front end user interface.

16. A maintenance and management method for a remote node in communication network having a plurality of nodes interconnected with communication lines, each node having at least one resource, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a command from a web server to a destination resource in any destination node of a communication network, said command including an identification of the destination resource and at least one request;

receiving a command from the web server at a multiprotocol agent attached to each node;

converting the at least one request included in said command in a protocol understandable by the destination resource within the node; and

transmitting said converted at least one request to the destination resource.

17. The maintenance and management method for a remote node according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a command from another multiprotocol agent in another node wherein said command includes an identification of the destination node; and

routing the command to a multiprotocol agent in the destination node containing the destination resource or to a multiprotocol agent in a neigh boring node along the path to the destination node containing the destination resource.

18. The maintenance and management method for remote node according to claim 17 wherein each command sent by the web server to the multiprotocol agent comprises:

a data field including at least one request; and

a header field for routing said at least one request to the destination resource.

19. The maintenance and management method for a remote node according to claim 18 wherein said header field comprises:

a destination node identifier for routing the command from the web server to the destination node;

a protocol identifier for adapting the at least one request transmitted in the data field in a protocol understandable by the destination resource;

a destination resource identifier for routing said at least one request transmitted in the data field to the destination resource within the node; and

a destination resource port address for establishing a TCP/IP connection between the multiprotocol agent and the line adapter inside the node containing the destination resource.

20. The maintenance and management method for a remote node according to claim 16 further comprising:

transmitting a response from the destination resource to the web server or to a neigh boring node along the path to the web server.

21. The maintenance and management method for a remote node according to claim 20 including the steps of:

establishing a new connection for each command sent by the web server;

transmitting a response associated with said command to the web server using the new connection; and

closing said new connection after the response has been transmitted to the web server.

22. The maintenance and management method for a remote node according to claim 21 wherein said commands and responses exchanged between the web server and the multiprotocol agents are transmitted over TCP/IP connections.

23. The maintenance and management method for a remote node according to claim 21 wherein commands from the web server and responses from the destination resources are transmitted through the network lines and network nodes.

24. The maintenance and management method for a remote node according to claim 16 wherein said web server receives requests and sends responses, in particular HTML pages, to at least one web browser through an internet or intranet network.