Network management using browser-based technology
First Claim
1. A method of managing a network comprising a plurality of network elements of a plurality of types, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing a plurality of hypertext documents in a network management station, wherein said plurality of hypertext documents comprise at least one template, each template comprising a dynamic field identifying an information element of interest related to one of the plurality of types;
enabling a user to access said network management station using a browser;
sending an Applet module and data to said browser, wherein said data is representative of a network map of the plurality of network elements, wherein said browser executes said Applet module to display said network map;
receiving an indication of selection of one of the plurality of network elements from said browser, wherein one of the plurality of network elements is selected by the user using said network map;
selecting a home page corresponding to one of the plurality of network elements, wherein said home page is comprised in said plurality of hypertext documents, and wherein said home page includes a plurality of hypertext links;
enabling the user to access said plurality of hypertext documents by actuating said hypertext links provided in said home page;
receiving an identification of a template from said browser in response to said actuation of said hypertext link in one of said plurality of hypertext documents;
receiving an identification of one of the plurality of network elements from said browser;
assembling a simple network management protocol (SNMP) get packet specifying said information element of interest found in said dynamic field within said template;
sending said SNMP get packet to said identified one of the plurality of network elements;
receiving data corresponding to said information element of interest; and
displaying said template including said received data using said browser.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network management system which enables a user to manage a network using browsers available on remote computer systems. A designer provides a page specification document identifying information elements of interest and corresponding explanatory labels. The page specification document is translated into a plurality of hypertext documents. The page specification document also allows the designer to logically group the information elements of interest, and the grouping automatically defines the sequence in which the hypertext documents are accessed from other hypertext documents by actuating hypertext links in the other hypertext documents. The user interface is further simplified by providing Java Applets, which provide a simple user interface.
157 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of managing a network comprising a plurality of network elements of a plurality of types, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of hypertext documents in a network management station, wherein said plurality of hypertext documents comprise at least one template, each template comprising a dynamic field identifying an information element of interest related to one of the plurality of types; enabling a user to access said network management station using a browser; sending an Applet module and data to said browser, wherein said data is representative of a network map of the plurality of network elements, wherein said browser executes said Applet module to display said network map; receiving an indication of selection of one of the plurality of network elements from said browser, wherein one of the plurality of network elements is selected by the user using said network map; selecting a home page corresponding to one of the plurality of network elements, wherein said home page is comprised in said plurality of hypertext documents, and wherein said home page includes a plurality of hypertext links; enabling the user to access said plurality of hypertext documents by actuating said hypertext links provided in said home page; receiving an identification of a template from said browser in response to said actuation of said hypertext link in one of said plurality of hypertext documents; receiving an identification of one of the plurality of network elements from said browser; assembling a simple network management protocol (SNMP) get packet specifying said information element of interest found in said dynamic field within said template; sending said SNMP get packet to said identified one of the plurality of network elements; receiving data corresponding to said information element of interest; and displaying said template including said received data using said browser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of managing a network comprising a plurality of network elements of a plurality of types, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of hypertext documents in a network management station, wherein said plurality of hypertext documents comprise at least one template, each template comprising a dynamic field identifying an information element of interest related to one of the plurality of types; enabling access of said plurality of hypertext documents from a browser; receiving an identification of a template from said browser in response to an actuation of a hypertext link in one of said plurality of hypertext documents; retrieving data corresponding to said information element of interest from one of the plurality of network elements; and displaying said template including said data. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. The method of step 6, further comprising the steps of:
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providing an Applet module for generating a graphical display of the network; transferring said Applet module to said browser; executing said Applet module on said browser; transferring to said browser a map representative of the plurality of network elements; and displaying said map, wherein the user identifies one of the plurality of network elements by selecting a portion of said map representative of one of the network elements. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of generating hypertext documents used for the management of a plurality of network elements in a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a page specification document, wherein said page specification document includes statements identifying an information element of interest, an identifier for retrieving said information element of interest, and a corresponding label; and translating said page specification document into a plurality of the hypertext documents including a template, wherein said template includes a dynamic field corresponding to said information element of interest. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A network management station for managing a network comprising a plurality of network elements of a plurality of types, the network management station comprising:
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means for accessing a plurality of hypertext documents comprising at least one template, each template comprising a dynamic field identifying an information element of interest related to one of the plurality of types; a front end for communicating with a browser, wherein said front-end sends one of said plurality of hypertext documents to said browser and receives an identification of a template from said browser in response to an actuation of a hypertext link in one of said plurality of hypertext documents, said front-end further receiving an identification of one of the plurality of network elements; a backend for communicating with each of the plurality of network elements; and a core for causing said backend to retrieve data corresponding to said information element of interest from said identified one of the plurality of network elements, said core incorporating said retrieved data into said template and then causing said front-end to send said template to said browser, wherein said browser displays said template including said data in response to receiving said template. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer program product for use with a computer system comprising a host processor, a main memory, a graphics controller, and a display unit, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to enable a designer to provide a page specification document, wherein said page specification document includes statements identifying an information element of interest, an identifier for retrieving said information element of interest, and a corresponding label; and a computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to translate said page specification document into a plurality of hypertext documents including a template, wherein said template includes a dynamic field corresponding to said information element of interest.
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32. A computer program product for use with a computer system comprising a host processor, a main memory, a graphics controller, and a display unit, the computer system being used to manage a plurality of network elements of a plurality of types, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to access a plurality of hypertext documents comprising at least one template, each template comprising a dynamic field identifying an information element of interest related to one of the plurality of types; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to communicate with a browser, wherein a front-end sends one of said plurality of hypertext documents to said browser and receives an identification of a template from said browser in response to an actuation of a hypertext link in one of said plurality of hypertext documents, the computer system further receiving an identification of one of the plurality of network elements; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to communicate with each of the plurality of network elements; and a computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to retrieve data corresponding to said information element of interest from said identified one of the plurality of network elements, the computer system incorporating said data into said template and then sending said template to said browser, wherein said browser displays said template including said data in response to receiving said template. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of managing error conditions in a network comprising a plurality of network elements, said method comprising the steps of:
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configuring one of the plurality of the network elements to send indications of the error conditions to a network management station; implementing a daemon to receive said indications of the error conditions; enabling access to said network management station from a browser; sending one or more Applets to said browser, wherein said Applets when executed provide an interface to display the error conditions; and sending data representative of the error conditions from said daemon to said executing Applets to display the error conditions to a user of said browser. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification