Method and apparatus for integrated network management and systems management in communications networks

• US 7,007,104 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aprisma Management Technologies Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Lundy, Mehta, Ruchika, St. Onge, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US09/481,643
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: 709/207, 709/250, 709/230, 709/228, 709/206, 709/223, 709/224, 709/246, 370/401, 370/410, 340/825.02
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A computer system includes a gateway which provides integration between a network management platform and a system management platform. Such a gateway facilitates sharing of network management and system management events and alarms, as well as sharing of network management and system management display views. From the shared events and alarms, each platform may correlate such shared events and alarms with other data available to the platform. Thus, each platform has the advantage of using its own data in combination with data from the other platform to more effectively perform its functionality.

Claims

1. A method for sharing information between a first management system having associated therewith a first set of management information and a second management system having associated therewith a second set of management information, comprising the steps of:

(a) the first management system receiving an event message, the event message indicating occurrence of an event in a network associated with the first management system;

(b) determining whether the event message relates to an entity that is managed by the second management system;

(c) when the event message relates to an entity that is managed by the second management system, formatting the event message in a format compatible with the second management system; and

(d) taking an action to provide the second management system with the event message in the format compatible with the second management system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step (e) of sending the event message, in the format compatible with the second management system, to the second management system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising a step (f) of one of the two management systems providing an analysis based on the formatted event message to determine a further action.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises a step of holding the formatted event message until requested by the second management system.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising a step (f) of one of the two management systems providing an analysis based on the formatted event message to determine a further action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises a step of pushing the formatted event message until accepted by the second management system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising a step (f) of one of the two management systems providing an analysis based on the formatted event message to determine a further action.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises a step of sending the formatted event message to a component accessible to the first management system and the second management system, the component holds the formatted event message until occurrence of a selected event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the component within the first management system comprises a storage device having an area to hold the event message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected event comprises a request from the first management system.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected event comprises a repeat occurrence of a selected indicia in the message.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step (e) of forwarding a selected portion of the first set of management information to the second management system.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of,

(e) maintaining a second set of management information by the second management system;

and

(f) providing an analysis based on the first and second sets of management information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the event message an occurrence of a predefined event.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the event message indicates an addition of a network device to a network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the event message indicates a removal of a network device from a network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the event message indicates a change in a monitored parameter.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the event message provides a report on a monitored parameter.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the event message indicates a change in a derived parameter.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the event message provides a report on a derived parameter.

21. An apparatus for sharing information between a first management system having associated therewith a first set of management information and a second management system having associated therewith a second set of management information, the apparatus comprising:

first means for receiving an event message from the first management system, the event message indicating occurrence of an event in a network associated with the first management system;

second means for determining whether the event message relates to an entity that is managed by the second management system;

third means for formatting the event message in a format compatible with the second management system when the event message relates to an entity that is managed by the second management system; and

fourth means for taking an action to provide the second management system with the event message in the format compatible with the second management system.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising fifth means for sending the event message in the format compatible with the second management system to the second management system.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the fourth means holds the formatted event message until requested by the second management system.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the fourth means pushes the formatted event message until accepted by the second management system.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the fourth means sends the formatted event message to a component accessible to the first management system and the second management system to hold until the first management systems requests the message.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the component within the first management system comprises a storage device having an area to hold the formatted event message.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a fifth means for maintaining the first set of management information associated with the first management system.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a sixth means for forwarding the first set of management information to the second management system.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising,

sixth means for maintaining the second set of management information associated with the second management system;

and

seventh means for providing an analysis based on the first and second sets of management information.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a fifth means for maintaining the second set of management information associated with the second management system.

31. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first management system comprises one of a network management system, a system management system or an element management system.

32. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second management system comprises one of a network management system, a system management system or an element management system.

33. A system for providing an interface between a first management system having associated therewith a first set of management information and a second management system having associated therewith a second set of management information, comprising:

a correlator, having an input that receives an event message from the first management system indicating an occurrence of an event in a network associated with the first management system, and an output that provides a correlated event message when the event message is related to an entity managed by the second management system;

a message formatter, coupled to the correlator, having an input that receives the correlated event message and an output that provides a formatted event message in a format that is compatible with the second management system; and

an interface module, coupled to the correlator and the second management system, the interface module taking a selected action should the correlator output the correlated event message.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the action taken by the interface module comprises holding the formatted message until requested by the second management system.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the action taken by the interface module comprises pushing the formatted message until accepted by the second management system.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the action taken by the interface module comprises sending the formatted message to a component within the first management system to hold until the first management systems requests the formatted message.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the component within the first management system comprises a storage device having an area addressable by the second management system.