Method and apparatus for collecting and displaying data associated with network devices

• US 7,958,170 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Martinek, Joshua Thomas, Faulkner, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Sheree N
• Application Number:
  US11/560,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/104, 709201-203, 709223-225
• US Class Current: 707/827
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

In one particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a network management system. The network monitoring system includes at least one device definition file, a simple network management protocol enabled communications interface, and a data access interface. The definition file includes query instructions associated with portions of MIBs associated with a network device. The simple network management protocol enabled communications interface may access the network device using the query instructions and may receive response data from the network device. The data access interface may be configured to provide external access to the response data and configure thresholds.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a user interface on a display of a computer system using a network appliance, the method comprising:

executing, by the network appliance, an initial query to a network device, the initial query requesting a set of information;

receiving, by the network appliance, a subset of the set of information;

determining, by the network appliance using the subset, at least one selected query associated with the network device;

executing, by the network appliance, the at least one selected query to the network device using simple network management protocol (SNMP), wherein the at least one selected query is stored in a device definition file;

receiving response data by the network appliance;

reading, by the network appliance from the device definition file, supplemental data associated with the network device;

converting, by the network appliance, a first portion of the response data into converted data in accordance with the device definition file;

providing, by the network appliance, a portion of the response data other than the first portion, the supplemental data and the converted data to the computer system;

comparing, by the network appliance, the response data to a threshold value;

generating, by the network appliance, a notification where the response data transgresses the threshold value; and

presenting a portion of the response data other than the first portion, the notification, the supplemental data and the converted data on the display of the computer system.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving trace route information associated with the network device; and

providing the trace route information to the computer system.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving SNMP Management Information Base-2 (MIB-2) data associated with the network device; and

providing the SNMP MIB-2 data to the computer system.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the at least one selected query includes executing a static query.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the at least one selected query includes executing a table query.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the response data includes receiving data representing a physical measurement.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein receiving the data representing a physical measurement includes receiving data representing at least one physical measurement selected from fan speed, temperature and power quality.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the response data includes receiving data associated with at least one SNMP object identifier, reading the supplemental data includes reading a description associated with the at least one SNMP object identifier and providing the portion of the response data other than the first portion, the supplemental data and the converted data includes providing the description in association with the data associated with the at least one SNMP object identifier.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein converting the first portion of the response data includes replacing an integer value in the response data with a description.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein converting the first portion of the response data includes performing a unit conversion.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein performing the unit conversion includes scaling some of the first portion of the response data.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the portion of the response data other than the first portion, the supplemental data and the converted data includes providing data types not supported by SNMP.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing data types not supported by SNMP includes providing floating point data types.

14. A network appliance comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored thereon sequences of instruction including executable instructions configuring the processor to:

execute an initial query to a network device, the initial query requesting a set of information;

receive a subset of the set of information;

determine, using the subset, at least one selected query associated with the network device;

execute the at least one selected query to a network device using simple network management protocol (SNMP), wherein the at least one selected query is stored in a device definition file;

receive response data;

read supplemental data associated with the network device and stored in the device definition file;

convert a first portion of the response data into converted data in accordance with the device definition file;

compare the response data to a threshold value;

generate a notification where the response data transgress a threshold value; and

provide, via a hypertext markup language page, a portion of the response data other than the first portion, the notification, the supplemental data and the converted data.

15. The network appliance according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions will further configure cause the processor to:

receive trace route information associated with the network device; and

provide, via the hypertext markup language page, the trace route information.

16. The network appliance according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further configure the processor to:

receive SNMP Management Information Base-2 (MIB-2) data associated with the network device; and

provide, via the hypertext markup language page, the SNMP MIB-2 data.

17. The network appliance according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further configure the processor to receive data representing a physical measurement.

18. The network appliance according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further configure the processor to receive at least one physical measurement selected from fan speed, temperature and power quality.

19. The network appliance according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further configure the processor to provide data types not supported by SNMP.

20. The network appliance according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further configure the processor to provide floating point data types.