Hierarchical management system on distributed network management platform

• US 7,321,566 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fu, Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US10/487,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/255, 370/256, 370/257, 370/258, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to communication network technology, more particularly to a hierarchical network management system on a distributed network management platform. The system is a network management system with multi-layer structure. It can manage large scale network through hierarchical configuration of numerous network management stations and classification of the management domains. For instance, the system may include upper layer network management stations and lower layer network management stations, in which the upper layer network management station has the functions such as configuring and monitoring the lower layer network management stations with help of corresponding devices, while the lower layer network management station provides services of data collecting, reporting and monitoring for the network management via simple network management protocol (SNMP). The hierarchical management system is flexible and expandable, and can reduce network load caused by large scale network management, and improve management performance.

Claims

1. A hierarchical management system on a distributed network management platform, comprising:

network management stations, classified into upper layer network management stations and lower layer network management stations based on network domains respectively managed by the upper layer network management stations and lower layer network management stations, wherein

one upper layer network management station is connected to a plurality of lower layer network management stations via a network management private network and network management agents, the upper layer network management station is configured to authorize the lower layer network management stations, determine network domains of lower layer network management stations so as to implement division of network domains and manage the lower layer network management stations and the network domains of lower layer network management stations via the lower layer network management stations;

the lower layer network management stations are configured to only manage the devices within their respective network domains, and provide information to their respective upper layer network management stations actively or passively.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each upper layer network management station has a network management system controlling its management domain and each lower layer network management station has a network management system controlling its direct management domain.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer network management station further comprises:

an upper layer network management station management application module and a management domain authorization interface, configured to authorize the lower layer network management stations and determine network domains of lower layer network management stations;

a network management station topology foreground and a network management station topology background, configured to visit the network management station agents of the lower layer network management stations so as to obtain various data of the network devices within direct management domains of the lower layer network management stations; and

the upper layer network management station management application module is further configured to obtain various data of the network devices within the direct management domains of the lower layer network management stations through inquiring the lower layer network management station agents and the network management system of the lower layer network management stations.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said direct management domain is a collection of devices within the network domain directly managed by a network management station;

and said management domain is a summation of all the devices within the direct management domain of a network management station and all network domains managed by the network management station.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein one network domain is a subset of all network devices in the network, and one network management station is configured to manage one network domain individually.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said network management platform is implemented by a client/server mode;

said server is a network management server with the functions of network management, the server is configured to manage performance, malfunction, safety, log of the network and network devices, as well as the network management system itself;

said client end is configured to monitor and control network management system via the network management server.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said client end and said network management server are located in the same or different host computers.

8. The system according to claim 3, wherein said direct management domain is a collection of devices within the network domain directly managed by a network management station;

and said management domain is a summation of all the devices within the direct management domain of a network management station and all network domains managed by the network management station.