Automatically integrating an external network with a network management system

• US 6,360,255 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1998
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCormack, John, Thyagarajan, Narayan, Redfield, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/105,342
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/221, 709/217, 709/220, 709/224, 709/228, 370/254, 370/255, 717/11, 717/3, 379/201, 379/34, 713/47, 713/100
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A mechanism and method for integrating a managed network with a network management system is described. The network management system is used to manage, maintain, and display information about one or more managed networks and network devices in them. Devices in the managed network are upgraded by connecting a browser to the network management system, describing devices in the managed network, and selecting appropriate upgrades. The mechanism and method verify that the upgrades can be successfully downloaded to the devices of the managed network. Intelligence about the managed network is automatically gathered, so that the user is presented with a display of only those upgrades that are pertinent to the user'"'"'s managed network. In another aspect, the mechanism and method facilitate creation and submission to the network management system of problem reports that describe problems with devices in the managed network.

Claims

1. A method for automated upgrading of one or more network routing devices in a managed network, the method comprising the steps of:

issuing one or more discovery messages to discover network routing device information from the one or more network routing devices, wherein the network routing device information includes software operating system configuration data about the one or more network routing devices of the managed network;

identifying, for a network device among the one or more network devices, one or more software operating system image files that contain a software operating system upgrade for upgrading an operating system previously loaded in said network routing device;

verifying that the one or more software operating system image files are compatible with such network routing device based on the discovered network routing device information; and

storing the one or more software operating system image files in a location facilitating download of the one or more software operating system image files to the network routing device.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of storing further comprises the steps of:

retrieving a copy of the one or more software operating system image files from a repository of image files and;

communicating the copy of the one or more software operating system image files to a network management server.

3. The method recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of scheduling the one or more software operating system image files to be downloaded to said network routing device at a predetermined time.

4. The method recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of downloading the one or more software operating system image files to said network routing device at the predetermined time.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of identifying comprises the steps of:

determining a device type identifier associated with a particular routing device of the managed network;

retrieving, from a database that associates names of the software operating system image files with one or more device type identifier values, one or more of the names that are associated with the device type identifier of the particular routing device.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the step of identifying further comprises the steps of:

displaying the one or more of the names that are associated with the device type identifier of the particular routing device;

receiving information identifying a software operating system version and a subset version of the software operating system image files associated with the one or more of the names that are displayed.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying, to a client associated with the managed network, a view of the one or more software operating system image files.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of verifying comprises the steps of:

determining a minimum amount of memory of the routing device that is necessary to load the one or more software operating system image files into the routing device;

determining an actual amount of memory in the routing device; and

determining whether the actual amount is equal to or greater than the minimum amount.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of discovering network routing device information comprises the step of discovering device information from the one or more network routing devices using a management server coupled by a network link to the managed network, and wherein the step of identifying comprises the steps of identifying, for each network routing device among the one or more network routing devices, one or more software operating system image files that contain an upgrade for such network routing device using a second server coupled to a database of software modules and coupled by a data connection to the management server.

10. The method recited in claim 1, wherein:

the step of issuing one or more discovery messages comprises the steps of sending one or more SNMP messages to the one or more network routing devices; and

the method further comprising the step of,

receiving one or more SNMP message responses from the one or more network routing devices.

11. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for automated upgrading of one or more network routing devices in a managed network, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

issuing one or more discovery messages to discover network routing device information from the one or more network routing devices, wherein the network routing device information includes software operating system configuration data about the one or more network routing devices of the managed network;

identifying, for a network device among the one or more network devices, one or more software operating system image files that contain a software operating system upgrade for upgrading an operating system previously loaded in said network routing device;

verifying that the one or more software operating system image files are compatible with such network routing device based on the discovered network routing device information; and

storing the one or more software operating system image files in a location facilitating download of the one or more software operating system image files to the network routing device.

12. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 11, wherein the step of storing further comprises the steps of:

retrieving a copy of the one or more software operating system image files from a repository of image files and;

communicating the copy of the one or more software operating system image files to a network management server.

13. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 12, further comprising instructions for performing the step of scheduling the one or more software operating system image files to be downloaded to said network routing device at a predetermined time.

14. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 13, further comprising instructions for performing the step of downloading the one or more software operating system image files to said network routing device at the predetermined time.

15. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 11, wherein the step of identifying comprises the steps of:

determining a device type identifier associated with a particular routing device of the managed network;

retrieving, from a database that associates names of the software operating system image files with one or more device type identifier values, one or more of the names that are associated with the device type identifier of the particular routing device.

16. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 15, wherein the step of identifying further comprises the steps of:

displaying the one or more of the names that are associated with the device type identifier of the particular routing device;

receiving information identifying a software operating system version and a subset version of the software operating system image files associated with the one or more of the names that are displayed.

17. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 11, further comprising instructions for performing the step of:

displaying, to a client associated with the managed network, a view of the one or more software operating system image files.

18. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 11, wherein the step of verifying comprises the steps of:

determining a minimum amount of memory of the routing device that is necessary to load the one or more software operating system image files into the routing device;

determining an actual amount of memory in the routing device; and

determining whether the actual amount is equal to or greater than the minimum amount.

19. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 11, wherein:

the step of issuing one or more discovery messages comprises the steps of sending one or more SNMP messages to the one or more network routing devices; and

the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions for performing the step of,

receiving one or more SNMP message responses from the one or more network routing devices.

20. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 11, wherein the step of discovering network routing device information comprises the step of discovering device information from the one or more network routing devices using a management server coupled by a network link to the managed network, and wherein the step of identifying comprises the steps of identifying, for each network routing device among the one or more network routing devices, one or more software operating system image files that contain an upgrade for such network routing device using a second server coupled to a database of software modules and coupled by a data connection to the management server.

21. A computer apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing one or more sequences of instructions for automated upgrading of one or more network routing devices in a managed network, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the processor causes the processor to perform the steps of;

issuing one or more discovery messages to discover network routing device information from the one or more network routing devices, wherein the network routing device information includes software operating system configuration data about the one or more network routing devices of the managed network;

identifying, for a network device among the one or more network devices, one or more software operating system image files that contain a software operating system upgrade for upgrading an operating system previously loaded in said network routing device;

verifying that the one or more software operating system image files are compatible with such network routing device based on the discovered network routing device information; and

storing the one or more software operating system image files in a location facilitating download of the one or more software operating system image files to the network routing device.

22. The computer apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein the step of storing further comprises the steps of:

retrieving a copy of the one or more software operating system image files from a repository of image files and;

communicating the copy of the one or more software operating system image files to a network management server.

23. The computer apparatus recited in claim 22, further comprising instructions for performing the step of scheduling the one or more software operating system image files to be downloaded to said network routing device at a predetermined time.

24. The computer apparatus recited in claim 23, further comprising instructions for performing the step of downloading the one or more software operating system image files to said network routing device at the predetermined time.

25. The computer apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein the step of identifying comprises the steps of:

determining a device type identifier associated with a particular routing device of the managed network;

retrieving, from a database that associates names of the software operating system image files with one or more device type identifier values, one or more of the names that are associated with the device type identifier of the particular routing device.

26. The computer apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein the step of identifying further comprises the steps of:

displaying the one or more of the names that are associated with the device type identifier of the particular routing device;

receiving information identifying a software operating system version and a subset version of the software operating system image files associated with the one or more of the names that are displayed.

27. The computer apparatus recited in claim 21, further comprising instructions for performing the step of:

displaying, to a client associated with the managed network, a view of the one or more software operating system image files.

28. The computer apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein:

the step of issuing one or more discovery messages comprises the steps of sending one or more SNMP messages to the one or more network routing devices; and

the computer apparatus further comprising instructions for performing the step of,

receiving one or more SNMP message responses from the one or more network routing devices.

29. The computer apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein the step of verifying comprises the steps of:

determining a minimum amount of memory of the routing device that is necessary to load the one or more software operating system image files into the routing device;

determining an actual amount of memory in the routing device; and

determining whether the actual amount is equal to or greater than the minimum amount.

30. The computer apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein the step of discovering network routing device information comprises the step of discovering device information from the one or more network routing devices using a management server coupled by a network link to the managed network, and wherein the step of identifying comprises the steps of identifying, for each network routing device among the one or more network routing devices, one or more software operating system image files that contain an upgrade for such network routing device using a second server coupled to a database of software modules and coupled by a data connection to the management server.

31. A computer apparatus comprising:

means for discovering network device information from one or more network routing devices, wherein the network device information describes the one or more network routing devices of the managed network;

means for identifying, for a network routing device among the one or more network routing devices, one or more software operating system image files that contain a software operating system upgrade for upgrading an operating system previously loaded in said network routing device; and

means for verifying that the one or more software operating system image files are compatible with such network routing device based on the discovered network device information; and

means for storing the one or more software operating system image files in a location facilitating download of the one or more software operating system image files to the network routing device.

32. A method for facilitating automated upgrading of one or more network routing devices in a managed network, the method comprising the steps of:

issuing one or more discovery messages to discover network device information from the one or more network routing devices, wherein the network routing device information includes software operating system configuration data that identifies current software operating system configurations of the one or more network routing devices;

identifying, for a network routing device among the one or more network routing devices, one or more software operating system image files that comprise an operating system upgrade for upgrading the current software operating system configuration of the one or more network routing devices; and

determining whether the one or more software operating system image files are compatible with the current software operating system configuration of the one or more network routing devices based on the discovered network device information; and

storing the one or more software operating system image files in a location facilitating download of the one or more software operating system image files to the network routing device only when the one or more software operating system image files are compatible with the current software operating system configuration of the one or more network routing devices.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, further comprising the steps of, when the one or more software operating system image files are incompatible with the current software operating system configuration of the one or more network routing devices, displaying one or more recommendations of other software operating system image files that are compatible with the current software operating system configuration of the one or more network routing devices.