Network management tool

• US 6,339,789 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2000
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sato, Toshio, Miyazaki, Satoshi, Hirata, Toshiaki, Sugauchi, Kiminori, Morisada, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/516,500
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/220, 709/221, 709/225, 709/227, 709/228, 709/328, 709/329
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program for preferentially displaying partial information related to one of a plurality of network equipment connected to a network being managed by a network management system. The partial information is required for network management to be conducted from the network equipment. A managed terminal is included in each network equipment connected to the network. The network management system collects management information from each of the network equipment connected to the network and stores the management information therein. When conducting network management from the network equipment, the managed terminal thereof sends a request for network management to the network management system. The network management system transfers a program for managing the network to the managed terminal. The transferred program informs the network management system of the identification of the managed terminal and the network management system transfers partial information related to the managed terminal to the managed terminal based on the identification. The managed terminal then displays the transferred partial information so that network management can be conducted from the network equipment.

Claims

1. A network management tool for execution by a network management system which collects management information from each of a plurality of network equipment connected to a network, stores the collected management information, and permits said network equipment to access the collected management information and display information relevant to the network equipment obtained from the collected management information, said network management tool comprising:

a display program stored on said network equipment and an information program stored on said network management system,

wherein said display program executes processing for informing said network management system of identification information which identifies said network equipment on the network,

wherein said information program executes processing for receiving said identification information informed by said display program, identifying said network equipment on the network based on said identification information, collecting management information relevant to the identified network equipment to make up partial information, and transferring said partial information to said network equipment, and

wherein said display program further executes processing for making a display based on said partial information received from said information program on said network equipment.

11. A network management tool according to claim 1, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for highlighting said identification information relevant to said network equipment to be displayed in said display.

12. A network management tool according to claim 1, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for collecting performance information specifying performance characteristics on said network equipment and informing said information program of the collected performance information; and

wherein said information program further executes;

processing for expanding area for collecting information based on network configuration, collecting performance information, and transferring said collected information to said display program.

2. A network management tools for execution by a network management system which collects management information from each of a plurality of network equipment connected to a network, stores the collected management information, displays a configuration of the network in the form of a plurality of hierarchically arranged maps based on the collected management information and display information relevant to the network equipment obtained from the collected management information, said network management tool comprising:

a display program stored on said network equipment and an information program stored on said network management system,

wherein said display program, executes processing for informing said network management system of identification information which identifies said network equipment on the network,

wherein said information program executes processing for receiving said identification information informed by said display program, identifying said network equipment on the network based on said identification information, collecting management information of network equipments in the same hierarchically arranged maps as the identified network equipment relevant to the identified network equipment to generate containment relationship information, showing containment relationships among components included in each of said maps, relevant to said network equipment based on the collected identification information, and transferring said containment relationships information to said network equipment, and

wherein said display program further executes processing for causing the display of a containment tree showing a configuration of said network, based on said containment relationship information from said information program, on said network equipment.

13. A network management tool according to claim 2, wherein said display program further executes:

processing of highlighting a symbol of said network equipment in said containment tree related to said network equipment to be displayed in said display.

14. A network management tool according to claim 2, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for calculating a number of lower order components included in lower order level maps related to a map which includes a component corresponding to said network equipment and informing said display program of said number of lower order components; and

wherein said display program further executes;

processing for causing the display of said number of lower order components informed by sid information program together with components shown in said containment tree.

15. A network management tool according to claim 14, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for highlighting a component corresponding to said network equipment in said containment tree related to said network equipment to be displayed on the display.

3. A network management tool for execution by a network management system which collects management information from each of a plurality of network equipment connected to a network, stores the collected management information, and permits said network equipment to access the collected management information and display information relevant to the network equipment obtained from the collected management information, said network management to ol comprising:

a display program store d on said network equipment and an information program stored on said network management system,

wherein said display program executes processing for informing said network management system of identification information which identifies said network equipment on the network,

wherein said information program executes processing for receiving said identification information informed by said display program, identifying said network equipment on the network based on said identification information, collecting management information relevant to the identified network equipment to make up containment relationship information, showing containment relationships among components related to the identified network equipment based on said identification information, and transferring said containment relationship information to the identified network equipment, and

wherein said display program further executes processing for making a display of a partial configuration of said network in the form of an inclusive tree, based on said containment relationship information received from said information program on said network equipment.

16. A network management tool according to claim 3, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for causing components other than a selected component included in the containment tree to be deleted;

processing for acquiring containment relationship information of a selected component included in the inclusive tree; and

processing for causing a partial network configuration to be added to a selected component included in the containment tree and causing the display of said the containment tree along with the added partial network configuration.

17. A network management tool according to claim 3, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for highlighting a part of said containment tree related to said network equipment.

18. A network management tool according to claim 3, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for collecting performance information specifying performance characteristics on said network equipment and informing said information program of the collected performance information; and

wherein said information program further executes;

processing for expanding area for collecting information based on containment relationship for said network equipment, collecting performance information, and transferring said collected information to said display program.

19. A network management tool according to claim 3, wherein said information program further executes:

processing for calculating a number of lower order components included in lower order level maps related to a map which includes a component corresponding to said network equipment and informing said display program of said number of lower order components; and

wherein said display program further executes;

processing for causing the display of said number of lower order components informed by said information program together with components shown in said containment tree.

20. A network management tool according to claim 16, wherein said information program further executes:

processing for calculating a number of lower order components included in lower order level maps related to a map which includes a component corresponding to said network equipment and informing said display program of said number of lower order components; and

wherein said display program further executes;

processing for causing the display of said number of lower order components informed by said information program together with components shown in said containment tree.

21. A network management tool according to claim 16, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for causing a part of said containment tree related to said network equipment being displayed by said network equipment to be highlighted.

22. A network management tool according to claim 16, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for collecting performance information specifying performance characteristics on said network equipment and informing said information program of the collected performance information; and

wherein said information program further executes;

processing for expanding area for collecting performance information based on containment relationship, collecting performance information, and transferring said collected information to said display program.

23. A network management tool according to claim 22, wherein said information program further executes:

processing for calculating a number of lower order components included in lower order level maps related to a map which includes a component corresponding to said network equipment and informing said display program of said number of lower order components; and

wherein said display program further executes;

processing for causing the display of said number of lower order components informed by said information program together with components shown in said containment tree.

24. A network management tool according to claim 23, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for causing a part of said containment information related to said network equipment being displayed by said network equipment to be highlighted.

4. A network management tool for execution by a network management system which collects management information for each of a plurality of network equipment connected to network stores the collected management information, and permits aid network equipment to access the collected management information and display information relevant to the network equipment obtained from the collected management information, said network management tool comprising:

a display program stored on said network equipment and an information program stored on said network management system,

wherein said display program executes processing for informing said network management system of identification information which identifies said network equipment on the network,

wherein said information program executes processing for receiving said identification information informed by said display program, identifying said network equipment on the network based on said identification information, collecting management information relevant to the identified network equipment to make up a list of management information, and transferring said list of management information to the identified network equipment, and

wherein said display program further executes processing for making a display based on said list of management information received from said information program on said network equipment.

25. A network management tool according to claim 4, wherein said network management system displays a configuration of said network in the form of a plurality of hierarchically arranged maps, and

wherein said information program further executes processing for acquiring network equipment shown as components in the same map as said network equipment.

26. A network management tool according to claim 25, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for requesting said information program to enlarge said management information and for causing the additional display of a list of management information, other than the same list of management information being displayed, in response to the request to enlarge, and

wherein said information program further executes;

processing for acquiring network equipment shown as a component in lower order level maps with respect to a previously acquired map and for informing said display program of a list of management information of the acquired network equipment.

27. A network management tool according to claim 26, wherein said display program further executes:

processing for causing the display format of the additional list of management information being displayed to be changed.

5. A network management system for managing a network by collecting management information from each of a plurality of network equipment connected to the network, storing the collected management information;

displaying a configuration of the network based on the collected management information, and permitting each network equipment to access the collected management information and display information relevant to the network equipment, said network management system comprising;

communication means for communicating with said network equipment connected to said network, said network equipment having a display program and an information program,

wherein said information program executes processing for receiving said identification information which identifies said network equipment on the network informed by said display program, identifying said network equipment on the network based on said identification information, collecting management information relevant to the identified network equipment to make up a list of management information, and transferring said list of management information to the identified network equipment.

28. A network management system according to claim 5, wherein said information program further executes:

processing for acquiring network equipment included as components in a same map as said network equipment.

6. A network equipment associated with a network management system for managing a network, said network equipment comprising:

a display program stored on said network equipment,

wherein said display program executes processing for informing said network management system of identification information which identifies said network equipment on the network, and

making a display based on a list of management information relevant to said network equipment received from an information program on said network management system.

29. A network management system according to claim 6, wherein said information program further executes:

processing for acquiring network equipment included as components in a same map as said network equipment.

7. A network management tool for execution by a network management system which collects management information from each of a plurality of network equipment connected to a network, stores the management information, and permits each network equipment connected to the network to access the collected management information and display information relevant to the network equipment obtained from the collected management information, said network management tool comprising:

a display program stored on said network equipment and an information program stored on said network management system,

wherein said display program executes processing for informing said information program on said network management system of identification information which identifies said network equipment on the network,

wherein said information program executes processing for receiving said identification information, identifying said network equipment on the network based on said identification information, collecting management information relevant to the identified network equipment to make up a list of management information, extracting management information from said network management system that satisfies a retrieval condition received from said display program of said network equipment based on identification information for managed equipments existing on a same partial network as said network equipment, and informing said display program of said network equipment of list of management information corresponding to the extracted management information, and

wherein said display program executes processing for making a display based on said list of management information received from said information program on said network management system.

30. A network management tool according to claim 7, wherein said information program further executes:

processing for acquiring network equipment included as components in a same map as said network equipment.

8. A program product causing a network management system computer and a network equipment computer to realize a network management tool, said computers being connected to each other, said program product comprising:

storing code for causing said network management system computer to store collected management information;

permitting code for causing said network management system computer to permit said network equipment computer to access the collected management information and display information relevant to the network equipment computer;

informing code for causing said network management system computer to inform said network equipment computer of management information in response to a request received from said displaying code;

collecting code for causing said network management computer to collect management information relating to said network equipment computer from information stored on said network management system computer based on identification information, and to inform said displaying code of said collected management information,

wherein said displaying code causes said network equipment computer to inform said collecting code of said identification information identifying said network equipment computer, and

wherein said displaying code further causes said network equipment computer to display network configuration and management information informed by said information code on said network equipment.

9. A program product according to claim 8, wherein said program product further comprises:

transferring code for causing said network management system computer to transfer said displaying code to said network equipment computer.

10. A program product according to claim 8, further comprises:

a computer readable storage medium for holding the codes.