Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-12-11
Etienne, Ario (Department: 2155)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C709S224000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330601
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communication network management system. The novel system is particularly useful for integrating two or more network management systems working together in a client/server manner to provide an integrated view of a multi-layer, multi-technology network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Management functions (visualizing, monitoring, configuring, etc.) for multi-level networks using state-of-the-art communication network management systems is performed by a separate management system for each level of the network. That is, present network management systems do not manage multiple levels of a network. For example, the data network level (e.g. IP, Ethernet) is managed by systems such as HP OpenView™ or Cabletron Spectrum™ while transport network level (e.g., SONET, ATM or SDH) are managed by other technology-specific management systems.
The problem lies in the fact that a network administrator managing a data network which has, for example, SONET as its backbone, either cannot manage the backbone or has to use two different management systems to do so. A data management system may show a single link between two routers when in fact there may be an entire SONET network. It is therefore not presently possible to tell how the two networks are integrated and what the entire topology is, and therefore not possible to manage both networks through the same system.
Thus, there exists a need in the industry to provide an integrated system for managing multi-level communication networks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a novel interface module that permits a network management system to represent different logical levels in a communication system. For instance, one logical level of the communication system could be the transport network while another logical level is the data network.
In a preferred embodiment, the interface module is implemented on a general purpose computing device including a processor, memory and a mass storage device. Functionally, the interface includes:
a) an input allowing data to be exchanged between the interface module and a transport network management system;
b) an output allowing data to be exchanged between the interface module and a data network management system; and
c) conversion functional block that accepts as input the data received from the first interface, effects the necessary translation and passes the data to the output;
In a specific example, the transport network may be a SONET network and the transport management system uses a CORBA protocol. Thus, the interface module is designed to accept CORBA based communication messages. The data network management system uses the Simple Management Protocol (SNMP). The conversion functional block receives the CORBA based messages and translates them into the SNMP format. The conversion functional block operates in conjunction with a Management Information Base (MIB) which contains a model of and information about the transport network, and is accessible to the data network management system via the output of the interface module.
Thus the interface module, with the SNMP interface (agent) and MIB, appears to the data network management system like any other data device with an SNMP interface in the data network, and allows the transport network that the interface module is representing to be managed like any other data device in the data network.
The interface module may optionally include filtering capabilities to ignore events and conditions in the data management network that should not be displayed or available on the data network management system, in the case of the transport network customer. This feature can be implemented by using a configuration file in the interface module specifying the events and conditions to monitor and those to disregard.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5680552 (1997-10-01), Netravali et al.
patent: 6085234 (2000-07-01), Pitts et al.
patent: 6145001 (2000-11-01), Scholl et al.
French Carolyn Anne
Goyer Pierre
Etienne Ario
Nortel Networks Limited
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