Method and system for monitoring remote routers in networks for available protocols and providing a graphical representation of information received from the routers

• US 6,269,398 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1996
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Frank, Leong, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMSON, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/639,245
• Time in Patent Office: 1,926 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 709/230, 709/238, 709/243, 709/244, 703/21
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A data communications network providing for a management of a router or the like in the network. Management of the router is accomplished though use of a logical view of a the router which view includes information on the router, protocols available on the router and interfaces available with the router. Further, commands to query routers for information and otherwise control routers in a data network are often cumbersome and difficult. Therefore, a improved method and apparatus is provided to allow such commands to be entered, by a network manager, into the router network management system and to be executed by selection of buttons on a menu. Still further, the disclosed router management system provides for true, at a glance, management of a router by allowing a single icon to be used to quickly review the status of the router and for the icon to be expanded into a full window to provide for further information on the status of the router.

Claims

1. A data communication network comprising:

(a) a first local area network for allowing communication of messages;

(b) a second local area network for allowing communication of messages;

(c) a first station coupled in communication with said first local area network;

(d) a second station coupled in communication with said second local area network;

(e) a router interconnecting said first local area network and said second local area network; and

(f) a device for monitoring said router, said device coupled in communication with said router to obtain information from said router, said device comprising;

(i) a processor for processing said information received from said router, said information comprising available protocols on said router;

(ii) a display for displaying representations of said information received from said router, said representations comprising graphical representation of said information.

2. The data communications network as recited by claim 1 wherein said information from said router comprises configuration information.

3. The data communications network as recited by claim 1 wherein said information received from said router comprises fault information.

4. The data communications network as recited by claim 1 wherein said information received from said router comprises performance information.

5. The data communications network as recited by claim 1 wherein said information from said router comprises interface information.

6. A monitoring device for obtaining information from a router in a data network, said router for interconnecting local area networks, said device comprising:

(a) a port for coupling with a communication media, said port allowing communication between said monitoring device and said remote router over said communication media;

(b) a memory for storing information received from said router, said information comprising available protocols on said router; and

(c) display means for displaying representations of said information, said display means displaying said representations in the form of graphical views of at least portions of said information.

7. The device as recited by claim 6 wherein said displayed information comprises configuration information.

8. The device as recited by claim 6 wherein said displayed information comprises fault information.

9. The device as recited by claim 6 wherein said displayed information comprises performance information.

10. The device as recited by claim 6 wherein said displayed information comprises interface information.

11. A computer-implemented method for monitoring routers in a data network, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying a remote router in said data network by providing router identifying information;

(b) after identifying said router, polling said router to obtain information on said router over said data network;

(c) a station on said network receiving responses from said router responsive to said polling step;

(d) displaying a graphical representation of said router based on said responses, said graphical representation comprising available protocols and interface information on said router.

12. The method as recited by claim 11 wherein said station is a server computer.

13. The method as recited by claim 11 wherein said polling step comprises the step of determining which of a plurality of protocols are available on said router, said step of determining which of a plurality of protocols are available comprising the substeps of:

(a) polling said router for information on a first protocol;

(b) if said router responds with information on said first protocol, displaying information on said first protocol as part of said graphical representation; and

(c) if said router responds with an error message, assuming that said first protocol is not supported by said router.

14. The method as recited by claim 11 wherein said graphical representation comprises fault information.

15. The method as recited by claim 11 wherein said graphical representation comprises performance information.

16. A device for obtaining information from a router in a data network, the router for interconnecting local area networks, the device comprising:

a) means for coupling with a communication media and allowing communication between the device and the router over the communication media;

b) means for storing information received from the router, the information comprising available protocols on the router; and

c) means for displaying representations of the information, the means for displaying the representations in the form of logical views of at least portions of the information.

17. The device as recited by claim 16 wherein the displayed information comprises configuration information.

18. The device as recited by claim 16 wherein the displayed information comprises fault information.

19. The device as recited by claim 16 wherein the displayed information comprises performance information.

20. The device as recited by claim 16 wherein the displayed information comprises protocol information.

21. The device as recited by claim 16 wherein the displayed information comprises interface information.

22. A machine-readable medium comprising at least one instruction to monitor routers in a data network, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

(a) identifying a router in the data network by providing router identifying information;

(b) polling the router to obtain information on the router over the data network;

(c) a station on the network receiving responses from the router responsive to the polling step;

(d) displaying a graphical representation of the router based on the responses, the graphical representation comprising available protocol and interface information on the router.

23. The machine-readable medium as recited by claim 22 wherein the logical representation is displayed on a client computer.

24. The machine-readable medium as recited by claim 22 wherein the operation of polling comprises one or more instructions for determining which of a plurality of protocols are available on the router, the one or more instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

(a) polling the router for information on a first protocol;

(b) if the router responds with information on the first protocol, displaying information on the first protocol as part of a logical representation; and

(c) if the router responds with an error message, assuming that the first protocol is not supported by the router.

25. The method as recited by claim 22 wherein the graphical representation comprises fault information.

26. The method as recited by claim 22 wherein the graphical representation comprises performance information.