Method and apparatus for collecting and displaying network device information

• US 8,019,798 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• 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): Lee; Wilson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Jessica N
• Application Number:
  US11/560,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 707/4, 707/102, 707/100, 707/821, 707/822, 707/827, 717/168, 717/169, 717/171, 717/176
• US Class Current: 707/821
• 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 of generating a device definition file, the method comprising:

determining an object identification associated with a management information base of a network device;

generating query instructions to retrieve response data from the network device using a protocol, the query instructions associated with the object identification, the protocol supporting transfer of data in a plurality of native formats, the response data having a format from the plurality of native formats;

adding, to the query instructions, supplemental data including a description of the response data configured for display in a graphical user-interface and not included in the response data, the supplemental data associated with the object identification;

providing a unit conversion code to the query instructions, the unit conversion code associated with the object identification and configured to convert the response data to a format other than a format from the plurality of native formats;

determining at least one threshold value to compare against at least one portion of the response data, the threshold value being associated with an alarm that is triggered where the at least one portion transgresses the threshold value; and

saving the query instructions, the supplemental data, the at least one threshold value and the unit conversion code in the device definition file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating a description object identification associated with the object identification.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

parsing the management information base associated with the network device to determine the object identification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the query instructions are associated with a static query.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the query instructions are associated with a table query and the object identification is a management information base branch starting position.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the query instructions include a noquery instruction.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein parsing the management information base includes searching for keywords within the management information base.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the object identification includes receiving an object identification from a user via a graphical user-interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the supplemental data to the query instructions includes receiving the supplemental data from a user via a graphical user-interface.

10. A system configured to generate a device definition file, the system comprising:

memory; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to;

determine an object identification associated with a management information base of a network device;

generate query instructions to retrieve response data from the network device using a protocol, the query instructions associated with the object identification, the protocol supporting transfer of data in a plurality of native formats, the response data having a format from the plurality of native formats;

add, to the query instructions, supplemental data including a description of the response data configured for display in a graphical user-interface and not included in the response data, the supplemental data associated with the object identification;

provide a unit conversion code to the query instructions, the unit conversion code associated with the object identification and configured to convert the response data to a format other than a format from the plurality of native formats;

determine at least one threshold value to compare against at least one portion of the response data, the threshold value being associated with an alarm that is triggered where the at least one portion transgresses the threshold value; and

save the query instructions, the supplemental data, the at least one threshold value and the unit conversion code in the device definition file.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to correlate a description object identification associated with the object identification.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to generate query instructions including a static query.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to generate query instructions including a table query.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to generate query instructions including a noquery instruction.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to receive an object identification from a user via a graphical user-interface.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to receive supplemental data from a user via a graphical user-interface.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to parse the management information base associated with the network device to determine the object identification.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to search for keywords within the management information base.