Apparatus, system and device for collecting, aggregating and monitoring network management information

• US 7,318,094 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirti, Rituraj, Parello, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN KIM T
• Application Number:
  US11/435,474
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A system, apparatus and device are described for collecting, aggregating and monitoring network management information from a plurality of network devices in a network management system. User-definable configuration information are utilized, which contain an operational specification on what to collect, aggregate and monitor, scheduled, e.g., at desired times or intervals. Network devices on the network are identified, then queried. Data are acquired in accordance with instructions contained in the operational specification. Transformations are performed and the data periodically monitored for compliance with specific threshold conditions. Notifications are generated whenever a threshold condition has been met. Data is stored to a database and aggregated to generate trending information. Data stored in the database can be subsequently removed automatically based on aging or other user-specified criteria. The data are rendered to a display for viewing by the user using device-specific GUI attributes.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a networking interface for interfacing said apparatus with a network;

a processor coupled to said networking interface; and

logic coupled to said processor, which when executed is operable for performing;

configuring a network management system to acquire data from specific network devices of a plurality of network devices in said network management system based on a user-definable operational specification;

querying said specific network devices for data to form a set of acquired data based on said operational specification;

transforming said acquired data to form a set of transformed data based on one or more formulas specified in said operational specification; and

storing said transformed data to an information base to form a set of stored data based on said operational specification.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said operational specification is defined in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said operational specification includes a scheduler section to direct said network management system to perform said querying step at a preset point in time.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said querying said specific network devices comprises using a network communication protocol that is defined in said operational specification for each of said specific network devices.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said transforming said acquired data includes performing at least one arithmetic transformation on said acquired data, wherein said arithmetic transformation is specified with said operational specification.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said logic, when executed, is operable for performing:

monitoring said acquired data, said transformed data and said stored data

for compliance with at least one threshold criterion value specified by said operational specification.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said logic, when executed, is operable for performing:

generating a notification when any of said acquired data, said transformed data and said stored data complies with said threshold criterion.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said logic, when executed, is operable for performing:

aggregating said stored data to form a set of trending data by performing at least one arithmetic aggregation on said stored data, wherein said arithmetic aggregation is specified by said operational specification.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said logic, when executed, is operable for performing:

removing a quantity of said stored data from said information base in accordance with information in said operational specification.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises a network infrastructure device.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein said network infrastructure device comprises a network management device.

12. A computer system, comprising:

a networking interface for interfacing said computer system with a network;

a processor coupled to said networking interface; and

a network management configuration coupled to said processor and that comprises

at least one configuration file which, when executed with said processor causes said processor to acquire data from a specific plurality of network devices on said network based on a user-definable operational specification;

at least one query module which, when executed with said processor causes said processor to query said network devices for data to form a set of acquired data based on said operational specification;

at least one transformation module which, when executed with said processor causes said processor to transform said acquired data into a set of transformed data based on said operational specification;

at least one storage module which, when executed with said processor causes said processor to store said transformed data to an information base to form a set of stored data based on said operational specification;

and

at least one aggregation module which, when executed with said processor causes said processor to aggregate said stored data to form a

set of trending data by performing at least one arithmetic operation on said stored data, wherein said arithmetic operation specified by said operational specification.

13. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said operational specification is defined in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file.

14. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said operational specification includes a scheduler section to direct said network management configuration to perform said querying step at a preset point in time.

15. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said operational specification defines a network communication protocol for querying each of said specific network devices.

16. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said transformation module comprises logic which, when executed, causes performing at least one arithmetic transformation on said acquired data, wherein said arithmetic transformation is specified by said operational specification.

17. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said configuration file further comprises a monitor module that comprises logic which, when executed with said processor, causes monitoring of said acquired data, said transformed data and said stored data for compliance with at least one threshold criterion value specified by said operational specification.

18. The computer system as recited in claim 17, wherein said configuration file further comprises a module that comprises logic which, when executed with said processor, causes said processor to generate a notification when any of said acquired data, said transformed data and said stored data complies with said threshold criterion.

19. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said configuration file further comprises a module that comprises logic which, when executed with said processor, causes said processor to aggregate said stored data to form a set of trending data with performing at least one arithmetic aggregation on said stored data, wherein said arithmetic aggregation is specified by said operational specification.

20. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said configuration file further comprises a module that comprises logic which, when executed with said processor causes said processor to remove a quantity of said stored data from said information base in accordance with information in said operational specification.

21. The computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein said computer system comprises a network infrastructure device.

22. The computer system as recited in claim 21 wherein said network infrastructure device comprises a network management device.

23. The computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein said processor is programmed to function with a collector module that comprises logic which, when executed with said processor, gathers said data from said network devices.

24. The computer system as recited in claim 23 wherein said processor is programmed to function with an aggregator module which, when executed with said processor, is operable for:

selecting said data from said collector module;

transforming said data into a form suitable for said managing;

creating trending information from said data; and

storing said trending information.

25. The computer system as recited in claim 24 wherein said selecting comprises a periodically performed operation of said processor.

26. The computer system as recited in claim 24 wherein said storing comprises an operation of said processor wherein said trending information is stored with a long term database.

27. The computer system as recited in claim 23 wherein said processor is programmed to function with logic which, when executed with said processor, is operable for discarding at least one of said data and said trending information based on said operational specification.

28. The computer system as recited in claim 27 wherein said processor is programmed to function with a reaper module which, when executed, performs said discarding.

29. The computer system as recited in claim 23 wherein said processor is programmed to function with logic which, when executed with said processor, is operable for displaying at least one of said data and said trending information.

30. The computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein said data is stored in at least one of a device database, a short term database and a long term database.

31. A computer implemented system, comprising:

a configuration file which, when executed with said computer, causes data to be acquired, based on a user-definable operational specification, from a specific plurality of network devices on a network with which said computer is interfaced;

a collector module coupled to said configuration file which, when executed with said computer, queries said network devices for data to form a set of acquired data based on said operational specification;

an aggregator module coupled to said configuration file which, when executed with said computer, causes said acquired data to be transformed into a set of transformed data based on said operational specification; and

storage coupled to at least one of said collector module and said aggregator, which stores said transformed data to store to an information base that comprises a set of stored data based on said operational specification wherein said aggregator module, when further executed with said computer, forms a set of trending data with performing at least one arithmetic operation on said stored data, wherein said arithmetic operation specified by said operational specification.

32. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 31, wherein said operational specification is defined in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file.

33. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 31, wherein said operational specification includes a scheduler section to direct said network management configuration to perform said querying step at a preset point in time.

34. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 31, wherein said operational specification defines a network communication protocol for querying each of said specific network devices.

35. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 31, wherein said aggregator module comprises logic which, when executed, causes performing said arithmetic transformation on said acquired data.

36. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 35, wherein said aggregator module functions with monitor logic which, when executed with said computer, monitors said acquired data, said transformed data and said stored data for compliance with at least one threshold criterion value specified by said operational specification.

37. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 36, wherein said monitor logic causes said processor to generate a notification when any of said acquired data, said transformed data and said stored data complies with said threshold criterion.

38. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 31, further comprising a reaper module coupled to said configuration file which, when executed with said computer, removes a quantity of said stored data from said information base in accordance with information in said operational specification.

39. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 31, further comprising a display module coupled to said configuration file which, when executed with said computer, allows display of at least one of said data and said trending information.

40. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 31 wherein said computer comprises a network infrastructure device.

41. The computer implemented system as recited in claim 40 wherein said network infrastructure device comprises a network management device.