Network management system equipped with event control means and method

• US 6,862,619 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sugauchi, Kiminori, Shoji, Kanako, Yoshida, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D.
• Application Number:
  US09/657,655
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-224, 709/225, 345734-736, 714/4
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications

Abstract

A network management system and method comprising a network device and a managing apparatus that manages the network device. The managing apparatus has an event issuing control condition decision unit that determines the event issuing control condition of the network device according to the event processing capability of the managing apparatus, and a notifying unit that notifies the event issuing control conditions to the network device. The network device performs the event issuing control according to the event issuing control condition notified from the managing apparatus.

Claims

1. A network management system comprising:

one or more network devices; and

a managing apparatus for managing the network device;

wherein the managing apparatus has a means for determining the number of events issuing for each network device based on the number of processing events on the managing apparatus by extracting the event information to be forwarded from the network devices to calculate the number of events required for each device, and a means for notifying an event issuing control condition including said number of events issuing, an order of priority and requested information to each network device;

wherein the network device has a means for performing an event issuing control according to the event issuing control condition notified from the managing apparatus.

2. A network management system according to claim 1,

wherein the managing apparatus has a means for setting an event priority level in the event issuing control condition to be notified to the network device, the event priority level being issued by the network device according to a management request;

wherein the means of the network device for performing the event issuing control has a means for issuing events according to the set priority level when limiting the number of events to be issued.

3. A network management system according to claim 1, further including other network devices;

wherein the management apparatus has a means for setting information on the other network devices which are not the same as the network device notified in the event issuing control condition;

wherein the network device receiving the event issuing control condition has a means for issuing to the other network devices an event issuance notification before issuing the event to the managing apparatus and an event termination notification after issuing the event.

4. A network management system according to claim 3,

wherein each network device comprising:

a means for controlling the event issuance;

a means for holding the event issuance notification and the event termination notification from the network device; and

a means for checking, when an event is to be issued to the managing apparatus, an event reception state of the managing apparatus based on the event issuance notification and event termination notification held and changing the event issuing control condition set in the network device.

5. A network management system according to claim 1, further including an event control parameter setting means moved from the managing apparatus to the network device along with the necessary event transmission information;

wherein the event control parameter setting means comprises;

a means for changing the event issuing control condition already set in the network device according to the event transmission information;

a means for determining according to the changed event issuing control condition an increased or decreased number of events issued by the network device and holding the determined number; and

a means moved to the managing apparatus to notify the increased or decreased number of events to the managing apparatus;

wherein the managing apparatus has a means for setting the event issuing control condition based on the notified increased or decreased number of events.

6. A network management method

wherein a network management system is constructed of a network device and a managing apparatus for managing the network device;

wherein the managing apparatus determines an event issuing control condition of the network device based on an event processing capability of the managing apparatus and notifies the event issuing control condition to the network device, wherein the event issuing control condition is determined by determining the number of events issuing for the network device by extracting the event information to be forwarded from the network devices to calculate the number of events required for each device and based upon a number of processing events on the managing apparatus;

wherein the network device performs an event issuing control according to the event issuing control condition notified from the managing apparatus.

7. A network management method according to claim 6,

wherein the managing apparatus sets, according to a management request, an event priority level issued from the network device in the event issuing control condition to be notified to the network device, and

the event issuing control by the network device, when it limits the number of events to be issued, issues events according to the set event priority level.

8. A network management method according to claim 6,

wherein other network devices are provided;

wherein the managing apparatus has provided in the event issuing control condition notified to the network device a means associated with the other network devices;

wherein the network device has a means for issuing to the other network devices an event issuance notification before issuing the event to the managing apparatus and an event termination notification after issuing the event.

9. A network management method according to claim 8,

wherein the other network devices

control the event issuance and hold the event issuance notification and event termination notification from the network device and,

when an event is to be issued to the managing apparatus, check an event reception state of the managing apparatus by using the event issuance notification and event termination notification held and change the event issuing control condition set in the local network device.

10. A network management method according to claim 6,

wherein an event control parameter setting means for setting an event control parameter adapted to be moved from the managing apparatus to the network device along with necessary event transmission information is provided;

wherein the event control parameter setting means

changes, according to the event transmission information, the event issuing control condition already set in the network device,

according to the changed event issuing control condition, determines and holds an increased or decreased number of events issued by the network device, and

notifies the increased or decreased number of events to the managing apparatus;

wherein the managing apparatus sets the event issuing control condition based on the notified increased or decreased number of events.