Method and apparatus to facilitate fast network management protocol replies in large tables

• US 6,789,082 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Network General Technology
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Qi, Yongping, Tung, Steven C., Sternin, Jeffrey Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): EHICHIOYA, FRED I
• Application Number:
  US09/905,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/100, 707/103, 707/104.1, 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/101, 707/103.R, 707/103.Y, 707/200, 707/201, 707/203, 707/204, 709/217, 709/224, 709/226, 709/228, 709/203, 709/209, 709/218, 709/220, 709/221, 709/223, 709/225, 709/232, 709/236, 709/238, 709/243, 345/700, 345/326, 345/635, 345/719, 345/733, 705/5, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/37
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates fast network management protocol replies in large tables. The system operates by first receiving a request for a next row from a network management protocol table. The system then compares the object identifier in the request with a pre-calculated object identifier. If the object identifier matches the pre-calculated object identifier, the system responds to the request with a pre-calculated response. If the object identifier does not match the pre-calculated object identifier, the system searches a management information base for the next row in the network management protocol table. Next, the system calculates a response, which includes data from requested columns of the next row. The system then responds to the request.

Claims

1. A method to facilitate fast network management protocol replies in large tables, comprising:

receiving a request for a next row in a network management protocol table;

comparing an object identifier associated with the network management protocol table in the request with a pre-calculated object identifier; and

if the object identifier matches the pre-calculated object identifier,

responding to the request with a pre-calculated response, otherwise

searching a management information base for the next row in the network management protocol table,

calculating a response, wherein the response includes data from requested columns of the next row, and

responding to the request with the response;

wherein, before responding to the request with the pre-calculated response or responding to the request with the response,

selecting a candidate next row in the network management protocol table,

creating the pre-calculated object identifier for the candidate next row,

saving the pre-calculated object identifier,

creating the pre-calculated response for the candidate next row, wherein the pre-calculated response includes data from requested columns of the candidate next row, and

saving the pre-calculated response;

wherein receiving the request for the next row from the network management protocol table includes;

locating a protocol data unit in the request; and

determining the object identifier within the protocol data unit;

wherein determining the next row in the network management protocol table includes;

decoding the object identifier in the protocol data unit; and

searching for an object related to the object identifier in the management information base.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is one of a series of related requests.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein saving the pre-calculated object identifier includes saving the pre-calculated object identifier in a table of pre-calculated object identifiers, whereby pre-calculated object identifiers can be saved for more than one series of related requests.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein saving the pre-calculated response includes saving the pre-calculated response in a table of pre-calculated responses, whereby pre-calculated responses can be saved for more than one series of related requests.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the request is one of a series of related requests.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein saving the pre-calculated object identifier includes saving the pre-calculated object identifier in a table of pre-calculated object identifiers, whereby pre-calculated object identifiers can be saved for more than one series of related requests.

5. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method to facilitate fast network management protocol replies in large tables, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a next row in a network management protocol table;

comparing an object identifier associated with the network management protocol table in the request with a pre-calculated object identifier; and

if the object identifier matches the pre-calculated object identifier,

responding to the request with a pre-calculated response, otherwise

searching a management information base for the next row in the network management protocol table,

calculating a response, wherein the response includes data from requested columns of the next row, and

responding to the request with the response;

wherein, before responding to the request with the pre-calculated response or responding to the request with the response,

selecting a candidate next row in the network management protocol table,

creating the pre-calculated object identifier for the candidate next row,

saving the pre-calculated object identifier,

creating the pre-calculated response for the candidate next row, wherein the pre-calculated response includes data from requested columns of the candidate next row, and

saving the pre-calculated response;

wherein receiving the request for the next row from the network management protocol table includes;

locating a protocol data unit in the request; and

determining the object identifier within the protocol data unit;

wherein determining the next row in the network management protocol table includes;

decoding the object identifier in the protocol data unit; and

searching for an object related to the object identifier in the management information base.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the request is one of a series of related requests.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein saving the pre-calculated object identifier includes saving the pre-calculated object identifier in a table of pre-calculated object identifiers, whereby pre-calculated object identifiers can be saved for more than one series of related requests.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein saving the pre-calculated response includes saving the pre-calculated response in a table of pre-calculated responses, whereby pre-calculated responses can be saved for more than one series of related requests.

9. An apparatus that facilitates fast network management protocol replies in large tables, comprising:

a receiving mechanism tat is configured to receive a request for a next row in a network management protocol table;

a comparing mechanism that is configured to compare an object identifier associated with the network management protocol table in the request with a pre-calculated object identifier;

a responding mechanism that is configured to respond to the request with a pre-calculated response;

a searching mechanism that is configured to search a management information base for the next row in the network management protocol table;

a calculating mechanism that is configured to calculate a response, wherein the response includes data from requested columns of the next row;

wherein the responding mechanism is farther configured to respond to the request with the response;

wherein, before responding to the request with the pre-calculated response or responding to the request with the response, the following operations are carried out;

selecting a candidate next row in the network management protocol table,

creating the pre-calculated object identifier for the candidate next row,

saving the pre-calculated object identifier,

creating the pre-calculated response for the candidate next row, wherein the pre-calculated response includes data from requested columns of the candidate next row, and

saving the pre-calculated response;

a locating mechanism that is configured to locate a protocol data unit in the request;

a determining mechanism that is configured to determine the object identifier within the protocol data unit; and

a decoding mechanism that is configured to decode the object identifier in the protocol data unit;

wherein the searching mechanism is further configured to search for an object related to the object identifier in the management information base.