Network management system and network management method capable of controlling agent even in case of fault occurring on logical communication channel

• US 6,192,402 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Iwase, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trim, Nkosi N
• Application Number:
  US09/130,487
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 704/223, 704/224, 704/202
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437

Abstract

A network management system, in a network having a plurality of agents and a manager for controlling management objects of the plurality of agents which are respectively connected by a logical communication channel, wherein the plurality of agents are respectively provided with a function of an acting manager receiving the management objects of the other agents as well as sending them to the manager, and the manager is provided with a function of controlling the management objects of an agent incapable of communication, through the mediation of the other agent working as the acting manager, when the manager fails to communicate with the agent because a fault has occurred on the logical communication channel and destroyed the communication.

Claims

1. A network management system for controlling a network having a plurality of agents and a manager for controlling management objects of the plurality of agents which are respectively connected by a logical communication channel, wherein

plurality of agents respectively have a function of an acting manager for receiving said management objects of the other agents and sending said management objects to said manager, and

said manager having a function of controlling said management objects of an agent incapable of communication, through mediation of said other agent working as the acting manager, when said manager fails to communicate with said agent because a fault occurred on said logical communication channel and destroyed the communication, wherein said manager:

inquires of said other agents whether communication with an agent incapable of communication is possible or not when said manager fails to communicate with said agent;

upon receipt of replies from acting manager candidate that are agents capable of communicating with said agent incapable of communication with said manager, deciding one of said acting manager candidates as an acting manager.

2. A network management system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said manager comprises:

a communication state monitoring means for monitoring communication state between the plurality of agents and said manager itself,

an acting manager candidate inquiring means for inquiring of the plurality of agents whether communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible or not and receiving a reply from each acting manager candidate, that is an agent capable of communicating with said agent incapable of communication,

an acting manager deciding means for selecting one of the acting manager candidates as an acting manager, and

an acting manager controlling means for controlling said management objects of an agent incapable of communicating with said manager, through mediation of said acting manager,

each of said agents comprising;

an acting manager candidate notifying means for checking whether the communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible or not, in reply to the inquiry from said manager, and when it is possible, making a reply indicating that this agent is an acting manager candidate, for said manager, and

a management object notifying means for receiving said management objects of said agent incapable of communication and sending said management objects to said manager.

3. A network management system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said manager comprises:

a communication state monitoring means for monitoring communication state between the plurality of agents and said manager itself,

an acting manager candidate inquiring means for inquiring of the plurality of agents whether communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible or not and receiving a reply from each acting manager candidate, that it is an agent capable of communicating with said agent incapable of communication,

an acting manager deciding means for selecting one of said acting manager candidates as an acting manager, and

an acting manager controlling means for controlling said management objects of an agent incapable of communicating with said manager, through the mediation of said acting manager,

each of the agents comprising

an acting manager candidate notifying means for checking whether the communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible or not, in reply to the inquiry from the manager, and when it is possible, making a reply indicating that this agent is an acting manager candidate for the manager,

a manager registration change instructing means for instructing said agent incapable of communication to change the sending destination of said management objects from said manager to this agent when this agent is specified as said acting manager by said manager, and

a management object notifying means for receiving said management objects of said agent incapable of communication and sending said management objects to said manager.

4. A network management system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

in the manager,

said communication state monitoring means continues to monitor the communication state with said agent incapable of communication, so to detect restoration of the failed logical communication channel, and

said acting manager controlling means, if a fault on the logical communication channel is restored in said agent, stops controlling the management objects through the mediation of said acting manager, and switches the control of said management objects of said agent to the original state of the manager'"'"'s direct control.

5. A network management system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

in the manager,

said communication state monitoring means continues to monitor the communication state with said agent incapable of communication, so to detect restoration of the failed logical communication channel, and

said acting manager controlling means, if a fault on the logical communication channel is restored in said agent, stops controlling said management objects through the mediation of said acting manager, switches the control of the management objects of said agent to the original state of the manager'"'"'s direct control, and instructs said agent in which the fault on the logical communication channel has been restored, to change the sending destination of said management objects from said acting manager to said manager.

6. A network management method for controlling a network having a plurality of agents and a manager for controlling management objects of the plurality of agents which are respectively connected by a logical communication channel, the network management method comprising the steps of:

in said manager,

monitoring communication state between the plurality of agents and said manager itself;

inquiring of said other agents whether communication with an agent incapable of communication is possible or not, when the manager fails to communicate with said agent;

upon receipt of replies from acting manager candidates, that are agents capable of communicating with said agent incapable of communication, deciding one of said acting manager candidates as an acting manager; and

controlling said management objects of said agent incapable of communication with said manager, through the mediation of said acting manager, while

in each of said agents,

checking whether the communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible or not, in reply to the inquiry from said manager;

when the communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible, making a reply indicating that this agent is an acting manager candidate, for said manager; and

receiving said management objects of said agent incapable of communication and sending said management objects to said manager.

7. A network management method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising the step of:

in each of said agents,

between said step of making a reply for said manager and said step of sending said management objects,

instructing said agent incapable of communication to change the sending destination of said management objects from said manager to this agent when this agent has been specified as said acting manager by said manager.

8. A network management method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

in said manager,

continuing to monitor the communication state with said agent even after said manager failed to communicate with a given agent, so to detect restoration of the failed logical communication channel; and

if the communication with said agent is restored, stopping controlling said management objects through the mediation of said acting manager, and switching the control of said management objects of said agent to the original state of the manager'"'"'s direct control.

9. A network management method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

in the manager,

continuing to monitor the communication state with said agent even after said manager failed to communicate with said agent, so to detect restoration of the failed logical communication channel;

if the communication with said agent is restored, stopping controlling said management objects through the mediation of said acting manager, and switching the control of said management objects of said agent to the original state of the manager'"'"'s direct control; and

instructing said agent in which the fault on the logical communication channel has been restored, to change the sending destination of said management objects from said acting manager to said manager.

10. A computer readable memory storing a computer program for controlling a network management system for controlling a network having a plurality of agents and a manager for controlling management objects of the plurality of agents which are respectively connected by a logical communication channel, wherein

the computer program for controlling the manager comprising the steps of:

monitoring the communication state between the plurality of agents and said manager itself;

when the manager fails to communicate with said agent, inquiring of the other agents whether communication with an agent incapable of communication is possible or not;

upon receipt of replies from acting manager candidates, that are agents capable of communication with said agent incapable of communication, deciding one of said acting manager candidates as an acting manager; and

controlling said management objects of said agent incapable of communication with said manager, through the mediation of said acting manager, while

the computer program for controlling the agents comprising the steps of;

checking whether the communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible or not, in reply to the inquiry from said manager;

when the communication with said agent incapable of communication is possible, making a reply indicating that this agent is an acting manager candidate, for said manager; and

receiving said management objects of said agent incapable of communication and sending said management objects to said manager.

11. A computer readable memory as set froth in claim 10, wherein

the computer program for controlling the agents comprises the step of

between said step of making a reply for said manager and said step of sending said management objects,

instructing said agent incapable of communication to change the sending destination of said management objects from said manager to this agent when this agent has been specified as said acting manager by said manager.

12. A computer readable memory as set forth in claim 10, wherein

the computer program for controlling the manager comprising the steps of:

continuing to monitor the communication state with said agent even after the manager failed to communicate with said agent, so to detect restoration of the failed logical communication channel; and

if the communication with said agent is restored, stopping controlling said management objects through the mediation of said acting manager, and switching the control of said management objects of said agent to the original state of the manager'"'"'s direct control.

13. A computer readable memory as set forth in claim 10, wherein

the computer program for controlling the manager comprising the steps of

continuing to monitor the communication state with said agent even after said manager failed to communicate with said agent, so to detect restoration of the failed logical communication channel;

if the communication with said agent is restored, stopping controlling said management objects through the mediation of said acting manager, and switching the control of said management objects of said agent to the original state of the manager'"'"'s direct control; and

instructing said agent in which the fault on the logical communication channel has been restored, to change the sending destination of said management objects from said acting manager to said manager.