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System and method for deriving future network configuration data from the current and previous network configuration data

  • US 6,915,340 B2
  • Filed: 04/25/2001
  • Issued: 07/05/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A network configuration data management system comprising:

  • (a) a directory server including;

    (a1) a current map tree for containing information for current network configuration conditions organized into a directory tree format, and (a2) a temporary map tree for containing differential information for a future network configuration organized into a directory tree structure that represents a difference resulting from any changes made to the current network configuration; and

    (b) a network configuration information management apparatus including;

    (b1) network configuration data control means that responds to a request from any external application for providing network configuration data management functions by performing operations on map data, (b2) current map tree access means for accessing said current map tree within said directory server to retrieve appropriate information therefrom, and updating the retrieved information, and (b3) temporary map tree access means for accessing said temporary map tree within said directory server to perform generating, modifying and deleting operations, wherein a future network configuration information that represents the information expected to occur at any future time later than the current time may be generated by merging the information in said current map tree together with the information in said temporary map tree;

    wherein said network configuration information management apparatus includes a network configuration data store section for storing the directory tree information temporarily;

    wherein said network configuration data control means is configured for;

    accessing said current map tree containing the current network configuration information through said current map tree access means, and retrieving the information for the component as identified by an entry located under the current map entry from said current map tree;

    temporarily storing the information thus retrieved in said network configuration data store section;

    accessing said temporary map tree through said temporary map tree access means, and searching said temporary map tree for any temporary map entry information applicable to the time earlier than the time specified by said external application;

    wherein, if it is found that no such temporary map entry is available, meaning that the information retrieved from the current map entry is determined to be a search result, returning the current map entry information to said external application as it remains unchanged, and if it is found that one or more such temporary map entries are available, collects every entry information located under the temporary map entry and specified by said external application that has been retrieved from said temporary map tree through said temporary map tree access means;

    wherein said network configuration data control means is further configured for;

    merging the entry information under the temporary map entry and collected together with the current map tree previously stored in said network configuration data store means; and

    collecting all temporary map entries and merging them to update the entry information under the current map entry and stored in said network configuration data store section, and returning the updated version of the information to said external applications;

    wherein said directory server includes a log map tree for storing the log information that occurred in the past for a particular component;

    wherein said network configuration information management apparatus includes log map tree access means that allows said apparatus to access the log map tree; and

    wherein, if the network configuration information that may be applicable to any past time is requested, said network configuration data control means responds to that request for causing said map tree access means and said log map tree access means to accessing said current map tree and said log map tree within said directory server, respectively, and retrieve the information from the respective map tree, and for obtaining the past network configuration information by merging the information retrieved from the current map tree together with the log map information that has been setup up to said any past time.

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