Method and system for managing a directory service

• US 6,052,724 A
• Filed: 09/02/1997
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Larsen, Kal A., Cummings, Jay R., Yang, Cheng, Willie, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Lehien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pierce, III, Ivan C.
• Application Number:
  US08/922,207
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 709/201, 709/223, 709/226, 709/202-204
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method and system for managing a distributed directory service. The method includes defining a plurality of objects operative to maintain information about a plurality of partitions in a MIB, implementing the MIB in an agent, loading the agent on a managed server, interfacing the agent with a directory service, and sending a management request from a management station to the agent to access one of the objects. The MIB maintains information about each partition on the managed server, and allows access to such information through conventional network management software.

Claims

1. A method for managing a directory service, comprising:

defining a first plurality of objects operative to maintain information about a plurality of partitions in a MIB;

implementing the MIB in an agent;

loading the agent on a managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service operative to perform at least one of a directory split partition, a directory join partition and a directory replica;

sending management request from a management station to the agent to access one of the objects.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising collecting a second plurality of objects operative to maintain information about replicas associated with the plurality of partitions.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the first plurality of objects comprise a plurality of partition operation objects, each partition operation object being operative to maintain information identifying the last successful partition operation completed against a respective partition, and a plurality of current operation objects, each current operation object being operative to maintain information identifying a current operation being performed on a respective partition.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising a partition table object, wherein the partition table object is operative to maintain a plurality of rows for maintaining information about respective partitions on the managed server, each row containing one of the partition operation objects and one of the current operation objects.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein each row further comprises a replica count object operative to maintain a count of the number of replicas of a respective partition, a counter object operative to maintain the number of objects maintained in the respective partition, and a collision object operative to maintain a count of the number of collisions on the respective partition.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the second plurality of objects comprise a plurality of replica state objects, each replica state object being operative to maintain a state of the respective replica, and a plurality of replica type objects, each replica type object being operative to maintain a type of the respective replica.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising a replica table object, wherein the replica table object is operative to maintain a plurality of rows, each row being operative to maintain information for a respective replica and including one of the replica state objects and one of the replica type objects.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein each row further comprises a partition identifier object operative to identify a partition on the managed server associated with the respective replica, and a replica server status object operative to maintain information identifying a status of a server on which the respective replica exists.

9. A method according to claim 2 further comprising a partition table object, wherein the partition table object is operative to maintain a plurality of rows for maintaining information about respective partitions on the managed server, each row containing one of the partition operation objects and one of the current operation objects, and a replica table object, wherein the replica table object is operative to maintain a plurality of rows, each row being operative to maintain information for a respective replica and including one of the replica state objects and one of the replica type objects.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the sending step comprises sending the management request to access the partition table object, further comprising accessing the partition table object, and for each row in the partition table object, returning to the management station information from at least one object in each row about a respective partition, and displaying the returned information on a display device.

11. A method for providing to a management station operational information related to a distributed directory on a managed server, comprising:

associating an agent with a managed server, the agent implementing an information base including a partition table operative to maintain partition information about each partition on the managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service module operative to perform at least one of a directory split partition, a directory join partition, and a directory replica, and associated with the managed server;

and sending a request to the agent to access the partition table.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the information base further comprises a container usage table operative to maintain container usage information about each container object in each partition on the managed server.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the partition information is maintained in the form of a first plurality of objects, the partition table has a row of the first plurality of objects for each respective partition on the managed server, and wherein the first plurality of objects comprises a replica count object being operative to maintain a count of the number of replicas associated with a respective partition, and a current operation object being operative to maintain information identifying a current operation being performed on the respective partition.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the container usage information is maintained in the form of a second plurality of objects, the container usage table has a row of the second plurality of objects for each respective object maintained in a partition on the managed server, and wherein the second plurality of objects comprises a write operations object operative to maintain a count of write accesses performed against the respective object, and a read operations object operative to maintain a count of read accesses performed against the respective object.

15. A system for managing a distributed directory, comprising:

a data communications link;

an interface to a distributed directory service;

an agent implementing an information base, the agent being operative to interface with the distributed directory service via the interface wherein the distributed directory service is operative to perform at least one of a directory split operation, a directory join partition, and a directory replica, and being operative to communicate with a management station via the data communications link;

the agent being operative to access the first plurality of objects upon request from the management station.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the information base further comprises a second plurality of objects operative to maintain information about a plurality of replicas associated with the plurality of partitions.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the first plurality of objects comprise a plurality of partition operation objects, each partition operation object being operative to maintain information identifying the last successful partition operation completed against a respective partition, and a plurality of current operation objects, each current operation object being operative to maintain information identifying a current operation being performed on a respective partition.

18. A method according to claim 17, further wherein the information base further comprises a partition table object, and wherein the partition table object is operative to maintain a plurality of rows for maintaining information about respective partitions on the managed server, each row containing one of the partition operation objects and one of the current operation objects.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the second plurality of objects comprise a plurality of replica state objects, each replica state object being operative to maintain a state of the respective replica, and a plurality of replica type objects, each replica type object being operative to maintain a type of the respective replica, the information base further comprising a replica table object, the replica table object begin operative to maintain a plurality of rows, each row being operative to maintain information for a respective replica and including one of the replica state objects and one of the replica type objects.

20. A method for obtaining access to internal events associated with a directory service on a managed server, comprising:

defining a plurality of trap objects in a MIB, each trap object being associated with a directory service event;

implementing the MIB in an agent;

loading the agent on a managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service wherein the directory service is operative to perform at least one of a directory split operation, a directory join partition, and a directory replica; and

communicating at least one of the traps to an external software program.

21. A method for managing a directory service, comprising:

defining a first plurality of objects operative to maintain information about a plurality of partitions in a MIB;

implementing the MIB in an agent;

loading the agent on a managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service; and

sending a management request from a management station to the agent to access one of the objects; and

defining a plurality of partition traps in the MIB operative to provide the management station with information relating to partition operations, including a completed partition split trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a split partition operation, and a completed partition join trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a join partition operation.

22. A method for managing a directory service, comprising:

defining a first plurality of objects operative to maintain information about a plurality of partitions in a MIB;

implementing the MIB in an agent;

loading the agent on a managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service;

sending a management request from a management station to the agent to access one of the objects; and

defining a plurality of replica traps in the MIB operative to provide the management station with information relating to replica operations, including an add replica trap operative to provide information relating to the addition of a new replica, and a remove replica trap operative to provide information relating to the removal of a replica.

23. A method for obtaining access to internal events associated with a directory service on a managed server, comprising:

defining a plurality of trap objects in a MIB, each trap object being associated with a directory service event, wherein the trap objects defined in the MIB comprise a completed partition split trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a split partition operation, and a completed partition join trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a join partition operation;

implementing the MIB in an agent;

loading the agent on a managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service; and

communicating at least one of the traps to an external software program.

24. A method for obtaining access to internal events associated with a directory service on a managed server, comprising:

defining a plurality of trap objects in a MIB, each trap object being associated with a directory service event, wherein the trap objects defined in the MIB comprise a completed partition split trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a split partition operation, and a completed partition join trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a join partition operation, the trap objects defined in the MIB further comprising an add replica trap operative to provide information relating to the addition of a new replica, and a remove replica trap operative to provide information relating to the removal of a replica;

implementing the MIB in an agent;

loading the agent on a managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service; and

communicating at least one of the traps to an external software program.

25. A method for obtaining access to internal events associated with a directory service on a managed server, comprising:

defining a plurality of trap objects in a MIB, each trap object being associated with a directory service event, wherein the trap objects defined in the MIB comprise a completed partition split trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a split partition operation, and a completed partition join trap operative to provide information relating to the completion of a join partition operation, the trap objects defined in the MIB further comprising an add replica trap operative to provide information relating to the addition of a new replica, and a remove replica trap operative to provide information relating to the removal of a replica;

implementing the MIB in an agent;

loading the agent on a managed server;

interfacing the agent with a directory service; and

communicating at least one of the traps to an external software program, wherein the external software program comprises management station software.