Generic notifications framework system and method for enhancing operation of a management station on a network

• US 6,189,038 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bartz, Thomas G., Thompson, Dean R.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng-Ai T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, GAUTAM
• Application Number:
  US09/442,787
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/233, 714/4, 379/466
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A generic notifications framework (GNF) system integrates information from different protocols in a management station interfaced with a network and permits correlation of the information to make more sophisticated management decisions. The generic notifications framework system has one or more protocol-specific translators in communication with the network, a generic notifications framework in communication with the translators, and one or more consumer components in communication with the framework. The translators receive event data elements corresponding with different management protocols from the network and translate the event data elements into respective canonical data structures. Each of the canonical data structures includes (a) a generic field that is common to all of the canonical data structures, (b) one or more attribute fields generated by the translator based upon an examination of a protocol data unit (PDU) associated with each of the event data elements, and (c) a protocol data unit (PDU) that is generally identical to the native PDU that arrived with the event data element. Consumer components register with the framework to receive any canonical data structures having particular attribute fields. The generic notifications framework forwards the appropriate canonical data structures to appropriate consumer components based upon the attribute field values. A correlator may be associated with the framework to correlate the canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event data element, which is essentially the result of an assimilation and logical evaluation of various event data elements. Hence, event data elements are treated and processed generically, and this feature permits more sophisticated decisions to be made.

Claims

1. A generic notifications framework system for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by integrating information from different management protocols, comprising:

a translator connected to said network to receive event data elements corresponding with different management protocols from said network, said translator configured to translate said event data elements into respective canonical data structures, said translator configured to selectively extract attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with said event data elements, each of said canonical data structures having an attribute data field with said attribute data, if extracted, and a protocol data unit field with said native protocol data unit, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

a generic notifications framework connected to said translator to receive said canonical data structure, said framework configured to selectively route said canonical data structures to consumer components by forwarding canonical data structures having predefined attribute fields to corresponding consumer components, said generic notifications framework capable of permitting said consumer components to register to receive said canonical data structures having a particular attribute field.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a correlator configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said canonical data structure further includes a generic field that designates a protocol corresponding to said event data element.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of event subsystems connected to said network, each one of said event subsystems adapted to receive event elements from said network having a particular protocol associated said each one; and

a plurality of translators, one of which is said translator, each of which are connected to a respective one of said event subsystems, and all of which are connected to said framework to provide said canonical data structures to said framework.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a configurator connected to said framework and configured to specify which of said canonical data structures are to be forwarded to said correlator.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a configurator connected to said translators and configured to specify which of said event data elements are to be communicated by each said translator to said generic notification framework.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said configurator is further connected to said translator and is further configured to specify which of said event data elements are to be communicated by said translator to said generic notification framework.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of correlating said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of analyzing said canonical data structures to determine which of said canonical data structures are to be correlated.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of receiving canonical data structures from a plurality of translators associated with a respective plurality of event subsystems connected to said network, each one of said event subsystems adapted to receive event elements from said network having a particular protocol associated said each one.

8. An intelligent integration system for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by correlating and integrating information from different protocols, comprising:

a receiver connected to said network to receive event data elements corresponding to different protocols from said network;

a translator connected to said receiver, said translator configured to extract attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with each of said event data elements, said translator configured to translate each of said event data elements into a canonical data structure, said canonical data structure capable of being correlated with other canonical data structures corresponding to other event data elements regardless of protocols associated with said event data elements, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

a correlator connected to said translator, said correlator configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a consumer component in communication with said translator configured to register to receive any of said canonical data structures responsive to a particular protocol.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a plurality of translators, one of which is said translator, each of which are in communication with the network, and all of which are configured to provide said canonical data structures each responsive to a particular protocol.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of correlators, one of which is said correlator, each of which are in communication and configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event responsive to a particular protocol.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a configurator connected to said translators and configured to specify which of said event data elements are to be communicated by each said translator.

9. A computer readable medium having a computer program for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by integrating information from different protocols, said computer program comprising:

a translator to receive event data elements corresponding with different management protocols from said network, said translator configured to translate said event data elements into respective canonical data structures, said translator configured to selectively extract attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with said event data elements, each of said canonical data structures having an attribute data field with said attribute data, if extracted, and a protocol data unit field with said native protocol data unit, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

a generic notifications framework to receive said canonical data structure, said framework configured to selectively route said canonical data structures to consumer components by forwarding canonical data structures having predefined attribute fields to corresponding consumer components, said generic notifications framework capable of permitting said consumer components to register to receive said canonical data structures having a particular attribute field.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

a correlator configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said canonical data structure further includes a generic field that designates a protocol responsive to said event data element.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of translators, one of which is said translator, each of which are in communication with the network, and all of which are configured to provide said canonical data structures each responsive to a particular protocol; and

a plurality of event subsystems connected to the network, each one of said event subsystems adapted to receive event elements from the network in response to a particular protocol, and all of which are connected to a respective one of each of said plurality of translators.

10. A computer readable medium having a computer program for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by correlating and integrating information from different protocols, said computer program comprising:

a receiver connected to said network to receive event data elements from said network;

a translator connected to said receiver, said translator configured to extract attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with each of said event data elements, said translator configured to translate each of said event data elements into a canonical data structure said canonical data structure capable of being correlated with other canonical data structures corresponding to other event data elements regardless of protocols associated with said event data elements, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

a correlator connected to said translator, said processor configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said canonical data structure further includes a generic field that designates a protocol responsive to said event data element.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of translators, one of which is said translator, each of which are in communication with the network, and all of which are configured to provide said canonical data structures each responsive to a particular protocol; and

a plurality of correlators, each connected to one of said plurality of translators, each one of said correlators adapted to correlate said canonical data structures, and all of which are further adapted to derive an intelligent event.

11. A method for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by integrating information from different management protocols, comprising the steps of:

receiving event data elements corresponding with different management protocols from said network;

extracting attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with each of said event data elements;

translating said event data elements into respective canonical data structures, each having an attribute data field with said attribute data, if extracted, and a protocol data unit field with said native protocol data unit, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data;

passing said canonical data structures to a framework for possible distribution to consumer components that are connected to said framework;

communicating a particular attribute field from a consumer component to said framework to indicate that said consumer component wishes to receive any of said canonical data structures with said particular attribute field; and

forwarding a canonical data structure with said particular attribute field from said framework to said consumer component.

12. A method for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by correlating and integrating information from different protocols, comprising the steps of:

receiving event data elements from said network;

extracting attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with each of said event data elements;

translating each of said event data elements into a canonical data structure having an attribute data field with said attribute data, if extracted, and a protocol data unit field with said native protocol data unit, said canonical data structure capable of being correlated with other canonical data structures corresponding to other event data elements regardless of protocols associated with said event data elements, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

correlating said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.

13. A system for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by integrating information from different management protocols, comprising:

(1) a translator connected to said network to receive event data elements corresponding with different management protocols from said network, said translator configured to translate said event data elements into respective canonical data structures, said translator configured to selectively extract attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination thereof, each of said canonical data structures including;

(a) attribute data created by said translator upon examination of data associated with the respective event data element when said extraction is possible, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

(b) protocol data that is an encapsulation of native data associated with the respective event data element;

(2) a generic notifications framework connected to said translator to receive said canonical data structures, said generic notifications framework configured to selectively route said canonical data structures by forwarding canonical data structures having predefined attribute fields to corresponding consumer components; and

(3) a consumer component capable of communicating with said framework, said consumer component configured to register with said framework to receive any of said canonical data structures having a particular one of said predefined attribute fields.

28. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a correlator configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

a configurator connected to said framework and configured to specify which of said canonical data structures are to be forwarded to said correlator.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

a configurator connected to said translator and configured to specify which of said event data elements are to be communicated by said translator to said generic notification framework.

18. A computer configured to implement an intelligent integration system for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by correlating and integrating information from different protocols, comprising:

a receiver capable of communicating with said network to receive event data elements corresponding to different protocols from said network;

a translator capable of communicating with said receiver said translator configured to extract attribute data from some, but not all of, said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with each of said event data elements said translator configured to translate each of said event data elements into a canonical data structure, said canonical data structure capable of being, correlated with other canonical data structures corresponding to other event data elements regardless of protocols associated with said event data elements, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data;

a correlator capable of communicating with said translator said correlator configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event; and

a consumer component capable of communicating with said translator and configured to register to receive any of said canonical data structures responsive to a particular protocol.

19. A computer utilizing a computer readable medium having a computer program for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by integrating, information from different protocols, said computer program comprising:

a translator to receive event data elements corresponding with different management protocols from said network said translator configured to translate said event data elements into respective canonical data structures said translator configured to selectively extract attribute data from some, but not all of said event data elements by examination of a native protocol data unit associated with said event data elements each of said canonical data structures having an attribute data field with said attribute data, if extracted and a protocol data unit field with said native protocol data unit, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

a generic notifications framework to receive said canonical data structure, said framework configured to selectively route said canonical data structures to consumer components by forwarding, canonical data structures having predefined attribute fields to corresponding, consumer components, said generic notifications framework capable of permitting said consumer components to register to receive said canonical data structures having a particular attribute field.

31. A computer utilizing a system for enhancing operation of a management station on a network by integrating information from different management protocols. comprising:

(1) a translator capable of communicating with said network to receive event data elements corresponding with different management protocols from said network said translator configured to translate said event data elements into respective canonical data structures, said translator configured to selectively extract attribute data from some but not all of said event data elements by examination thereof each of said canonical data structures including;

(a) attribute data created by said translator upon examination of data associated with the respective event data element when said extraction is possible, said attribute data comprising at least type and length data; and

(b) protocol data that is an encapsulation of native data associated with the respective event data element;

(2) a generic notifications framework capable of communicating with said translator to receive said canonical data structures, said generic notifications framework configured to selectively route said canonical data structures by forwarding, canonical data structures having predefined attribute fields to corresponding consumer components,

(3) a consumer component capable of communicating with said framework, said consumer component configured to resister with said framework to receive any of said canonical data structures having a particular one of said predefined attribute fields; and

(4) a correlator configured to correlate said canonical data structures to derive an intelligent event.