System for representing device topology in a computer network operable independent of network management software

• US 6,457,048 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Arora, Akhil, Sondur, Raghavendra, Pagadala, Balaji, Fisher, Bart, Angal, Rajeev
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/801,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

Software, methods, and systems for representing devices on a computer network are described. In one embodiment, the system of the invention includes a topology service. The topology service includes a protocol interface mechanism, an engine, and a database support mechanism. The topology service is coupled with a data storage mechanism. In a more specific embodiment, the protocol interface mechanism, engine, and database support mechanism each configured to operate as independent components.

Claims

1. A system for representing devices on a computer network, comprising:

a) a topology service including;

i) a protocol interface mechanism;

ii) an engine; and

iii) a database support mechanism;

said protocol mechanism, said engine, and said database support mechanism being configured to operate as independent components such that any of said protocol interface mechanism, said engine, and said database support mechanism components can be substituted with a second such component without substantial reconfiguration of the remaining components;

said topology service being coupled with

b) a data storage mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said database support mechanism is configured to provide relational database functions to manage a database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said engine comprises a series of object classes configured to define computer network topology nodes that include information about devices on said computer network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said protocol interface is configured to receive messages from other services and entities on said computer network and translate said messages into a format compatible with said engine.

5. A system for representing devices on a computer network, comprising:

a topology service including;

i) a protocol interface mechanism;

ii) an engine; and

iii) a database support mechanism;

said topology service being coupled with a data storage mechanism; and

wherein

said protocol mechanism, said engine, and said database support mechanism are configured to operate as independent components such that any of said protocol interface mechanism, said engine, and said database support mechanism components can be substituted with a second such component without substantial reconfiguration of the remaining components.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said engine comprises a series of object classes configured to define computer network topology nodes that include information about devices on said computer network.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said protocol interface is configured to receive messages from other services and entities on said computer network and translate said messages into a format compatible with said engine.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said database support mechanism is configured to provide relational database functions to manage a database.