System and method for agent-based monitoring of network devices

• US 7,730,174 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Keefer, Billy, Fu, Aldis T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tang; Karen C
• Application Number:
  US10/759,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,329 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-225, 709217-219, 709/203, 709/226, 709/200, 370242-245
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3093 Configuration details thereof, e.g. installation, enabling, spatial arrangement of the probes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring network devices are provided. In one embodiment, a method for agent-based monitoring of network devices includes selecting a network device from an enterprise network. An agent template is selected based on the selected network device. An agent object is instantiated based on the agent template. The agent object is operable to monitor hardware characteristics of the network device.

Claims

1. A method for agent-based monitoring of network devices, comprising:

discovering, by a hardware processor in a computer, a plurality of network devices in a network, wherein each of the network devices discovered in the network include one or more Management Information Base (MIB) objects that identify a type and a plurality of hardware characteristics for the respective network device discovered in the network;

transmitting a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) request to each of the discovered network devices to obtain the Management Information Base (MIB) objects from each respective network device discovered in the network;

loading, by the hardware processor in the computer, a plurality of agent templates corresponding to the discovered network devices, wherein;

each of the agent templates comprise an agent construct that includes a class hierarchy having a plurality of class definitions,

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy comprise one or more parent classes that include the types for the discovered network devices, and

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy further comprise one or more child classes associated with the one or more parent classes, the one or more child classes including the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices;

selecting one of the discovered network devices as a network device to be monitored;

selecting one of the plurality of agent templates based on the network device selected to be monitored;

instantiating, by the computer, a plurality of agent objects from the class definitions for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates, wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects correspond to the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected network device, and wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects monitor the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected network device;

retrieving, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics for the selected network device;

comparing, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, the retrieved information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics to a respective threshold value; and

automatically communicating, by the computer, an alert to a user of the computer in response to the retrieved information for one or more of the monitored hardware characteristics violating the respective threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices include one or more of a vendor identity, a model number, or a product line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices include one or more of memory usage, chassis temperature, Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage, fan status, module status, or power supply status.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates include a network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected network device and an agent level class that comprises a root class within the class hierarchy, the agent level root class having a class declaration that includes a parent clause listing the network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected network device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates further include one or more group level classes and a plurality of instance level classes, the one or more group level classes defining child classes associated with the agent level root class and logically grouping the plurality of instance level classes.

6. A computer for agent-based monitoring of network devices, the computer comprising at least one hardware processor that executes computer-executable instructions on the processing device that cause the hardware processor to:

discover, by the hardware processor, a plurality of network devices in a network, wherein each of the network devices discovered in the network include one or more Management Information Base (MIB) objects that identify a type and a plurality of hardware characteristics for the respective network device discovered in the network;

transmit a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) request to each of the discovered network devices to obtain the Management Information Base (MIB) objects from each respective network device discovered in the network;

load, by the hardware processor, a plurality of agent templates corresponding to the discovered network devices, wherein;

each of the agent templates comprise an agent construct that includes a class hierarchy having a plurality of class definitions,

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy comprise one or more parent classes that include the types for the discovered network devices, and

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy further comprise one or more child classes associated with the one or more parent classes, the one or more child classes including the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices;

select one of the discovered network devices as a network device to be monitored;

select one of the plurality of agent templates based on the network device selected to be monitored;

instantiate, by the hardware processor, a plurality of agent objects from the class definitions for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates, wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects correspond to the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected network device, and wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects monitor the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected network device;

retrieve, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics for the selected network device;

compare, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, the retrieved information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics to a respective threshold value; and

automatically communicate, by the hardware processor, an alert to a user of the computer in response to the retrieved information for one or more of the monitored hardware characteristics violating the respective threshold value.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices include one or more of a vendor identity, a model number, or a product line.

8. The computer of claim 6, wherein the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices include one or more of memory usage, chassis temperature, Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage, fan status, module status, or power supply status.

9. The computer of claim 6, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates include a network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected network device and an agent level class that comprises a root class within the class hierarchy, the agent level root class having a class declaration that includes a parent clause listing the network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected network device.

10. The computer of claim 9, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates further include one or more group level classes and a plurality of instance level classes, the one or more group level classes defining child classes associated with the agent level root class and logically grouping the plurality of instance level classes.

11. A system for agent-based monitoring of network devices discovered in an enterprise network, the system comprising one or more hardware processors that:

discover, by the one or more hardware processors, a plurality of network devices in a network, wherein each of the network devices discovered in the network include one or more Management Information Base (MIB) objects that identify a type and a plurality of hardware characteristics for the respective network device discovered in the network;

transmit a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) request to each of the discovered network devices to obtain the Management Information Base (MIB) objects from each respective network device discovered in the network;

load, by the one or more hardware processors, a plurality of agent templates corresponding to the discovered network devices, wherein;

each of the agent templates comprise an agent construct that includes a class hierarchy having a plurality of class definitions,

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy comprise one or more parent classes that include the types for the discovered network devices, and

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy further comprise one or more child classes associated with the one or more parent classes, the one or more child classes including the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices;

select one of the discovered network devices as a network device to be monitored;

select one of the plurality of agent templates based on the network device selected to be monitored;

instantiate, by the one or more hardware processors, a plurality of agent objects from the class definitions for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates, wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects correspond to the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected network device, and wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects monitor the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected network device;

retrieve, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics for the selected network device;

compare, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, the retrieved information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics to a respective threshold value; and

automatically communicate, by the one or more hardware processors, an alert to a user of the computer in response to the retrieved information for one or more of the monitored hardware characteristics violating the respective threshold value.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices include one or more of a vendor identity, a model number, or a product line.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered network devices include one or more of memory usage, chassis temperature, Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage, fan status, module status, or power supply status.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates include a network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected network device and an agent level class that comprises a root class within the class hierarchy, the agent level root class having a class declaration that includes a parent clause listing the network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected network device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates further include one or more group level classes and a plurality of instance level classes, the one or more group level classes defining child classes associated with the agent level root class and logically grouping the plurality of instance level classes.

16. A method for agent-based monitoring of switches, comprising:

discovering, by a hardware processor in a computer, a plurality of switches in a network, wherein each of the switches discovered in the network include one or more Management Information Base (MIB) objects that identify a type and a plurality of hardware characteristics for the respective switch discovered in the network;

transmitting a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) request to each of the discovered switches to obtain the Management Information Base (MIB) objects from each respective switch discovered in the network;

loading, by the hardware processor in the computer, a plurality of agent templates corresponding to the discovered switches, wherein;

each of the agent templates comprise an agent construct that includes a class hierarchy having a plurality of class definitions,

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy comprise one or more parent classes that include the types for the discovered switches, and

the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy further comprise one or more child classes associated with the one or more parent classes, the one or more child classes including the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered switches;

selecting one of the discovered switches as a switch to be monitored;

selecting one of the plurality of agent templates based on the switch selected to be monitored;

instantiating, by the computer, a plurality of agent objects from the class definitions for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates, wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects correspond to the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected switch, and wherein the plurality of instantiated agent objects monitor the plurality of hardware characteristics for the selected switch;

retrieving, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics for the selected switch; and

comparing, by the plurality of instantiated agent objects, the retrieved information associated with each of the plurality of monitored hardware characteristics to a respective threshold value; and

automatically communicating, by the computer, an alert to a user of the computer in response to the retrieved information for one or more of the monitored hardware characteristics violating the threshold value.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of hardware characteristics for the discovered switches include one or more of a vendor identity, a model number, or a product line.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates include a network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected switch and an agent level class that comprises a root class within the class hierarchy, the agent level root class having a class declaration that includes a parent clause listing the network addressable unit class corresponding to the type for the selected switch.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of class definitions in the class hierarchy for the selected one of the plurality of agent templates further include one or more group level classes and a plurality of instance level classes, the one or more group level classes defining child classes associated with the agent level root class and logically grouping the plurality of instance level classes.