In-context launch wrapper (ICLW) module and method of automating integration of device management applications into existing enterprise management consoles

• US 6,311,321 B1
• Filed: 02/22/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tung, Chiaohuey (Peter), Agnihotri, Manoj B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAS, CHAMELI
• Application Number:
  US09/253,534
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/11, 710/72, 710/8, 710/103, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module which provides a comprehensive generic interface for automating integration of device management applications (applets) into existing Enterprise management console(s) installed at a host system of a network for centralized remote device management of remote network devices on a network. The ICLW module comprises a set of extensible software components, including: an Install component which provides a file based interface to device management applications for installation specific to the existing enterprise management consoles; a MConsole Interface component which provides a comprehensive generic interface to existing enterprise management consoles for enabling integration of device management applications into the existing enterprise management consoles; a Discovery component which provides a discovery interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for identifying remote network devices on a network; and a Trap Extension component which provides an extension interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for handling Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps on a network.

Claims

1. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICWL) module residing on a computer readable medium which provides a comprehensive generic interface for automating integration of different device management applications into different enterprise management consoles installed at a host system of a network for centralized remote device management of remote network devices on said network, said In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICWL) comprising:

an Install component which provides a file based interface to said device management applications for installation specific to the existing enterprise management consoles;

a MConsole Interface component which provides said comprehensive generic interface to existing enterprise management consoles for enabling integration of said device management applications into the existing enterprise management consoles;

a Discovery component which provides a discovery interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for identifying remote network devices on said network; and

a Trap Extension component which provides an extension interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for handling Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps on said network.

2. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICWL) module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said Install component, said MConsole Interface component, said Discovery component, and said Trap Extension component are extensible software components.

3. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module as claimed in claim 2, wherein aid set of extensible software components, including said Install component, said MConsole Interface component, said Discovery component, and said Trap extension component is embodied in one a software module provided on a tangible medium, a firmware module, and a comprehensive hardware/software module built-in the host system.

4. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said Install component comprises:

an Install framework which supports a wizard application for guiding installation of the enterprise management consoles at the host system;

an Install Interface dynamic link library (DLL) which contains generic instruction sets for supporting installation of the enterprise management consoles at the host system and for providing console information including installation directory, language, and console version to the host system; and

a plurality of console install libraries of different enterprise management consoles at the host system which serve as translators for respective enterprise management consoles for translating instructions from the Install Interface dynamic link library (DLL) requested from the Install framework into console specific commands for installation.

5. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said MConsole Interface component comprises:

a MConsole Interface dynamic link library (DLL) which contains generic instruction sets for providing said comprehensive generic interface to said device management applications, and generic mechanisms to obtain generic and specific properties of the enterprise management consoles; and

a plurality of console interface COM objects of different enterprise management consoles at the host system which serve as translators for respective enterprise management consoles for translating instructions from the device management applications into console specific commands for integration.

6. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said Discovery component includes configuration and initialization files and information representing different remote network devices on said network for specific device discovery.

7. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said Trap extension component includes Trap extension files for receiving the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps and sending SNMP trap acknowledgments to remote network devices over said network.

8. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said Install component is extendable to accommodate installation of new device management applications and/or new enterprise management consoles at the host system with additional input files.

9. An In-Context Launch Wrapper (ICLW) module as claimed in claim 1, further providing one set of generic console integration code for automating integration of different device management applications into multiple Enterprise management consoles.

10. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for use in a host system on a network to provide a comprehensive generic interface for automating integration of device management applications into existing enterprise management consoles installed at the host system for centralized remote device management of remote network devices on said network, said computer readable program code means comprising:

an Install module which provides a file based interface to device management applications for installation specific to existing enterprise management consoles at the host system;

a MConsole Interface module which provides a comprehensive generic interface to existing enterprise management consoles for enabling integration of said device management applications into the existing enterprise management consoles;

a Discovery module which provides a discovery interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for identifying remote network devices on said network; and

a Trap Extension module which provides an extension interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for handling Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps on said network.

11. A computer usable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein said computer readable code means provides an extensible set of generic console integration code for automating integration of different device management applications into multiple enterprise management consoles installed at the host system.

12. A computer usable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein said Install module comprises:

an Install framework which supports a wizard application for guiding installation of the enterprise management consoles at the host system;

an Install Interface dynamic link library (DLL) which contains generic instruction sets for supporting installation of the enterprise management consoles at the host system and for providing console information including installation directory, language, and console version to the host system; and

a plurality of console install libraries of different enterprise management consoles at the host system which serve as translators for respective enterprise management consoles for translating instructions from the Install Interface dynamic link library (DLL) requested from the Install framework into console specific commands for installation.

13. A computer usable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein said MConsole Interface module comprises:

a MConsole Interface dynamic link library (DLL) which contains generic instruction sets for providing said comprehensive generic interface to said device management applications, and generic mechanisms to obtain generic and specific properties of the enterprise management consoles; and

a plurality of console interface COM objects of different enterprise management consoles at the host system which serve as translators for respective enterprise management consoles for translating instructions from the device management applications into console specific commands for integration.

14. A computer usable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein said Discovery module contains configuration and initialization files and information representing different remote network devices on said network for specific device discovery.

15. A computer usable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein said Trap extension module contains Trap extension files for receiving the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps and sending SNMP trap acknowledgments to remote network devices over said network.

16. A computer usable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein said Install module is extendable to accommodate installation of new device management applications and/or new enterprise management consoles at the host system with additional input files.

17. A network system, comprising:

a plurality of remote network devices; and

a host system connected to said plurality of remote network devices via communication links, said host system including at least one processor for processing one or more device management applications and one or more enterprise management console applications installed therein, and a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for providing a comprehensive generic interface to automate integration of device management applications into existing enterprise management consoles installed at said host system for centralized remote device management of remote network devices on said communication links, said computer readable program code means comprising;

an Install module which provides a file based interface to device management applications for installation specific to existing enterprise management consoles at said host system;

a MConsole Interface module which provides said comprehensive generic interface to existing enterprise management consoles for enabling integration of said device management applications into the existing enterprise management consoles;

a Discovery module which provides a discovery interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for identifying remote network devices on said communication links; and

a Trap Extension module which provides an extension interface to the existing enterprise management consoles for handling Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps on said communication links.

18. A network system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said computer readable code means provides an extensible set of generic console integration code for automating integration of different device management applications into multiple enterprise management consoles installed at the host system.

19. A network system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said Install module comprises:

an Install framework which supports a wizard application for guiding installation of the enterprise management consoles at the host system;

an Install Interface dynamic link library (DLL) which contains generic instruction sets for supporting installation of the enterprise management consoles at the host system and for providing console information including installation directory, language, and console version to the host system; and

a plurality of console install libraries of different enterprise management consoles at the host system which serve as translators for respective enterprise management consoles for translating instructions from the Install Interface dynamic link library (DLL) requested from the Install framework into console specific commands for installation.

20. A network system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said MConsole Interface module comprises:

a MConsole Interface dynamic link library (DLL) which contains generic instruction sets for providing said comprehensive generic interface to said device management applications, and generic mechanisms to obtain generic and specific properties of the enterprise management consoles; and

a plurality of console interface COM objects of different enterprise management consoles at the host system which serve as translators for respective enterprise management consoles for translating instructions from the device management applications into console specific commands for integration.

21. A network system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said Discovery module contains configuration and initialization files and information representing different remote network devices on said network for specific device discovery.

22. A network system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said Trap extension module contains Trap extension files for receiving the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps and sending SNMP trap acknowledgments to remote network devices over said network.

23. A network system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said Install module is extendable to accommodate installation of new device management applications and/or new enterprise management consoles at the host system with additional input files.