Dynamically Deployable Self Configuring Distributed Network Management System
First Claim
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1. A network management method comprising:
- deploying network collection software on a first network or subnetwork;
executing said network collection software on a hardware component of the first network or subnetwork;
discovering, with the executing network collection software, information relating to the configuration of the first network or subnetwork; and
sharing said discovered configuration-related information with a further, trusted instance of the same or different network collection software that is also discovering information relating to the configuration of the first network or subnetwork to thereby collaborate network configuration discovery.
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Abstract
Systems, software, and methods for managing networks of connected electronic devices are described. In one example, network management policy and network management applications are transferred automatically upon detection and identification of a new device, protocol or application on the network. In another example, information related to at least one aspect of the network is obtained by an NMAS, and at least one applicable management policy is identified by the NMAS; and the identified policy is used to manage at least one aspect of the network'"'"'s operation.
419 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A network management method comprising:
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deploying network collection software on a first network or subnetwork; executing said network collection software on a hardware component of the first network or subnetwork; discovering, with the executing network collection software, information relating to the configuration of the first network or subnetwork; and sharing said discovered configuration-related information with a further, trusted instance of the same or different network collection software that is also discovering information relating to the configuration of the first network or subnetwork to thereby collaborate network configuration discovery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of collecting configuration data for a plurality of network segments, comprising:
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deploying a first collection unit on first network segment; using said first collection unit to collect configuration related information concerning the configuration of said first network segment, including filtering said configuration related information using at least a first filtering profile; deploying a second collection unit on second network segment different from said first network segment; using said second collection unit to collect configuration related information concerning the configuration of said second network segment, including filtering said configuration related information using at least a second filtering profile different from said first filtering profile. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method of dynamically distributing network configuration monitoring functions among plural disparate collection units residing in different network domains, comprising:
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deploying plural collection units across at least one network; pushing at least one network configuration collection function or template to at least some of said deployed collection units; allowing at least some of said deployed collection units to pull at least one further network configuration collection function or template. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A collection of cooperative network configuration collection units deployed across at least one network comprising:
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a first collection unit disposed on a first network segment; a second collection unit disposed on a second network segment; wherein said first and second collection units operate together as a distributed collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A network configuration collection architecture comprising:
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a first collection unit disposed on a first network segment, said first collection unit automatically collecting configuration information relating to said first network segment; a second collection unit disposed on a second network segment, said second collection unit automatically collecting configuration information relating to said second network segment; and plural task managers cooperating to at least in part control at least one of said first and second collection units. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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46. A network discovery architecture comprising:
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at least one collection unit disposed on at least one network segment, said at least one collection unit operable to discover configuration information pertaining to said at least one network segment; and a software-based data manager deployed to communicate with said at least one collection unit, said data manager storing at least some information that supports said at least one collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A network management system operable on a first network or subnetwork, comprising:
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plural instances of network collection software deployed on at least one network or subnetwork, said plural network collection software instances discovering, in a collaborative manner, information relating to the configuration of the at least one network or subnetwork and sharing said discovered configuration-related information therebetween; and a control node coupled to said at least one network or subnetwork, said control node being configured to communicate commands and other control information with said plural network collection software instances over said at least one network or subnetwork, wherein said control mode has a relationship of trust with said plural network collection software instances.
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Specification