Method and apparatus for monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach

• US 7,493,376 B1
• Filed: 12/24/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pulpatta, Rajesh, Ramachandran, Subramanian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Application Number:
  US10/330,902
• Time in Patent Office: 2,247 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 709/235, 707/3, 707/103.R
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A method is disclosed for monitoring responses of configuration commands using MIB-based and event-based approaches. According to one embodiment, a network element receives a configuration that comprises one or more configuration commands. A command response table, which comprises a plurality of command response entries, is created and stored. The command response table is defined by a MIB. The network element stores information, which describes errors that occurred while executing the plurality of commands in the configuration file, into the command response entries of the command response table. Management applications can query the MIB to obtain details about errors that occurred during execution of the configuration.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

creating and storing a command response table comprising a plurality of command response entries,

wherein the command response table is defined by a MIB on a network device;

wherein the command response table stores information about errors that result from executing configuration commands for configuring the network device;

receiving a configuration file that comprises one or more commands for configuring the network device;

storing configuration error information into a particular command response entry of the plurality of command response entries, wherein the configuration error information describes a particular error that occurred while executing a particular command of the one or more commands;

receiving a query for all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation;

determining all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation; and

returning, in response to the query, all the configuration error information from the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of command response entries are defined by the MIB on the network device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration error information is defined by the MIB on the network device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command response index that uniquely identifies the configuration file, and the step of storing the configuration error information further comprises the step of storing the command response index into the particular command response entry.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command line index that uniquely identifies the configuration error information in the configuration file of the particular error and the step of storing configuration error information further comprises storing the command line index into the particular command response entry.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command response value, wherein the command response value is one of error description information that resulted from the execution of the particular command, an error code that resulted from the execution of the particular command, and a column number in the configuration file where the particular error occurred;

and wherein the step of storing configuration error information further comprises storing the command response value into the particular command response entry.

7. A method of monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

creating and storing a command response table comprising a plurality of command response entries, wherein the command response table is defined by a MIB on a network device;

receiving a configuration file that comprises one or more commands for configuring the network device;

storing configuration error information into a particular command response entry of the plurality of command response entries, wherein the configuration error information describes a particular error that occurred while executing a particular command of the one or more commands;

receiving a query for all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation;

determining all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation; and

returning, in response to the query, all the configuration error information from the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the step of receiving the configuration file further comprises the step of creating and storing a unique identifier of the configuration file; and

the step of returning the configuration error information that describes the particular error further comprises the step of returning the unique identifier of the configuration file.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the configuration error information that describes the particular error comprises an identifier of a specific location in the configuration file of the particular error.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the configuration error information that describes the particular error comprises one of error description information that resulted from an error in execution of a particular command, an error code that resulted from execution of the particular command, or a column in the configuration file where the particular error occurred.

11. A computer storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

creating and storing a command response table comprising a plurality of command response entries,

wherein the command response table is defined by a MIB on a network device;

wherein the command response table stores information about errors that result from executing configuration commands for configuring the network device;

receiving a configuration file that comprises one or more commands for configuring the network device;

storing configuration error information into a particular command response entry of the plurality of command response entries, wherein the configuration error information describes a particular error that occurred while executing a particular command of the one or more commands;

receiving a query for all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation;

determining all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation; and

returning, in response to the query, all the configuration error information from the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation.

12. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of command response entries are defined by the MIB on the network device and the instructions for carrying out the step of creating and storing further comprises the instructions for the step of creating and storing the plurality of command response entries into the command response table, wherein the plurality of command response entries are defined by the MIB on the network device.

13. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the configuration error information is defined by the MIB on the network device, and the instructions for carrying out the step of storing configuration error information further comprises the instructions for the step of storing configuration error information that is defined by the MIB on the network device.

14. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command response index that uniquely identifies the configuration file and the instructions for carrying out the step of storing configuration error information further comprises the instructions for the step of storing the command response index into the particular command response entry.

15. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command line index that uniquely identifies the location in the configuration file of the particular error and the instructions for carrying out the step of storing configuration error information further comprises the instructions for the step of storing the command line index into the particular command response entry.

16. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command response value, and wherein the command response value is one of error description information that resulted from the execution of the particular command, an error code that resulted from the execution of the particular command, and a column number in the configuration file where the particular error occurred;

and wherein the instructions for carrying out the step of storing configuration error information further comprises the instructions for the step of storing the command response value into the particular command response entry.

17. A computer storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

creating and storing a command response table comprising a plurality of command response entries, wherein the command response table is defined by a MIB on a network device;

receiving a configuration file that comprises one or more commands for configuring the network device;

storing configuration error information into a particular command response entry of the plurality of command response entries, wherein the configuration error information describes a particular error that occurred while executing a particular command of the one or more commands;

receiving a query for all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation;

determining all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation; and

returning, in response to the query, all the configuration error information from the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation.

18. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the instructions for carrying out the step of receiving the configuration file further comprises the instructions for the step of creating and storing a unique identifier of the configuration file; and

the instructions for carrying out the step of returning the configuration error information that describes the particular error further comprises the instructions for the step of returning the unique identifier of the configuration file.

19. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the configuration error information that describes the particular error comprises an identifier of a specific location in the configuration file of the particular error.

20. The computer storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the configuration error information that describes the particular error comprises one of error description information that resulted from an error in execution of a particular command, an error code that resulted from the execution of the particular command, or a column number in the configuration file where the particular error occurred.

21. An apparatus for monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach, comprising:

means for creating and storing a command response table comprising a plurality of command response entries, wherein the command response table is defined by a MIB on a network device;

means for receiving a configuration file that comprises one or more commands for configuring the network device;

means for storing configuration error information into a particular command response entry of the plurality of command response entries, wherein the configuration error information describes a particular error that occurred while executing a particular command of the one or more commands;

means for receiving a query for all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation;

means for determining all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation; and

means for returning, in response to the query, all the configuration error information from the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation.

22. An apparatus for monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

a storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

creating and storing a command response table comprising a plurality of command response entries,

wherein the command response table is defined by a MIB on a network device;

wherein the command response table stores information about errors that result from executing configuration commands for configuring the network device;

receiving a configuration file that comprises one or more commands for configuring the network device;

storing configuration error information into a particular command response entry of the plurality of command response entries, wherein the configuration error information describes a particular error that occurred while executing a particular command of the one or more commands;

receiving a query for all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation;

determining all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation; and

returning, in response to the query, all the configuration error information from the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the plurality of command response entries are defined by the MIB on the network device.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the configuration error information is defined by the MIB on the network device.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command response index that uniquely identifies the configuration file, and wherein the instructions to carry out the step of storing the configuration error information further comprise instructions to carry out the step of storing the command response index into the particular command response entry.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command line index that uniquely identifies the configuration error information in the configuration file of the particular error and wherein the instructions to carry out the step of storing configuration error information further comprise instructions to carry out the step of storing the command line index into the particular command response entry.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the configuration error information comprises a command response value, wherein the command response value is one of error description information that resulted from the execution of the particular command, an error code that resulted from the execution of the particular command, and a column number in the configuration file where the particular error occurred, and wherein the instructions to carry out the step of storing configuration error information further comprise instructions to carry out the step of storing the command response value into the particular command response entry.

28. An apparatus for monitoring responses of configuration commands using a MIB-based approach, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

a storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

creating and storing a command response table comprising a plurality of command response entries, wherein the command response table is defined by a MIB on a network device;

receiving a configuration file that comprises one or more commands for configuring the network device;

storing configuration error information into a particular command response entry of the plurality of command response entries, wherein the configuration error information describes a particular error that occurred while executing a particular command of the one or more commands;

receiving a query for all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation;

determining all configuration error information in the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation; and

returning, in response to the query, all the configuration error information from the command response table that relates to a particular configuration operation.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the instructions to carry out the steps of:

receiving the configuration file further comprise instructions to carry out the step of creating and storing a unique identifier of the configuration file; and

returning the configuration error information that describes the particular error further comprises instructions to carry out the step of returning the unique identifier of the configuration file.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the configuration error information that describes the particular error comprises an identifier of a specific location in the configuration file of the particular error.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the configuration error information that describes the particular error comprises one of error description information that resulted from an error in execution of a particular command, an error code that resulted from execution of the particular command, or a column in the configuration file where the particular error occurred.