System for managing and operating a network by physically imaging the network

• US 5,586,254 A
• Filed: 02/16/1993
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tsutsumi, Toshiyuki, Nakamura, Teruo, Mori, Yumiko, Kondo, Mariko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERVEEN, REHANA
• Application Number:
  US08/018,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 395/51, 395/200, 395/600, 395/200.1, 340/825.03
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system for operating and managing the network equipment is so adapted as to operate and manage a network in which plural computers and network devices are connected to each other. The system is provided with database storing data corresponding to the computers and the network devices and with means for preparing a network specification drawing which satisfies conditions required by the user from the data, for checking the physical data as to whether the network specification satisfies the physical data, for checking the logical data as to whether the network specification satisfies the logical data, and for displaying the network specification drawing in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional manner on the basis of the data stored in the database. The system for operating and managing the network equipment can reduce and simplify management business for network managers as well as management business for managing materials and products by managers managing the materials and products. Further, the system can take necessary measures in case of a fault or a failure of the network and save a resource by sharing the computer resources and the data in an appropriate way.

Claims

1. A system for operating and managing a network having a plurality of computers and network devices, comprising:

a first database for storing physical disposition and connection data for a network configuration, wherein the physical disposition and connection data stored in said first database include at least one of the length of a cable, electrical capacitance, an area of installation, a location of power, and a shape of a network port;

a second database for storing logical data for analyzing a network topology;

physical configuration figure creating means for creating a physical configuration figure of the network based on the data stored in the first database;

logical configuration figure creating means for creating a logical configuration figure of the network based on the data stored in the second database;

physical configuration figure checking means for determining whether the physical configuration figure satisfies a physical-numeric-condition of a network device represented by the data stored in the first database and a physical-numeric-condition of a network device indicated by a user;

logical configuration figure checking means for determining whether the logical configuration figure satisfies a logical-numeric-condition of a network device represented by the data stored in the second database and a logical-numeric-condition of a network device indicated by a user;

means for searching one of said first and second databases for information of computers or network devices included on one of said physical configuration figure and said logical configuration figure; and

means for displaying said one of said determined physical configuration figure and said logical configuration figure.

2. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for detecting a fault of the network and specifying the location of the fault;

means for displaying said location of the fault on at least one of said configuration figures; and

means for changing the display in accordance with the content of the fault and a degree or magnitude of significance of the fault.

3. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

means for detecting a fault of the network and specifying the location of the fault;

analyzing means for analyzing the content at the location of the fault and indicating a scope of influence of the fault on the network;

means for displaying results obtained by said analyzing means on at least one of said configuration figures; and

means for changing the display in accordance with the content of the fault and the degree or magnitude of significance of the fault.

4. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 3, comprising:

means for detecting a computer or network device under the influence of the fault; and

means for giving a notice to a user using the detected computer or network device as to the detection of the fault.

5. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 2, comprising:

means for collecting and storing information concerning a course of occurrence of the fault; and

means for displaying the result of said course on at least one of said configuration figures based on an instruction from the user.

10. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

displaying means for displaying at least one of the physical configuration figure and the logical configuration figure of the network in a multi-dimensional manner.

15. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 1, wherein the logical data stored in said second database include at least one of the number of a connectable machine, an upper limit of network traffic, a used disk size, and a used swap size.

6. A system for operating and managing a network having a plurality of computers and network devices, comprising:

a first database for storing physical disposition and connection data for a network configuration, wherein the physical disposition and connection data stored in said first database include at least one of the length of a cable, electrical capacitance, an area of installation, a location of power, and a shape of a network port;

a second database storing information relating to a peripheral map of locations in which the network devices are disposed and to traffic paths to reach the network devices;

physical configuration figure creating means for creating a physical configuration figure of the network based on the data stored in the first database;

means for detecting a fault of the network and specifying the location of the fault; and

means for indicating the fault location at the time of occurrence of the fault of the network, and displaying the traffic path to reach the location of the network device in which the fault occurred and the peripheral map indicating the location of the network device, based on the information stored in the second database.

11. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

displaying means for displaying the physical configuration figure of the network in a multi-dimensional manner.

7. A system for operating and managing a network having a plurality of computers and network devices, comprising:

a first database for storing physical disposition and connection data for a network configuration, wherein the physical disposition and connection data stored in said first database include at least one of the length of a cable, electrical capacitance, an area of installation, a location of power, and a shape of a network port;

a second database for storing information relating to a numerical condition of a physical environment of the network device; and

means for creating a physical configuration figure in an inferior limit of a decided numerical condition of the physical environment based on the data stored in said first database and the information stored in said second database, and for displaying said physical configuration figure.

12. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

displaying means for displaying the physical configuration figure of the network in a multi-dimensional manner.

16. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 7, wherein the information stored in said second database includes at least one of the illumination at a location of the network device and the output of a radio wave of a wireless local area network.

8. A system for operating and managing a network having a plurality of computers and network devices, comprising:

a first database for storing physical disposition and connection data for a network configuration, wherein the physical disposition and connection data stored in said first database include at least one of the length of a cable, electrical capacitance, an area of installation, a location of power, and a shape of a network port;

a second database for storing information of a level of intrusion or entry, the information relating to an entrance through which an intruder can enter a place where a network device is exposed, and an exit through which the intruder can exit the place where the network device is disposed;

physical configuration figure creating means for creating a physical configuration figure of the network based on the data stored in the first database; and

means for displaying the physical configuration figure of the network based on the data stored in said first database, and for displaying said entrance and said exit by making a search of said second database.

13. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

displaying means for displaying the physical configuration figure of the network in a multi-dimensional manner.

9. A system for operating and managing a network having a plurality of computers and network devices, comprising:

a first database for storing logical data for analyzing a network topology, wherein the logical data stored in said first database include at least one of the number of a connectable machine, an upper limit of network traffic, a used disk size, and a used swap size;

a second database for storing information relating to a velocity of communication through a communication path connecting the network devices together;

logical configuration figure creating means for creating a logical configuration figure of the network based on the information stored in the second database;

means for displaying the logical configuration figure of the network based on the information stored in said second database, and for displaying on the logical configuration figure the communication path connecting a pair of network devices to each other corresponding to a rate of an amount of communication with respect to the velocity of the communication, by selecting the communication pair by transmitting or receiving a packet for measuring the amount of communication between the pair of network devices, and determining the rate of communication with respect to the velocity of the communication through the communication path, stored in said second database.

14. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

displaying means for displaying the logical configuration figure of the network in a multi-dimensional manner.

17. A system for operating and managing a network as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pair of network devices connected by said communication path are optical communication devices.