Method and apparatus for heterogeneous network management

• US 6,061,740 A
• Filed: 07/15/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Nikols, Nick N., Ferguson, Daniel T., Graupe, Betty, Campbell, Patrick L., Bell, Richard S., Sonntag, Steven F., Cardoza, Bryan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US08/893,305
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.31, 395/200.78, 395/200.76, 395/683, 709/201, 709/248, 709/246, 709/303
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/008 Public Key, Asymmetric Key, Asymmetric Encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing a heterogeneous network is disclosed. A first computer system has one or more identities. A management service on a second computer system manages objects on the second computer system. One or more objects on the second computer system represent the one or more identities and are adapted to be managed by the management service. An event monitor operating on the second computer system is operative to send messages relating to changes to the one or more objects. A replication agent operating on the first computer system is operative to receive messages from the event monitor and is operative to synchronize the one or more identities to the changes made to the one or more objects.

Claims

1. A computer system for managing a heterogeneous network, comprising:

a) a first service operating on a first computer;

b) a first set of objects on the first computer, said first set of objects being accessed by the first service;

c) a second computer having a communication link with the first computer;

d) a distributed directory management service operating on the second computer and being distinct from the first service, said distributed directory comprising a plurality of editable objects, each of said editable objects having one or more attributes with associated values;

e) a second set of objects in the distributed directory corresponding to and representing the first set of objects;

f) an event monitor being operative to send messages relating to changes detected in the second set of objects; and

g) a replication agent for receiving messages from the event monitor over the communication link and for modifying the first set of objects to correspond with the changes in the second set of objects in the distributed directory.

2. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first computer is an application server using an operating system different from that of the second computer.

3. A computer system as recited in claim 2, wherein the replication agent retrieves from the management service substantive information relating to the detected changes.

4. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first service is the management service of the first computer.

5. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the changes include modifying, adding or deleting objects in the second set of objects.

6. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein an event monitor operates on each server in a client/server network that has a master replica of a partition of the distributed directory.

7. A computer system as recited in claim 6, wherein changes to the subordinate objects are synchronized to replicas of the subordinate objects through the replication system of the distributed directory.

8. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer system maintains a time stamp of the last communication with the replication agent.

9. A computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first service object in the distributed directory for representing the service on the first computer.

10. A computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein the second set of objects are subordinate to the service object in the distributed directory.

11. A method of managing a heterogenous network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) operating a first service on a heterogenous network having a first computer system having a first operating system and a second computer system having a second operating system, the first service having access to a first set of objects on the first computer system;

b) operating on the second computer system a management service distinct from the first service;

c) creating a second set of objects accessible to the management service for representing the first set of objects;

d) modifying the second set of objects through the management service;

e) detecting the modification to the second set of objects;

f) transmitting to the first computer system information about the modification to the second set of objects; and

g) modifying the first set of objects on the first computer system to correspond to the modification to the second set of objects in the second computer system.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of replicating the modification to the second set of objects to any replicas in the distributed directory.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the information about the modification to the second set of objects comprises a notice that a modification has been made.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of maintaining a time stamp of the last communication between the first and second computer systems.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting comprises dredging the distributed directory for any modifications to the second set of objects made after the time stamp, and transmitting such modifications to the first computer system.

16. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of storing at least a portion of the modifications to the second set of objects in a file accessible to the first computer system.

17. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of modifying includes modifying, adding, or deleting objects in the second set of objects.

18. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the first service authenticates to the management service as a user with restricted rights.

19. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of synchronizing passwords between the first and second computer systems.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions capable of performing the method of claim 11.

21. An administration system for a heterogenous network, the administration system comprising:

a) a first computer system comprising one or more identities;

b) a management service on a second computer system for managing objects on the second computer system, the second computer system being distinct from the first computer system;

c) one or more objects on the second computer system representing and being distinct from the one or more identities, said one or more objects being adapted to be managed by the management service;

d) an event monitor operating on the second computer system, said event monitor being operative to send messages relating to changes to the one or more objects; and

e) a replication agent operating on the first computer system, said replication agent being operative to receive messages from the event monitor and being operative to synchronize the one or more identities to the changes made to the one or more objects.

22. An administration system as recited in claim 21, wherein the one or more objects are part of a distributed directory.

23. An administration system as recited in claim 21, wherein the changes include modifying, adding or deleting objects.

24. An administration system as recited in claim 21, wherein changes to the one or more objects are made through the management service.

25. An administration system as recited in claim 21, further comprising an integration utility operable for creating the one or more objects on the second computer system.

26. An administration system as recited in claim 25, wherein the integration utility is further operable for creating identities on the first computer system which correspond to objects on the second computer system.

27. An administration system as recited in claim 21, further comprising a service object on the second computer system for representing a service on the first computer system.

28. An administration system as recited in claim 27, wherein the service has access to the one or more identities.

29. An administration system as recited in claim 27, wherein one or more objects are subordinate to the service object.

30. An administration system as recited in claim 21, wherein the first and second computer systems use different operating systems.

31. An administration system as recited in claim 21, wherein the message is a notice.