Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Distributed data processing – Client/server
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-27
2003-07-01
Vu, Viet D. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Distributed data processing
Client/server
Reexamination Certificate
active
06587869
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network management system for managing a network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, apparatus and computer program for allowing management of a network by use of network equipment, being managed on the network by a network management system, by preferentially displaying partial information related to the network equipment that is required for network management on the network equipment.
Generally, a network management system for collecting management information from each of plural network equipment existing in a network and storing the management information in the network management system is used for managing a network. Information required for network management including the collected management information is displayed by the network management system. Particularly, the network management information being displayed includes a configuration of the network being managed in the form of a map in which the network is schematically shown.
A network is divided into hierarchies such as geographical classification, management classification and detailed information and is displayed in the form of a map having a plurality of hierarchical levels as described on pages 60 to 65 in “Hewlet-Packard Journal”, April 1990. Such is performed so that a management operator can readily grasp a large-scale complicated network configuration at an instant. A technique for changing displayed contents of a configuration according to a management operator in consideration of a case that a network management system is used by plural managers is disclosed in Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 7-312596. A technique for enabling an arbitrary computer except a network management system, to access the same contents as contents displayed by the network management system utilizing a web browser is disclosed on pages 38 and 39 in “Nikkei Computer” November 11 Appendix 1996 as a type of network management in the environment of an Internet/intranetwork. However, in such a technique, a web browser which can access only one screen at a time cannot access plural maps simultaneously when, for example, in case a network management system displays a map for each hierarchy level. Thus, there is a problem that the display of a network configuration using a web browser is difficult to grasp. The utilization of a web browser allows network equipment which is managed by a network management system, to access the same contents displayed by the network management system and to execute network management.
For a user who executes network management via network equipment which is managed by a network management system may be either an end user or a management operator. However, an end user often requires partial information related to the managed network equipment being used of information required for network management. Similarly, a management operator may also require partial information related to the managed networks equipment being used. Such partial information is not supplied. Thus, a user who uses managed equipment is required to find the partial information related to the managed equipment being used. That is, the user must find partial information corresponding to the same contents as that displayed by a network management system. However, as the information volume of contents displayed by a network management system is enormous, the operation to find such partial information is very burdensome.
In conventional apparatus disclosed in Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 7-312596, only a change in the displayed contents performed by a management operator at, for example, a network management system which manages network equipment on a network are effected. Thus, when a management operator executes network management via a managed network equipment on the network the contents of the display are not changed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to enable preferentially displaying partial information, related to network equipment being managed on the network by a network management system, equipment of information required for network management when network management is to be executed on the network equipment.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network which is managed by a network management system. The network management system collects management information from each of a plurality of network equipment existing in the network and stores the management information collected from the plural network equipment. Network management of the network can be accomplished in response to a request from one of the network equipment by accessing the network management system and causing the network management system to transfer a program for managing the network to the network equipment requesting network management. The network equipment requesting network management informs the network management system of identification information for identifying the network equipment using the transferred program. The network management system then transfers partial information related to the network equipment as indicated by the identification information. The partial information includes information required for network management by the network equipment. The network equipment then displays the transferred partial information.
According to the present invention since partial information related to the network equipment requesting network management is transferred from the network management system to the network equipment and displayed on the network equipment, a user is not required to find partial information related to the network equipment being used. Therefore, the user can immediately execute network management.
If a browser has been installed in the network equipment and a program for managing a network has not been installed in the network equipment, then the network equipment can still effect management of the network according to the present invention. In the present invention the network equipment displays partial information obtained by a program for managing a network transferred from a network management system. Thus, a user can execute network management via the network equipment utilizing the browser. Therefore, the present invention provides a network management tool that can be installed in a network management system.
It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented using a computer program written in the JAVA programming language (JAVA is a trademark of Sun Microsystems Inc.) or the ACTIVE X programming language (ACTIVE X is a trademark of Microsoft Inc.). The ACTIVE X programming language is similar in operation to the JAVA programming language. In the present invention the program transferred from the network management system to the network equipment requesting network management can be written in the form of an “Applet” which causes the display of the partial information on the network equipment. An Applet is a special program transferable on a network that can be executed in the receiving computer. The Applet is activated when transferred from the network management system to the network equipment.
A first embodiment of the present invention provides a network management tool that can be installed in a network management system for collecting management information from each of a plurality of network equipment connected to a network, storing the management information therein and displaying the configuration of the network in the form of a plurality of hierarchically arranged maps. The network management system includes a display program which is activated when it is transferred to a network equipment. The display program, which can be an Applet in the JAVA or ACTIVE X programming languages, causes the display of information required for network management on a network equipment requesting network management of the network. The network management system also includes a transfer program for transferring the display prog
Hirata Toshiaki
Miyazaki Satoshi
Morisada Tomohiro
Sato Toshio
Sugauchi Kiminori
Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Hitachi , Ltd.
Vu Viet D.
LandOfFree
Information providing system having a network terminal and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Information providing system having a network terminal and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information providing system having a network terminal and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3109379