Method, system and program for establishing network contact

• US 6,584,503 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Carney, Dennis Michael, Nguyen, Ryan Hoa
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/348,966
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/220, 709/221, 709/313
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, system, and program for establishing communication with multiple network devices, such as printers. A detection is made of at least one network device that is not available for communication. A routine is executed at predetermined intervals that sends a message, such as an SNMP message, to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device. A determination is then made as to whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device. Indication is then made that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

(a) detecting with a first routine that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) executing a second routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device;

(c) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(d) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message sent to each unavailable network device comprises the minimum form of message which is sufficient to establish communications with the unavailable network device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network devices include at least one printer.

2. A method for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

(a) detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device, wherein the execution of the routine is performed by a thread that initiates a separate thread for each message to transmit to the unavailable network devices;

(c) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(d) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

4. A method for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

(a) detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device;

(c) discontinuing the sending of all other messages to each unavailable network device except for the message of step (b);

(d) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(e) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

5. A method for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

(a) detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication, wherein a code must be used to communicate with the network devices;

(b) maintaining at least two codes;

(c) executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device, wherein the message to each unavailable network device is a first message that includes one code, and wherein the network devices only respond to messages using a code that the network device recognizes;

(d) sending a second message to each network device for which the first message failed to establish communication including a code that is different from the code sent in the first message;

(e) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(f) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending the first message a predetermined number of times to each network device until communication is established with the network device, wherein the second message is sent to each network device for which sending the first message the predetermined number of times fails to establish communication.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether the second message established communication with each network device to which the second message was sent; and

sending additional messages to each network device for which previous messages failed to establish communication until one of;

(i) communication is established with the network device and (ii) all of the codes have been included in messages to the network device that failed to establish communication, wherein the code included in each additional message is different from the codes included in each previous message to the network device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the SNMP protocol is used to communicate with network devices and wherein the codes comprise SNMP community names.

10. A system for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

a processing unit capable of communicating with a network device; and

program logic executed by the processing unit, comprising;

(a) means for detecting with a first routine that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) means for executing a second routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device;

(c) means for determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(d) means for indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the message sent to each unavailable network device comprises the minimum form of message which is sufficient to establish communications with the unavailable network device.

18. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the network devices include at least one printer.

11. A system for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

a processing unit capable of communicating with a network device; and

program logic executed by the processing unit, comprising;

(a) means for detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) means for executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device, wherein the program logic for execution of the routine that sends a message to each unavailable network device is performed by a thread that initiates a separate thread for each message to transmit to the unavailable network devices;

(c) means for determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(d) means for indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

13. A system for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

a processing unit capable of communicating with a network device; and

program logic executed by the processing unit, comprising;

(a) means for detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) means for executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device;

(c) means for discontinuing the sending of all other messages to each unavailable network device except for the message sent by the means for executing of step (b);

(d) means for determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(e) means for indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

14. A system for establishing communication with multiple network devices, comprising:

a processing unit capable of communicating with a network device; and

program logic executed by the processing unit, comprising;

(a) means for detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication, wherein a code must be used to communicate with the network devices;

(b) means for executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device;

(c) means for determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device;

(d) means for maintaining at least two codes, wherein the message to each unavailable network device is a first message that includes one code, and wherein the network devices only respond to messages using a code that the network device recognizes;

(e) means for sending a second message to each network device for which the first message failed to establish communication including a code that is different from the code sent in the first message; and

(f) means for indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising means for sending the first message a predetermined number of times to each network device until communication is established with the network device, wherein the second message is sent to each network device for which sending the first message the predetermined number of times fails to establish communication.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

means for determining whether the second message established communication with each network device to which the second message was sent; and

means for sending additional messages to each network device for which previous messages failed to establish communication until one of;

(i) communication is established with the network device and (ii) all of the codes have been included in messages to the network device that failed to establish communication, wherein the code included in each additional message is different from the codes included in each previous message to the network device.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the SNMP protocol is used to communicate with network devices and wherein the codes comprise SNMP community names.

19. An article of manufacture for use in establishing communication with multiple network devices, the article of manufacture comprising a computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes the computer to perform:

(a) detecting with a first routine that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) executing a second routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device;

(c) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(d) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the message sent to each unavailable network device comprises the minimum form of message which is sufficient to establish communications with the unavailable network device.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the network devices include at least one printer.

20. An article of manufacture for use in establishing communication with multiple network devices, the article of manufacture comprising a computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes the computer to perform:

(a) detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device, wherein the execution of the routine that sends a message to each unavailable network device is performed by a thread that initiates a separate thread for each message to transmit to the unavailable network devices;

(c) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(d) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

22. An article of manufacture for use in establishing communication with multiple network devices, the article of manufacture comprising a computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes the computer to perform:

(a) detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication;

(b) executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device;

(c) discontinuing the sending of all other messages to each unavailable network device except for the message of step (b);

(d) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(e) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

23. An article of manufacture for use in establishing communication with multiple network devices, the article of manufacture comprising a computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes the computer to perform:

(a) detecting that at least one network device is not available for communication wherein a code must be used to communicate with the network devices;

(b) maintaining at least two codes;

(c) executing a routine at predetermined intervals that sends a message to each unavailable network device to establish communication with the unavailable network device, wherein the message to each unavailable network device is a first message that includes one code, and wherein the network devices only respond to messages using a code that the network device recognizes;

(d) sending a second message to each network device for which the first message failed to establish communication including a code that is different from the code sent in the first message;

(e) determining whether the message sent to each unavailable network device established communication with that network device; and

(f) indicating that each previously unavailable network device for which the message established communication is available on the network.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising sending the first message a predetermined number of times to each network device until communication is established with the network device, wherein the second message is sent to each network device for which sending the first message the predetermined number of times fails to establish communication.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23, further comprising:

determining whether the second message established communication with each network device to which the second message was sent; and

sending additional messages to each network device for which previous messages failed to establish communication until one of;

(i) communication is established with the network device and (ii) all of the codes have been included in messages to the network device that failed to establish communication, wherein the code included in each additional message is different from the codes included in each previous message to the network device.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 23, wherein the SNMP protocol is used to communicate with network devices and wherein the codes comprise SNMP community names.