Method and apparatus for distributed systems management
First Claim
1. A computer-based method for communicating dependency data specifying dependency relationships between networked resources, including:
- monitoring a first managed networked resource via a software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, wherein the software agent is managed by a software manager executing remotely from the first managed networked resource;
collecting, by the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, configuration data describing the first managed networked resource;
extracting, by the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, dependency data from the configuration data, the dependency data specifying either provider or consumer dependency relationships between the first managed networked resource and one or more other managed networked resources, wherein said provider dependency relationship indicates that a first problem at the first managed networked resource will propagate to the one or more other managed networked resources, and said consumer dependency relationship indicates that a second problem at the one or more other managed networked resources will propagate to the first managed networked resource;
generating, at the first managed networked resource, a table that includes the extracted dependency data, wherein the table is stored separate from other configuration data associated with the first managed networked resource that has been collected by the software agent;
offering access to the extracted dependency data in the table generated at the first managed networked resource, the access being offered via a dependency interface of the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, the dependency interface being an interface for a distributed systems management protocol; and
communicating the dependency data from the software agent to the software manager.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for managing a distributed computing system relying on the discovery and analysis of dependency data. The implemented system and method utilizes an agent that can detect dependency configuration data stored on network management elements to determine the relationship of elements within the distributed system. Further included is a particular embodiment that displays a root managed device a root distance from a border and displays a non-root managed device having a dependency relationship with the root managed device a predetermined distance from the border that is greater than the root distance.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-based method for communicating dependency data specifying dependency relationships between networked resources, including:
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monitoring a first managed networked resource via a software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, wherein the software agent is managed by a software manager executing remotely from the first managed networked resource; collecting, by the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, configuration data describing the first managed networked resource; extracting, by the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, dependency data from the configuration data, the dependency data specifying either provider or consumer dependency relationships between the first managed networked resource and one or more other managed networked resources, wherein said provider dependency relationship indicates that a first problem at the first managed networked resource will propagate to the one or more other managed networked resources, and said consumer dependency relationship indicates that a second problem at the one or more other managed networked resources will propagate to the first managed networked resource; generating, at the first managed networked resource, a table that includes the extracted dependency data, wherein the table is stored separate from other configuration data associated with the first managed networked resource that has been collected by the software agent; offering access to the extracted dependency data in the table generated at the first managed networked resource, the access being offered via a dependency interface of the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, the dependency interface being an interface for a distributed systems management protocol; and communicating the dependency data from the software agent to the software manager. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-based method for distributed systems management, including:
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monitoring a first managed network device with a first software agent executing on the first managed network device, wherein the software agent is managed by a software manager executing remotely from the first managed network device; collecting, by the software agent executing on the first network device, configuration data describing the first managed network device; gathering, by the first software agent executing on the first managed network device, dependency data describing either a provider or a consumer dependency relationship between the first managed network device and one or more other network devices, wherein said provider dependency relationship indicates that a first problem at the first managed network device will propagate to the one or more other network devices, and said consumer dependency relationship indicates that a second problem at the one or more other network devices will propagate to the first managed network device; communicating, by the first software agent executing on the first managed network device, the dependency data gathered by the first software agent to the software manager; processing, by the software manager, the gathered dependency data obtained from the first software agent to determine whether either the provider or the consumer dependency relationship exists between the first managed network—
device and a second network device; andinitiating, by the software manager, a second software agent if either the provider or the consumer dependency relationship exists between the first managed network device and the second network device, wherein the second software agent executes on and monitors the second network device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-based method for collecting dependency data specifying dependency relationships between networked resources, the method including:
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monitoring a plurality of managed networked resources via a software agent executing on each of the managed networked resources, wherein the plurality of software agents are managed by a software manager executing remotely from the plurality of managed networked resources; gathering, by the plurality of software agents executing on the plurality of managed networked resources, configuration data describing the plurality of networked resources; extracting, by the plurality of software agents, dependency data from the gathered configuration data, the dependency data including data specifying either provider or consumer dependency relationships associated with the plurality of managed networked resources, wherein said provider dependency relationship indicates that a first problem at a first managed networked resource will propagate to a second networked resource, and said consumer dependency relationship indicates that a second problem at the second networked resource will propagate to the first managed networked resource; communicating the dependency data extracted by the plurality of software agents from the plurality of software agents to the software manager; adding at least a portion of the dependency data extracted by the plurality of software agents to a central repository managed by the software manager, wherein the portion of the dependency data added to the central repository is stored in the central repository separately from other configuration data; processing, by the software manager, the extracted dependency data obtained from the plurality of software agents to determine whether either the provider or the consumer dependency relationships exist between at least one of the plurality of managed networked resources and one or more additional networked resources not included in the plurality of managed networked resources; and initiating, by the software manager, management of the one or more additional networked resources not included in the plurality of managed networked resources if either the provider or the consumer dependency relationships exist between at least one of the plurality of managed networked resources and the one or more additional networked resources. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium that stores executable instructions to communicate dependency data specifying dependency relationships between networked resources, the instructions causing a machine to:
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monitor a first managed networked resource via a software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, wherein the software agent is managed by a software manager executing remotely from the first managed networked resource; collect, by the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, configuration data describing the first managed networked resource; extract, by the software agent, dependency data from the configuration data, the dependency data specifying either provider or consumer dependency relationships between the first managed networked resource and the one or more other managed networked resources, wherein said provider dependency relationship indicates that a first problem at the first managed networked resource will propagate to the one or more other managed networked resources, and said consumer dependency relationship indicates that a second problem at the one or more other managed networked resources will propagate to the first managed networked resource; generate, at the first managed networked resource, a table that includes the extracted dependency data, wherein the table is stored separate from other configuration data associated with the first managed networked resource that has been collected by the software agent; offer access to the extracted dependency data in the table generated at the first managed networked resource, the access being offered via a dependency interface of the software agent executing on the first managed networked resource, the dependency interface being an interface for a distributed systems management protocol; and communicate the dependency data from the software agent to the software manager. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium that stores executable instructions to manage distributed systems, the instructions causing a machine to:
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monitor a first managed network device with a first software agent executing on the first managed network device, wherein the software agent is managed by a software manager executing remotely from the first managed network device; collect, by the software agent executing on the first managed network device, configuration data describing the first managed network device; gather, by the first software agent, dependency data describing either a provider or a consumer dependency relationship between the first managed network device and one or more other network devices, wherein said provider dependency relationship indicates that a first problem at the first managed network device will propagate to the one or more network devices, and said consumer dependency relationship indicates that a second problem at the one or more network devices will propagate to the first managed network device; communicate, by the first software agent executing on the first managed network device, the dependency data gathered by the first software agent to the software manager; process, by the software manager, the gathered dependency data obtained from the first software agent to determine whether either the provider or the consumer dependency relationship exists between the first managed network device and a second network device; and initiate, by the software manager, a second software agent if either the provider or the consumer dependency relationship exists between the first managed network device and a the second network device, wherein the second software agent executes on and monitors the second network device.
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Specification