Electrical computers and digital processing systems: interprogra – Interprogram communication using message – Object oriented message
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-22
2004-07-27
An, Meng-Al T. (Department: 2126)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: interprogra
Interprogram communication using message
Object oriented message
C711S105000, C711S111000, C711S112000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06769124
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to data processing. The invention relates more specifically to a mechanism that enables and manages persistence properties of objects. A computer program listing appendix was submitted on computer disk. A computer program listing appendix was submitted on compact disk.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Computer networks have become ubiquitous in the home, office, and industrial environment. As computer networks have grown ever more complex, automated mechanisms for organizing and managing the networks have emerged. These mechanisms are generally implemented in the form of one or more computer programs, and are generically known as network management systems or applications.
FIG. 1
is a simplified diagram of a network
100
that is managed by a network management station
10
. The network
100
comprises one or more network devices
102
, such as switches, routers, bridges, gateways, and other devices. Each network device
102
is coupled to another network device
102
, or to one or more end stations
120
. Each end station
120
is a terminal node of the network
100
at which some type of work is carried out. For example, an end station
120
is a workstation, a printer, a server, or similar device.
Each network device
102
executes a network-oriented operating system
110
. An example of a network-oriented operating system is the Internetworking Operating System (IOS) commercially available from Cisco Systems, Inc. Each network device
102
also executes one or more applications
112
under control of the operating system
102
. The operating system
102
supervises operation of the applications
112
and communicates over network connections
104
using an agreed-upon network communication protocol, such as Simplified Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
Each device
102
stores information about its current configuration, and other information, in a Management Information Base (MIB)
114
. Information in the MIB
114
is organized in one or more MIB variables. The network management station
10
can send fetch and set commands to the device
102
in order to retrieve or set values of MIB variables. Examples of MIB variables include SysObjectID or SysOID.
Preferably the network management station
10
is a general-purpose computer system of the type shown and described further herein in connection with FIG.
10
. The network management station
10
executes one or more software components that carry out the functions shown in block diagram form in FIG.
1
. For example, the network management station
10
executes a basic input/output system (BIOS)
20
that controls and governs interaction of upper logical layers of the software components with hardware of the network management station. An example of a suitable BIOS is the Phoenix ROM BIOS. The network management station
10
also executes an operating system
30
that supervises and controls operation of upper-level application programs. An example of a suitable operating system is the Microsoft Windows NT® operating system.
The network management station
10
executes an asynchronous network interface
50
or ANI under control of the operating system
30
. The ANI
50
provides an interface to the network
100
and communicates with the network using SNMP or another agreed-upon protocol. The ANI
50
provides numerous low-level services and functions for use by higher-level applications.
The network management station
10
executes a network management system
40
that interacts with a database
60
containing information about the managed network
100
. The network management system
40
is an example of a network management application. Using a network management application, a manager can monitor and control network components. For example, a network management application enables a manager to interrogate devices such as host computers, routers, switches, and bridges to determine their status, and to obtain statistics about the networks to which they attach. The network management application also enables a manager to control such devices by changing routes and configuring network interfaces. Examples network management applications are CiscoWorks, CiscoWorks for Switched Internetworks (CWSI), and CiscoView, each of which is commercially available from Cisco Systems, Inc.
In these and a variety of other information-processing contexts, it is useful to have a persistent record of the state of a particular physical object. For example, in a computer program that manages devices in a computer network, it is useful to have persistent records of the state of managed objects in the network. In this context, “managed object” means a switch, router, user comment, etc. “Persistent” means recorded in consistent copies in a primary store and a non-volatile secondary store, such that the copy in the secondary store is recoverable after a failure of the primary store or a failure of the power supply of the secondary store. The persistent records enable the network management system to be restored after a failure, and make information about the network available externally.
Generally, the state of a particular physical object is stored in a data structure that is created and used by an application program. Object-oriented programming languages have become increasingly popular recently and are now the dominant mechanism used for professional software development and deployment. Java® is an example of an object-oriented programming language.
In a network management system that is implemented as an object-oriented application program, information about managed objects is stored in one or more programmatic objects. An example of an element of a network management system is the Asynchronous Network Interface (ANI) system that forms a part of the CiscoWorks for Switched Internetworks (CWSI) system commercially offered by Cisco Systems, Inc. ANI queries a computer network, discovers a device in the network such as a router or switch, loads information from the device and retains the information in its store. If there is a failure of ANI or its host computer, it is desirable upon restarting ANI to have a record of the information that has been discovered, changes that have been made, and other information. To retain such a record, the programmatic objects that form ANI must be stored externally in some manner.
In past approaches, the persistent records have been stored in some kind of standard database that is capable of organizing the information for both storage and retrieval. Traditionally, such storage is defined using a declarative database language, a procedural language that maps program objects representing managed objects to definitions of corresponding database objects, and a procedural language to perform actual storage and retrieval of database objects. Generally, the storage and retrieval operations are explicitly scheduled by the writer of the program that uses the database.
This approach has several disadvantages. In particular, there is a need to coordinate the external definitions of the data store with the internal program definitions that map to the external definitions.
Further, there is a need to create new external definitions when the program changes.
There is also a need to create upgrade mechanisms when the external representation changes.
There is a need to coordinate the release of new application program functions with code that updates the database definitions.
Another disadvantage is that prior approaches do not accommodate Java® language programs. Thus, there is also a need to provide an object persistence mechanism that is compatible with the Java® language.
Still another disadvantage of prior approaches is that they store objects themselves in an object-oriented store such as an object-oriented database. Examples for object-oriented databases are Gemstone, Versant, and ObjectStore. Also, current object-relational databases are unfamiliar to many end users and application programmers. Further, many object-oriented stores are not considered stable o
Schleimer Stephen I.
Schoening Charles B.
Smith, Jr. Richard J.
An Meng-Al T.
Anya Charles
Cisco Technology Inc.
Hickman Palermo & Truong & Becker LLP
LandOfFree
Persistent storage of information objects does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Persistent storage of information objects, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Persistent storage of information objects will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3188166