Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-15
2001-09-18
Geckil, Mehmet B. (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292829
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to networked computing devices and more particularly to a method of network management and a network management device including a database suitable for use with two network management protocols.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Network interconnected computing devices often allow for the remote management of the devices across the network. Physically distant devices can thus monitor and provision the operation of other devices.
Typically, management information is stored at one or more management devices interconnected with the network. The management information is stored within persistent computer memory in a database known as a management information base (“MIB”). Interconnected devices use known protocols to allow remote management of the network, typically by accessing the MIB of a management device. The MIB may store information about the names, status, and availability of network resources. Similarly, alteration of the MIB will cause the management device to change the availability and operation of existing network resources.
Many network devices, for example, support open management interfaces defined by the Simple Network Management Protocol, (“SNMP”) as detailed in RFCs 1155, 1157, 1212, 1213, 1595, 1406, 1407 1450, 1573, 1595, 1695 and 2328, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Others support a newer network management protocol as defined in the Common Management Information Protocol (“CMIP”), detailed in the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) Recommendations X.710, X.711, X.712, X.720, X.721, X.722, X.723, X.724, X.725, X.730, X.731, X.732, X.733, X.735, X.736, X.737, X.738, X.739, X.740, X.741, I.751, M.3100, and X.744, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Devices that support the SNMP communicate using messages known as SNMP Protocol Data Units (“PDU”s), exchanged over the network. An SNMP protocol stack is used to encode and decode each SNMP PDU. After processing a request PDU, a response is encoded using the same stack to form a response PDU that is sent over the network. Devices that support the CMIP similarly communicate using CMIP PDUs. A CMIP stack is used to encode and decode CMIP PDUs. Decoded CMIP and SNMP PDUs each contain operations and associated parameters.
The extent to which the CMIP and SNMP are supported by a particular management device is typically contained in user documentation accompanying the device. Remote users can thus access the MIB of an existing device using documented CMIP or SNMP PDUs.
Architecturally, the SNMP is quite dissimilar from the CMIP. The former is an internet based protocol, and thus typically relies on an internet protocol (“IP”) suite, and IP (either TCP/IP or UDP/IP) packets. The latter is hierarchical, object oriented, adheres to an open systems interconnection management standard, and does not rely on IP packets.
SNMP operations are best suited to operate on management data stored in a two dimensional relational database, as for example, detailed in RFC 1213. Thus, SNMP is utilized in association with a two dimensional relational MIB. CMIP, on the other hand, is an object oriented protocol and thus is best suited to operate on an object oriented MIB. Although structured differently, both relational and object oriented MIBs contain similar network management information. In view of the different design approaches of SNMP and CMIP and the differences in associated MIB structures, decoded SNMP and CMIP PDUs contain different operations and parameters relating to the associated MIBs.
As SNMP and, more recently, CMIP have become widely accepted, some devices support both protocols. Most of these devices incorporate both a CMIP and SNMP stack
Several solutions enabling support of both CMIP and SNMP are known.
Some devices map information in a CMIP suitable, object oriented MIB to a relational MIB. As will be appreciated, mapping an object oriented MIB to a relational MIB is typically difficult.
Other devices use an SNMP to CMIP gateway, as suggested in Longer, M. “Entwurf und Implimentierung eines CMIP/SNMP Gateways”, Diplomarbeit, Institut für Informatik der Technischen Universität München, November 1996. Using such a gateway, an SNMP stack receives an SNMP PDU; decodes it; passes it to the gateway that converts the SNMP operation and parameters into an equivalent CMIP PDU; and passes the CMIP PDU to a CMIP stack for processing. The resulting CMIP response is passed through the CMIP stack to form a response CMIP PDU that is passed through the gateway to produces an SNMP compliant response that is then passed to the SNMP stack. As will be appreciated, this takes time, as each SNMP PDU must pass through two stacks and a gateway.
Yet other devices maintain two separate MIBs. One is relational, suited for use with SNMP management operations, while the other is object oriented, and suited for use with CMIP management operations. Maintaining two databases, however, requires extra storage capacity and is computationally complex as both MIBs must remain synchronized.
Accordingly, the present invention offers a further method and interface allowing support of the two distinct network management protocols.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention, to provide a network management device that allows network management using two network protocols and a single MIB.
Advantageously, this MIB is object oriented.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided an object oriented management information base, for implementation by a computing device in an object oriented framework comprising: a) a root object comprising: i) attributes identifying a managed object class used to at least partially define the information base and possibly containing information corresponding to information contained in a relational database; ii) functions to access the attributes; and b) a plurality of managed objects, each the managed object defined by a managed object class, each of the managed objects comprising: i) management information attributes; ii) a mapping schema, mapping the management information attributes to attributes of the relational database.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of applying an SNMP network management operation to an object oriented management information base, comprising a root object and a plurality of managed objects. The method comprises the steps of: a) decoding the SNMP network management operation to obtain first, second and third parameters; b) using the first parameter to query the root object of the object oriented management information base to identify a class of corresponding managed object; c) using the second parameter to identify an instance of the identified class of managed object; d) using the third parameter to identify an attribute of the instance; e) translating the SNMP operation to an object oriented operation; and f) applying the object oriented operation to the identified instance and attribute of the class.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a network management device, for communication with a digital computer network. The network management device comprises: a processor; memory in communication with the processor; the memory containing a) an object oriented management information base comprises: I. a root object comprising: (i) attributes identifying a managed object class used to at least partially define the information base and possibly containing information corresponding to information contained in a relational database; (ii) functions to access the attributes; II. a plurality of managed objects, each the of the managed objects comprising: (i) management information attributes; (ii) a mapping schema, mapping the management information attributes to attributes of the relational database b) an SNMP stack for receiving SNMP PDUs from the network interface; c) an SNMP interface for operating on the object oriented management information base, as requir
Huang Rick
Williams Barry
Geckil Mehmet B.
Nortel Networks Limited
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