System and method for generating unsupported network information indicators

• US 6,176,883 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Holloway, Malcolm Herrick MacDonald, Temoshenko, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/977,214
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/228, 709/226, 709/203, 709/223, 709/200, 709/23, 709/25, 709/27
• 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 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A system and method for generating unsupported network information indicators for monitoring and managing a network having at least one network manager resident within a network station and at least one network agent resident within a network device. The method and system accomplish their objects as follows. Network parameters of interest are selected. Network parameters accessible by the at least one network agent are determined. And, in response to the determining, the selected network parameters of interest are construed by utilizing the determined network parameters accessible to the at least one network agent.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and managing a network having at least one network manager resident within a network station and at least one network agent resident within a network device, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting interactively one or more network parameters of interest at the network manager;

determining the selected network parameters that are accessible by the at least one network agent; and

automatically and dynamically constructing the selected network parameters of interest at the network agent by utilizing the determined network parameters that are accessible to the at least one network agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting further comprises the step of selecting the network parameters of interest to be data throughput at the device wherein the network agent is resident.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:

querying the network agent to indicate if the network agent is capable of monitoring the selected network parameters of interest; and

in response to the query, identifying device information which the network agent can access.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining further comprises the steps of:

recording any Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) objects indicative of device information which the network agent can access; and

recording any other non-SNMP device information which the network agent can access.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of constructing the selected network parameters of interest further comprises the step of defining an extensible grammar.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of constructing further comprises the step of constructing one or more Simple Network Management Protocol objects utilizing the determined device information in conjunction with the defined extensible grammar.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of constructing further comprises the step of constructing one or more Management Information Bases from any combination of the Simple Network Management Protocol objects and the determined device information.

8. A system for monitoring and managing a network having at least one network manager resident within a network station and at least one network agent resident within a network device, said system comprising:

means for interactively selecting network parameters of interest at the network manager;

means for determining the selected network parameters that are accessible by said at least one network agent; and

means for automatically and dynamically constructing said selected network parameters of interest at the network agent by utilizing said determined network parameters accessible to said at least one network agent.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for selecting further comprises means for selecting said network parameters of interest to be data throughput at the device wherein said network agent is resident.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for determining further comprises:

means for querying said network agent to indicate if said network agent is capable of monitoring said selected network parameters of interest; and

means, responsive to said query, for identifying device information said network agent has access to.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for determining further comprises:

means for recording any Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) objects indicative of device information which said network agent can access; and

means for recording any other NON-SNMP device information which said network agent can access.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for constructing said selected network parameters of interest further comprises means for defining an extensible grammar.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said means for constructing further comprises means for constructing one or more Simple Network Management Protocol objects utilizing said cataloged device information in conjunction with said defined extensible grammar.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said means for constructing further comprises means for constructing one or more Management Information Bases from any combination of said Simple Network Management Protocol objects and said determined device information.

15. A program product for monitoring and managing a network having at least one network manager resident within a network station and at least one network agent resident within a network device, said program product comprising:

program code for enabling interactive selection of network parameters of interest at the network manager,

program code for determining the selected network parameters that are accessible by said at least one network agent;

program code for automatically and dynamically constructing said selected network parameters of interest at the network agent by utilizing said determined network parameters accessible to said at least one network agent; and

signal bearing media bearing said program code for selecting, said program code for determining, and said program code for constructing.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein said signal bearing media further comprises transmission media.

17. The program product of claim 15, wherein said signal bearing media further comprises recordable media.

18. The program product of claim 15, wherein said program code for selecting further comprises program code for selecting said network parameters of interest to tie data throughput at the device wherein said network agent is resident.

19. The program product of claim 15, wherein said program code for determining further comprises:

program code for querying said network agent to indicate if said network agent is capable of monitoring said selected network, parameters of interest; and

program code responsive to said query, for identifying device information said network agent has access to.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein said program code for determining further comprises:

program code for recording any Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) objects indicative of device information which said network agent can access; and

program code for recording any other non-SNMP device information which said network agent can access.

21. The program product of claim 15, wherein said program code for constructing said selected network parameters of interest further comprises program code for defining an extensible grammar.

22. The program product of claim 21, wherein said program code for constructing further comprises program code for constructing one or more Simple Network Management Protocol objects utilizing said determined device information in conjunction with said defined extensible grammar.

23. The program product of claim 22, wherein said program code for constructing further comprises program code for constructing one or more Management Information Bases from any combination of said Simple Network Management Protocol objects and said determined device information.