Method and apparatus for establishing a database used for correlating information gathered via SNMP

• US 6,430,595 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ferguson, Darin, Clouston, Robert, Talerico, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH
• Application Number:
  US09/315,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/200, 709/228, 709/236, 709/223, 709/224, 709/238, 709/249, 709/220, 709/240, 370/389, 395/200.57, 395/200.58, 710/11, 710/15, 710/14, 710/16
• US Class Current: 709/200
• 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

Abstract

A technique efficiently creates a database used to correlate information identifying data session traffic exchanged between entities of a computer network with information relating to multi-protocol intermediate devices configured to carry the session traffic throughout the network. The intermediate devices are preferably routers configured to carry System Network Architecture (SNA) session traffic between SNA entities comprising a host network connection and a physical unit (PU) station. The host network connection utilizes a channel-attached router for connectivity with a host computer. The technique allows a network management station (NMS) program to establish a NMS database by obtaining a PU name associated with an active SNA session without requiring a presence on or continual communication with a virtual telecommunication access method on the host.

Claims

1. A method for efficiently creating a network management station (NMS) database used to correlate information identifying an active data session between a host computer and a physical unit (PU) of a computer network with information relating to multi-protocol intermediate devices configured to carry the session data throughout the network, the host computer including a virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) for storing a PU name associated with the active session, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a channel-attached router for connectivity with the host computer;

loading VTAM configuration information onto the NMS database, the VTAM configuration information including a name of the PU (PU name) and its associated identifier block number/identifier number (IDBLK/IDNUM) or control point (CP) name;

extracting information at the channel-attached router relating to the active data session flowing through the router, the extracted information including local and remote media access control (MAC) and service access point (SAP) addresses associated with the session, along with the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU; and

loading the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of initiating the data session with an activate PU (ActPU) session frame issued by the PU through the channel-attached router to the host computer, the ActPU session frame including the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of extracting comprises the steps of:

providing an extraction process executing on the channel-attached router;

acquiring the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU from the ActPU session frame; and

associating the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name with the MAC/SAP addresses of the session.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of loading the extracted information comprises the steps of:

providing the extracted information to an agent of the router; and

populating a management information base (MIB) with the extracted information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the agent is a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent and wherein the MIB is a SNMP MIB.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of loading the extracted information further comprises the step of querying the router to provide the SNMP MIB to the NMS.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of loading the VTAM information comprises the step of downloading the VTAM information from the host computer to the NMS as needed over a pipe connection or via a file transfer protocol.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of, wherein the data session is a Systems Network Architecture (SNA) data session:

initiating a SNMP/SNA correlator engine prior to the step of downloading the VTAM information;

issuing an SNMP query to the channel-attached router for a list of currently active SNA data sessions along with information relating to those sessions; and

in response to obtaining the SNA session information, correlating the SNA session information with the VTAM information downloaded from the host computer; and

determining a PU name associated with the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of generating a PU name with a workstation exit procedure instead of downloading the PU name from the host computer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of generating comprises the steps of:

invoking the workstation exit procedure at the NMS;

calculating the PU name in accordance with the workstation exit procedure.

26. A node for carrying out the method according to claim 1.

28. A computer-readable medium comprising:

instructions and data written thereon, said instructions and data containing information having instructions for execution in a processor for the practice of the method of claim 1, or claim 25.

29. Electromagnetic signals travelling over a computer network comprising:

said electromagnetic signals carrying information having instructions for execution in a processor for the practice of the method of claim 1, or claim 25.

11. Apparatus for efficiently creating a network management station (NMS) database used to correlate information identifying an active Systems Network Architecture data session between a host computer and a physical unit (PU) of a computer network with information relating to multi-protocol intermediate devices configured to carry the SNA session data throughout the network, the host computer including a virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) for storing a PU name associated with the active SNA session, the apparatus comprising:

a channel-attached router connected to the host computer;

means for loading VTAM configuration information onto the NMS database, the VTAM configuration information including a name of the PU (PU name) and its associated identifier block number/identifier number (IDBLK/IDNUM) or control point (CP) name;

an extraction process executing on the channel-attached router and adapted to extract information relating to the active data session flowing through the router, the extracted information including local and remote media access control (MAC) and service access point (SAP) addresses associated with the session, along with the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU; and

a correlator engine executing on the NMS and adapted to load the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for loading comprises a pipe connection or a file transfer program.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a management information base (MIB) adapted to store the information extracted at the channel-attached router.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the channel-attached router is a channel interface processor (CIP) router and wherein the extraction process is a CSNA process executing on the CIP router.

27. A communication network comprising at least one node according to claim 11.

15. A computer readable medium containing executable program instructions for efficiently creating a network management station (NMS) database used to correlate information identifying an active data session between a host computer and a physical unit (PU) of a computer network with information relating to multi-protocol intermediate devices configured to carry the session data throughout the network, the host computer including a virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) for storing a PU name associated with the active session, the executable program instructions comprising program instructions for:

providing a channel-attached router for connectivity with the host computer;

loading VTAM configuration information onto the NMS database, the VTAM configuration information including a name of the PU (PU name) and its associated identifier block number/identifier number (IDBLK/IDNUM) or control point (CP) name;

extracting information at the channel-attached router relating to the active data session flowing through the router, the extracted information including local and remote media access control (MAC) and service access point (SAP) addresses associated with the session, along with the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU; and

loading the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising program instructions for initiating the data session with an activate PU (ActPU) session frame issued by the PU through the channel-attached router to the host computer, the ActPU session frame including the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the program instructions for extracting comprises program instructions for:

providing an extraction process executing on the channel-attached router;

acquiring the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU from the ActPU session frame; and

associating the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name with the MAC/SAP addresses of the session.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the program instructions for loading the extracted information comprises program instructions for:

providing the extracted information to an agent of the router; and

populating a management information base (MIB) with the extracted information.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein the agent is a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent and wherein the MIB is a SNMP MIB.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the program instructions for loading the extracted information further comprises program instructions for querying the router to provide the SNMP MIB to the NMS.

21. Apparatus for efficiently creating a network management station (NMS) database used to correlate information identifying an active Systems Network Architecture data session between a host computer and a physical unit (PU) of a computer network with information relating to multi-protocol intermediate devices configured to carry the SNA session data throughout the network, the host computer including a virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) for storing a PU name associated with the active SNA session, the apparatus comprising:

s a channel-attached router connected to the host computer;

physical and logical connections for loading VTAM configuration information onto the NMS database, the VTAM configuration information including a name of the PU (PU name) and its associated identifier block number/identifier number (IDBLK/IDNUM) or control point (CP) name;

an extraction process executing on the channel-attached router and adapted to extract information relating to the active data session flowing through the router, the extracted information including local and remote media access control (MAC) and service access point (SAP) addresses associated with the session, along with the IDBLK/IDNUM or CP name of the PU; and

a correlator engine executing on the NMS and adapted to load the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the logical connection comprises a pipe connection or a file transfer program.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a management information base (MIB) adapted to store the information extracted at the channel-attached router.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the channel-attached router is a channel interface processor (CIP) router and wherein the extraction process is a CSNA process executing on the CIP router.

25. A method for heterogeneous network management comprising

accessing PU mapping information from a remote database for storing in a local database, the accessing occurring at the occurrence of predetermined events;

collecting SNA session information through monitoring network traffic;

correlating SNA session information with PU mapping information to obtain PU name.

30. A method for operating a network management station (NMS) database, the method comprising the steps of:

loading virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) configuration information relating to the identification of a physical unit (PU) of a computer network onto the NMS database;

extracting information from a channel-attached router relating to addresses of an active data session and to the identification of a PU; and

loading the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

31. An apparatus for creating a network management station (NMS) database of active data sessions between a host computer and a physical unit (PU) of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel-attached router;

physical and logical connections for loading virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) configuration information relating to the identification of the PU onto the NMS database;

a means for extracting information at the channel-attached router relating to addresses of an active data session and to the identification of a PU; and

a correlator engine executing on the NMS and adapted to load the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the logical connection comprises a pipe connection or a file transfer program.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising a management information base (MIB) adapted to store the information extracted at the channel-attached router.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the channel-attached router is a channel interface processor (CIP) router and wherein the extraction process is a CSNA process executing on the CIP router.

35. An apparatus for creating a network management station (NMS) database of active data sessions between a host computer and a physical unit (PU) of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel-attached router;

physical and logical connections for loading virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) configuration information relating to the identification of the PU onto the NMS database;

an extraction process executing on the channel-attached router and adapted to extract information relating to addresses of an active data session and to the identification of a PU; and

a means for loading the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the logical connection comprises a pipe connection or a file transfer program.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising a management information base (MIB) adapted to store the information extracted at the channel-attached router.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the channel-attached router is a channel interface processor (CIP) router and wherein the extraction process is a CSNA process executing on the CIP router.

39. An apparatus for creating a network management station (NMS) database of active data sessions between a host computer and a physical unit (PU) of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel-attached router;

physical and logical connections for loading virtual telecommunication access method (VTAM) configuration information relating to the identification of the PU onto the NMS database;

an extraction process executing on the channel-attached router and adapted to extract information relating to addresses of an active data session and to the identification of a PU; and

a correlator engine executing on the NMS and adapted to load the extracted information onto the NMS database to thereby enable correlation without requiring a presence on or continual communication with VTAM.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the logical connection comprises a pipe connection or a file transfer program.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a management information base (MIB) adapted to store the information extracted at the channel-attached router.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the channel-attached router is a channel interface processor (CIP) router and wherein the extraction process is a CSNA process executing on the CIP router.