Method and apparatus for managing data for use by data applications

• US 6,651,062 B2
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aprisma Management Technologies
• Inventors: Lewis, Lundy M., Ghannam, Jeff, Loomis, Todd A., Datta, Utpal
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US09/386,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100-104, 707/1-10, 707/200-204, 709/223, 709/226, 709/246, 705/3.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method is provided for managing information. Information is aggregated from multiple data sources into a data warehouse wherein the information can be provided to software applications. Disparate information from multiple sources is processed and stored in the data warehouse. Processing may include filtering, collation, compression, and mapping information into database fields of the warehouse. In one aspect, information stored in the warehouse may be network management data.

Claims

1. A system for consolidating information generated by a plurality of management systems, at least one of the plurality of management systems is a network management system for managing at least one network device having a network address, the system comprising:

a data manager that receives data from the plurality of management systems including the network management system managing the network device and consolidates the data into a data warehouse, the data manager comprising;

an interface for receiving the data from each of the plurality of management systems including the network management system; and

a database accessor responsive to the interface to store the data received from each of the plurality of management systems including the network management system in the data warehouse to create a repository of consolidated data from the plurality of management systems including the network management systems managing the network device, the repository providing consolidated data to an application executing on an electronic device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface includes a component for receiving the data from each of the plurality of management systems and for filtering the data received from more than one source.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of management systems is a network management system.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the database accessor utilizes a standard database interface to one or more proprietary data warehouses.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface includes a component that is configured to push data to the database accessor at a specified interval.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface includes a component that is configured to poll one or more systems for obtaining data and provides the data to the database accessor.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the one or more systems are network management systems.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the network management systems store different types of management information.

9. A method performed in an electronic device for consolidating information generated by a plurality of management systems, at least one of the plurality of management systems is a network management system for managing at least one network entity addressable by a network, the method comprising steps of:

receiving data from at least the network management system for managing the network entity addressable by the network;

determining a proper format for the data received from the network management system for managing the network entity addressable by the network and from the data received from each of the plurality of management systems, the format being suitable for a selected data warehouse; and

storing the properly formatted data in the data warehouse to provide a repository of consolidated data from the plurality of management systems and the network management system accessible to an application operating on an electronic device.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of deleting duplicate data received from more than one management system.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of management systems is a network management system.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the step of using a standard database interface to access the data warehouse.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of pushing data for storage in the data warehouse at a specified interval.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of polling at least one of the plurality of management systems to obtain management information and providing the management information for storage in the data warehouse.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the one or more systems are network management systems.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the network management systems store different types of management information.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to manage information generated by a plurality of network management systems managing a plurality of network entities addressable by a network, the computer program being adapted to cause the computer system to perform the steps of:

accepting information from each of the plurality of network management systems managing the plurality network entities addressable by a network;

accessing a data warehouse to store the accepted information; and

storing the accepted information in the data warehouse to maintain a repository of consolidated information accessible to an electronic device executing a program for processing the accepted information.

18. An apparatus for storing information collected by one or more network management systems, each of the one or more network management systems manage at least one network device associated with a medium access control (MAC) address, the apparatus comprising:

a data manager responsive to each of the network management systems for managing the storing and consolidating of the information collected from each of the network devices associated with the MAC address by the one or more network management systems in a data warehouse, said data manager comprising;

a storage manager for interfacing with the data warehouse and for passing the information collected from each of the network devices associated with the MAC address by the one or more network management systems to the data warehouse for storage; and

an interface for receiving and consolidating the information collected from each of the network devices associated with the MAC address by each of the network management systems and passing the information to the storage manager, the interface further providing an application executing on an electronic device access the information collected.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interface includes a component for allowing each of the network management systems to push the information to the data manager.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interface includes a component for polling each of the network management systems to request the each of the network management systems to pass the collected information that is suitable for storage in the data warehouse.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interface includes a component that is configured to push data to the storage manager at a specified interval.

22. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the data manager is capable of filtering the information received from each of the network management systems to remove duplicative information.

23. In an electronic device, a method for storing data collected by one or more network management systems that manage one or more network entities addressable by a network, the method, comprising the steps of:

receiving data collected by at least one of the network management systems from one of the network entities addressable by a network for consolidation into a data warehouse;

processing the received data collected from the network entity to remove at least redundant data; and

storing the processed data in the storage warehouse to provide a consolidated and filtered repository of data collected from the one or more network entities addressable by a network, the repository being accessible by an electronic device executing a program for further manipulation of the consolidated and filtered data.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of, polling at least one of the network management systems for the data collected.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of, pushing a portion of the processed data to the storage warehouse.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the interface includes a component that is configured to push data to the storage manager at a specified interval.

27. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of, compressing the processed data.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the network entity comprises a switch.