Method and apparatus for providing multiple management interfaces to a network device

• US 6,008,805 A
• Filed: 07/19/1996
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simon, Robert, Land, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US08/684,130
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 345/335, 345/339, 345/330, 345/326, 345/327, 345/328, 345/329, 345/331, 345/332, 345/333, 345/334, 345/336, 345/337, 345/338, 345/340, 345/341-352, 345/357, 345/356 , 345/353-355
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• 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 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing a network access device is provided. Embedded within the access device are three distinct software layers. The first layer is a combined text-interface generator and Hypertext Transport Protocol client. The second layer is a combined Hypertext Transport Protocol server and Simpler Network Management Protocol manager. The third layer is a Simple Network Management Protocol agent that has direct access to the configuration data of the access device. A user can manage the device through the embedded text-interface generator, by using an external HTTP client to communicate with the embedded HTTP server, or by using an external SNMP manager to communicate with the embedded SNMP agent. Techniques are disclosed for embedding SNMP information in messages passed between HTTP clients and servers.

Claims

1. A network device with a multi-layer management interface comprising:

a first interface layer configured to

receive a first set of messages from a first set of sources according to a first protocol;

send a second set of messages according to a second protocol in response to said first set of messages; and

send responses to said first set of sources according to said first protocol;

a second interface layer configured to

receive a third set of messages from a second set of sources according to said second protocol, wherein said second set of sources include said first interface layer and said third set of messages includes at least one message of said second set of messages;

update configuration data of said network device in response to receiving said third set of message; and

send responses to said third set of sources according to said second protocol; and

a third interface layer configured to

receive commands from a user;

send a fourth set of messages to said first interface layer according to said first protocol in response to said commands;

receive responses to said fourth set of messages from said first interface layer according to said first protocol; and

generate a display to said user based on messages received from said first interface layer according to said first protocol.

2. The network device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first protocol and said second protocol is Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP).

3. The network of claim 2 wherein at least one of said first protocol and said second protocol is Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

4. The network device of claim 1 wherein:

the second protocol is SNMP;

the first interface layer includes an SNMP manager; and

the second interface layer includes an SNMP agent.

5. The network device of claim 1 wherein:

the network device is connected to a second network device that includes

a fourth interface layer,

a fifth interface layer; and

a second set of configuration variables;

the fourth interface layer is configured to

receive messages from said third interface layer of said network device according to said first protocol;

send messages to said fifth interface layer according to said second protocol in response to said messages from said third interface layer; and

send responses to said third interface layer according to said first protocol; and

the fifth interface layer is configured to

receive messages from the fourth interface layer according to said second protocol;

update configuration data of said network device in response to receiving messages from said fourth interface layer; and

send responses to said fourth interface layer according to said second protocol.

6. A method for managing a network device, the method comprising the steps of:

executing a first software layer to generate a user interface;

said first software layer receiving user input that specifies a change to configuration data stored in said network device;

in response to said user input, said first software layer transmitting a first message to a second software layer using Hypertext Transport Protocol, wherein said second software layer resides in said network device;

in response to said first message, said second software layer transmitting a second message to a third software layer using Simple Network Management Protocol, wherein said third software layer resides in said network device; and

in response to said second message, said third software layer changing said configuration data as specified by said user input.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of executing said first software layer is performed by executing a software layer that resides in said network device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the method further comprises the step of causing said second software layer to send a Hypertext Markup Language document to said first software layer; and

the first software layer generates said user interface based on said Hypertext Markup Language document.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the Hypertext Markup Language document contains an anchor that includes information identifying a Management Information Base object;

the step of said first software layer receiving user input that specifies a change to configuration data is performed by detecting when said user selects a user interface component associated with said anchor;

the first message includes said information identifying said Management Information Base object;

the second message includes said information identifying said Management Information Base object; and

the step of changing said configuration data includes changing configuration data that corresponds to said Management Information Base object.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of causing said second software layer to generate said Hypertext Markup Language document by performing the steps of:

receiving an object identifier for a Management Information Base object;

using said object identifier to search one or more files for entries associated with said Management Information Base object; and

for each entry associated with said Management Information Base object, generating Hypertext Markup Language text that, when decoded by an HTTP client, will cause the client to display information contained in said entry.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of using said object identifier to search one or more files includes using said object identifier to search one or more files generated from a Management Information Base file that contains said Management Information Base object.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of generating Hypertext Markup Language text for an entry includes the steps of:

transmitting a query to said third software layer to retrieve a current value associated with a second Management Information Base object, said second Management Information Base object being a component of said Management Information Base object that is identified in said entry;

receiving from said third software layer said current value associated with said second Management Information Base object; and

generating Hypertext Markup Language text that, when decoded by an HTTP client, causes the HTTP client to generate a display that identifies said second Management Information Base object and displays said current value of said second Management Information Base object.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of generating Hypertext Markup Language text for said entry further includes the steps of generating an anchor that contains a second MIB object identifier, wherein said second MIB object identifier uniquely identifies said second MIB object.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

said second software layer receiving from said first software layer said second MIB object identifier and a new value for said second MIB object in response to a user selecting said display that identifies said second MIB object; and

said second software layer transmitting command to said third software layer to cause said third software layer to update configuration data associated with said second MIB object to said new value.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the user input that specifies a change to configuration data associated with a MIB object;

said second software layer generates an HTML document which includes HTML text for identifying said MIB object and for displaying a new value for said MIB object;

said second software layer transmits said HTML document to said first software layer; and

said first software layer generates an updated display based on said HTML document, wherein said updated display identifies said MIB object and displays said new value for said MIB object.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said second software layer generates said HTML document with an anchor that includes a MIB object identifier of said MIB object.

17. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the user input that specifies a change to configuration data associated with a MIB object; and

the first message includes a MIB object identifier of said MIB object.