Method and apparatus for providing multiple management interfaces to a network device

• US 7,254,781 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simon, Robert, Land, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/414,298
• Time in Patent Office: 2,862 Days
• Field of Search: 345/335, 345/346, 345/145, 345742-743, 345739-741, 709/222, 709/226, 709/223, 709/220, 709/230, 709/224, 709/217, 717/11, 715/760, 715/802, 715/762, 715/803, 715/748, 715/749, 726/2, 726/12, 707/10, 707/101, 705/4, 702/188
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing a network access device is provided. Embedded within the access device are three distinct software layers. The first layer is a combined text-interface generator and Hypertext Transport Protocol client. The second layer is a combined Hypertext Transport Protocol server and Simple Network Management Protocol manager. The third layer is a Simple Network Management Protocol agent that has direct access to the configuration data of the access device. A user can manage the device through the embedded text-interface generator, by using an external HTTP client to communicate with the embedded HTTP server, or by using an external SNMP manager to communicate with the embedded SNMP agent. Techniques are disclosed for embedding SNMP information in messages passed between HTTP clients and servers.

Claims

1. An access device comprising:

a text-based interface layer to a combined text-based interface generator and hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) client;

an HTTP server interface layer to a combined HTTP server and simple network management protocol (SNMP) manager; and

an SNMP agent interface layer to a SNMP agent, wherein the SNMP agent generates a user interface and receives user input that specifies a change to configuration data stored in said access device and said SNMP agent transmits a first message to the combined hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) server and SNMP manager using HTTP;

the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager, wherein the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager only accesses said configuration data by communicating with said SNMP agent and wherein in response to said first message, said combined HTTP server and SNMP manager transmits a second message to the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client using SNMP; and

the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client, wherein the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client only accesses said configuration data in response to said second message as specified by said user input by requesting said combined HTTP server and SNMP manager to communicate with said SNMP agent, so that all safety mechanisms are built into the SNMP agent to enhance security and wherein said text-based interface layer, said HTTP server interface layer and said SNMP agent interface layer reside in the access device.

2. The access device of claim 1, wherein:

the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager generates hypertext mark-up language (HTML) documents that include anchors that contain identifiers for management information base (MIB) objects; and

the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client transmits to the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager messages that contain identifiers for MIB objects in response to input received from a user.

11. The access device of claim 1, wherein the text-based interface layer does not provide direct access to the configuration data.

3. A network device comprising:

means for providing a text-based interface to a combined text-based interface generator and hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) client;

means for providing an HTTP server interface to a combined HTTP server and simple network management protocol (SNMP) manager; and

means for providing an SNMP agent interface layer to a SNMP agent to receive user input that specifies a change to configuration data stored in said network device and said SNMP agent to transmit a first message to a means for combining hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) server and SNMP manager using HTTP;

said means for combining HTTP server and SNMP manager, wherein the means for combining HTTP server and SNMP manager only accesses said configuration data by communicating with said SNMP agent and wherein in response to said first message, said means for combining HTTP server and SNMP manager to transmit a second message to a means for combining text-interface generator and HTTP client using SNMP; and

said means for combining text-interface generator and HTTP client, wherein the means for combining text-interface generator and HTTP client to only access said configuration data in response to said second message as specified by said user input by requesting the means for combining HTTP server and SNMP manager to communicate with said SNMP agent, so that all safety mechanisms are built into the SNMP agent to enhance security and wherein said means for providing said text-based interface layer, said HTTP server interface and said SNMP agent interface reside in said network device.

4. The network device of claim 3, wherein:

the means for combining HTTP server and SNMP manager generates hypertext mark-up language (HTML) documents that include anchors that contain identifiers for management information base (MIB) objects; and

the means for combining text-interface generator and HTTP client transmits to the means for combining HTTP server and SNMP manager messages that contain identifiers for MIB objects in response to input received from a user.

5. The network device of claim 3, further comprising a user interface, said interface being optimized for speed and navigability.

6. The network device of claim 5, wherein the user interface is a duplicate in look-and-feel of a text menu system.

7. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the system to perform the following comprising:

provide a text-based interface layer to a combined text-based interface generator and hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) client;

provide an HTTP server interface layer to a combined HTTP server and simple network management protocol (SNMP) manager; and

provide an SNMP agent interface layer to SNMP agent, wherein the SNMP agent is configured to generate user input that specifies a change to configuration data stored in said access device and said SNMP agent is configured to transmit a first message to a combined hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) server and SNMP manager using HTTP;

provide a combined HTTP server and SNMP manager, wherein the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager is configured to only access said configuration data by communicating with said SNMP agent and wherein in response to said first message, the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager is configured to transmit a second message to a combined text-interface generator and HTTP client using SNMP; and

provide a combined text-interface generator and HTTP client, wherein the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client is configured to only access said configuration data in response to said second message as specified by said user input by requesting said combined HTTP server and SNMP manager to communicate with said SNMP agent, so that all safety mechanisms are built into the SNMP agent to enhance security and wherein said a text-based interface layer, said HTTP server interface layer and said SNMP agent interface layer reside in said computer readable medium.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein:

the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager generates hypertext mark-up language (HTML) documents that include anchors that contain identifiers for management information base (MIB) objects; and

the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client transmits to the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager messages that contain identifiers for MIB objects in response to input received from a user.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises providing a user interface, said interface being optimized for speed and navigability.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the user interface is a duplicate in look-and-feel of a text menu system.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more access devices, each of the one or more access devices comprising;

a text-based interface layer to a combined text-based interface generator and hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) client;

an HTTP server interface layer to a combined HTTP server and simple network management protocol (SNMP) manager;

a SNMP agent interface layer to a SNMP agent, wherein the SNMP agent generates a user interface and receives user input that specifies a change to configuration data stored in said one or more access devices, the SNMP agent is the only module configured to directly access the configuration data, and the SNMP agent transmits a first message to the combined hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) server and SNMP manager using HTTP;

the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager, wherein the combined HTTP server and SNMP manager only accesses said configuration data by communicating with said SNMP agent and wherein in response to said first message said combined HTTP server and SNMP manager transmits a second message to the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client using SNMP; and

the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client, wherein the combined text-interface generator and HTTP client only accesses said configuration data in response to said second message as specified by said user input by requesting said combined HTTP server and SNMP manager to communicate with said SNMP agent, so that all safety mechanisms are built into the SNMP agent to enhance security and wherein said text-based interface layer, said HTTP server interface layer and said SNMP agent interface layer reside in the access device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the SNMP manager resides within a different access device of the one or more access devices than the SNMP agent and the configuration data.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the SNMP manager resides within a same access device of the one or more access devices as the SNMP agent and the configuration data.

15. A network device having one or more processing devices to implement code which when executed cause the one or more processors to perform the following comprising:

causing a second software layer to send a Hypertext Markup Language document to a first software layer;

executing said first software layer to generate a user interface based on said Hypertext Markup Language document;

said first software layer receiving user input that specifies a change to configuration data stored in said network device;

in response to said user input, said first software layer transmitting a first message to a second software layer using Hypertext Transport Protocol, wherein said second software layer resides in said network device;

in response to said first message, said second software layer transmitting a second message to a third software layer using Simple Network Management Protocol, wherein said third software layer resides in said network device; and

in response to said second message, said third software layer changing said configuration data as specified by said user input.

16. The network device of claim 15, wherein

said first software layer is a text-based interface layer to a combined text-based interface generator and hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) client, wherein

said second software layer is an HTTP server interface layer to a combined HTTP server and simple network management protocol (SNMP) manager, and wherein said third software layer is an SNMP agent interface layer.

17. The network device of claim 16, wherein causing said second software layer to send a Hypertext Markup Language document comprises:

receiving an object identifier for a Management Information Base object;

using said object identifier to search one or more files for entries associated with said Management Information Base object; and

for each entry associated with said Management Information Base object, generating Hypertext Markup Language text that, when decoded by an HTTP client, will cause the client to display information contained in said entry.

18. The network device of claim 16, wherein generating Hypertext Markup Language text for an entry comprises:

transmitting a query to said third software layer to retrieve a current value associated with a second Management Information Base object, said second Management Information Base object being a component of said Management Information Base object that is identified in said entry;

receiving from said third software layer said current value associated with said second Management Information Base object; and

generating Hypertext Markup Language text that, when decoded by an HTTP client, causes the HTTP client to generate a display that identifies said second Management Information Base object and displays said current value of said second Management Information Base object.

19. The network device of claim 18, wherein generating Hypertext Markup Language text for an entry further comprises generating an anchor that contains a second MIB object identifier, wherein said second MIB object identifier uniquely identifies said second MIB object.

20. The network device of claim 19, wherein the code further causes the one or more processors to perform the following comprising:

said second software layer receiving from said first software layer said second MIB object identifier and a new value for said second MIB object in response to a user selecting said display that identifies said second MIB object; and

said second software layer transmitting command to said third software layer to cause said third software layer to update configuration data associated with said second MIB object to said new value.

21. A network device having one or more processing devices to implement code which when executed cause the one or more processors to perform the following comprising:

executing a first software layer to generate a user interface, wherein said first software layer is a text-based interface layer to a combined text-based interface generator and hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) client;

said first software layer receiving user input that specifies a change to configuration data stored in said network device;

in response to said user input, said first software layer transmitting a first message to a second software layer using Hypertext Transport Protocol, wherein said second software layer is an HTTP server interface layer to a combined HTTP server and simple network management protocol (SNMP) manager and resides in said network device;

in response to said first message, said second software layer transmitting a second message to a third software layer using Simple Network Management Protocol, wherein said third software layer is an SNMP agent interface layer and resides in said network device; and

in response to said second message, said third software layer changing said configuration data as specified by said user input.

22. The network device of claim 21, wherein the code further causes the one or more processors to perform the following comprising:

causing said second software layer to send a Hypertext Markup Language document to said first software layer; and

generating, by the first software layer, said user interface based on said Hypertext Markup Language document.