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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. A network management gateway device comprising:
a. means for receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a
Web server, through the Internet, using a Web server CGI, the request
comprising a request selected from the group comprising: configuration
management, fault management, performance management, accounting
management, security management, help desk, customer service and support,
software distribution, product information distribution, and trouble
ticket and reporting;
b. means for parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit
device, a Web client request into at least one network management request
(NMR), electronically communicating with the means for receiving a Web
client request;
c. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a
managed network, which is one of a plurality of incompatible managed
networks;
d. means for forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy
agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
e. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
the local managed information database, if the information is available
from the database;
f. means for forwarding the NMR to the managed network via access
protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
g. means for receiving network management information transmissions in
response to NMR's;
h. storing network management information received in the local managed
information database;
i. means for converting network management information transmissions, in
real-time, into HTML documents, electronically communicating with the
means for parsing and the means for transmitting each NMR and the means
for receiving network management information; and
j. means for transmitting HTML documents to the Web client, through the Web
server, through the Internet, further comprising means for formatting for
output.
2. A network management gateway device comprising:
a. means for receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a
Web server;
b. means for parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit
device, a Web client request into at least one network management request
(NMR), electronically communicating with the means for receiving a Web
client request;
c. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a
managed network;
d. means for forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy
agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
e. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
the local managed information database, if the information is available
from the database;
f. means for forwarding the NMR to the managed network via access
protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
g. means for receiving network management information transmissions in
response to NMR;
h. storing network management information received in the local managed
information database;
i. means for converting network management information transmissions, in
real-time, into HTML documents, electronically communicating with the
means for parsing and translating and the means for transmitting each NMR
and the means for receiving network management information; and
j. means for forwarding HTML documents to the Web client, through a Web
server.
3. The device in claim 2, the means for receiving a Web client request
comprising:
a. means for receiving a communication from a Web server through the
Internet, using a Web server CGI.
4. The device in claim 2, where:
a. the local managed information database is resident on the same hardware
platform as the Web server and uses a hard disk, a CD-ROM, or other memory
device, and
b. the managed network is one of a plurality of incompatible managed
networks.
5. The device in claim 2, the means for forwarding HTML documents further
comprising:
a. means for formatting for output.
6. The device in claim 2, where the Web client request comprises:
a request selected from the group comprising: configuration management,
fault management, performance management, accounting management, security
management, help desk, customer service and support, software
distribution, product information distribution, and trouble ticket and
reporting.
7. A network management gateway method comprising:
a. receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a Web server,
through the Internet, using a Web server CGI, the request comprising a
request selected from the group comprising: configuration management,
fault management, performance management, accounting management, security
management, help desk, customer service and support, software
distribution, product information distribution, and trouble ticket and
reporting;
b. parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit device a
Web client request into at least one network management request (NMR);
c. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from a local
managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a managed
network which is one of a plurality of incompatible managed networks,
where the local managed information database is resident on the same
hardware platform as the Web server and uses a hard disk, a CD-ROM, or
other memory device;
d. forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy agent, if
the NMR relates to the managed network;
e. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from the local
managed information database, if the information is available from the
database;
f. transmitting the NMR to the managed network via access protocols, if the
information is not available from the database;
g. receiving network management information transmissions in response to
NMR's;
h. storing network management information received in the local managed
information database;
i. converting network management information transmissions, in real-time,
into HTML documents; and
j. forwarding HTML documents to the Web client, through the Web server,
through the Internet, further comprising formatting for output.
8. A network management gateway method comprising:
a. receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a Web server;
b. parsing and translating with a programmed device, or a circuit device, a
Web client request into at least one network management request (NMR);
c. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from a local
managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a managed
network;
d. forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy agent, if
the NMR relates to the managed network;
e. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from the local
managed information database, if the information is available from the
database;
f. transmitting the NMR to the managed network via access protocols, if the
information is not available from the database;
g. receiving network management information transmissions in response to
NMR's,
h. storing network management information received in the local managed
information database;
i. converting network management information transmissions, in real-time,
into HTML documents; and
j. forwarding the HTML documents to the Web client, through a Web server.
9. The method in claim 8, where receiving a web client request comprises:
a. receiving a communication from a web server through the Internet, using
a web server CGI.
10. The method in claim 8, where:
a. the local managed information database is resident on the same hardware
platform as the Web server and uses a hard disk, a CD-ROM, or other memory
device, and
b. the managed network is one of a plurality of incompatible managed
networks.
11. The method in claim 8, where forwarding the HTML documents further
comprises:
a. formatting for output.
12. The method in claim 8, where the Web client request comprises:
a. a request selected from the group comprising: configuration management,
fault management, performance management, accounting management, security
management, help desk, customer service and support, software
distribution, product information distribution, and trouble ticket and
reporting.
13. A machine readable memory medium, encoded with data representing a
network management gateway computer program, that can be used to direct a
computer when used by the computer, comprising:
a. means for receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a
Web server, through the Internet, using a Web server CGI, the request
comprising a request selected from the group comprising: configuration
management, fault management, performance management, accounting
management, security management, help desk, customer service and support,
software distribution, product information distribution, and trouble
ticket and reporting;
b. means for parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit
device, a Web client request into at least one network management request
(NMR), electronically communicating with the means for receiving a Web
client request;
c. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a
managed network, which is one of a plurality of incompatible managed
networks;
d. means for forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy
agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
e. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
the local managed information database, if the information is available
from the database;
f. means for forwarding the NMR to the managed network via access
protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
g. means for receiving network management information transmissions in
response to NMR's;
h. storing network management information received in the local managed
information database;
i. means for converting network management information transmissions, in
real-time, into HTML documents, electronically communicating with the
means for parsing and the means for transmitting each NMR and the means
for receiving network management information; and
j. means for transmitting HTML documents to the Web client, through the Web
server, through the Internet, further comprising means for formatting for
output.
14. A machine readable memory medium, encoded with data representing a
network management gateway computer program, that can be used to direct a
computer when used by the computer, comprising:
a. means for receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a
Web server;
b. means for parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit
device, a Web client request into at least one network management request
(NMR), electronically communicating with the means for receiving a Web
client request;
c. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a
managed network;
d. means for forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy
agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
e. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from
the local managed information database, if the information is available
from the database;
f. means for forwarding the NMR to the managed network via access
protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
g. means for receiving network management information transmissions in
response to NMR's;
h. storing network management information received in the local managed
information database;
i. means for converting network management information transmissions, in
real-time, into HTML documents, electronically communicating with the
means for parsing and translating and the means for transmitting each NMR
and the means for receiving network management information; and
j. means for forwarding HTML documents to the Web client, through a Web
server.
15. The article of manufacture in claim 14, the means for receiving a Web
client request comprising:
a. means for receiving a communication from a Web server through the
Internet, using a Web server CGI.
16. The article of manufacture in claim 14, where:
a. the local managed information database is resident on the same hardware
platform as the Web server and uses a hard disk, a CD-ROM, or other memory
device, and
b. the managed network is one of a plurality of incompatible managed
networks.
17. The article of manufacture in claim 14, the means for forwarding HTML
documents further comprising:
a. means for formatting for output.
18. The article of manufacture in claim 14, where the Web client request
comprises:
a. a request selected frown the group comprising: configuration management,
fault management, performance management, accounting management, security
management, help desk, customer service and support, software
distribution, product information distribution, and trouble ticket and
reporting. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention is in the field of network management and information
processing systems and methods. The present invention involves software
programs and hardware. The present invention is for finding, processing,
reformatting and transmitting information on the Internet and other
communications networks in a variety of formats. More specifically, the
present invention provides network management of a network or multiple
networks, using a Web client, and includes multimedia and hypermedia
capability. One embodiment of the present invention is a software product
for a programmed computer that communicates with a Web server on the
Internet and serves as a "manager of managers" for a variety of other
networks and managed devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
2.1 The Net and the Web
The Internet is a global network of computers and computer networks (the
"Net"). The Internet connects computers that use a variety of different
operating systems or languages, including UNIX, DOS, Windows, Macintosh,
and others. To facilitate and permit communication among these various
systems and languages, the Internet uses a language referred to as TCP/IP
("Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol"). TCP/IP protocol
supports three basic applications on the Internet: transmitting and
receiving electronic mail, logging into remote computers (the "Telnet"),
and transferring files and programs from one computer to another ("FTP" or
"File Transfer Protocol").
With the increasing size and complexity of the Internet, tools have been
developed to help find information on the network, often called navigators
or navigation systems. Navigation systems that have been developed include
Archie, Gopher, and WAIS. The World Wide Web ("WWW" or "the Web") is a
recent superior navigation system. The Web is an Internet-based navigation
system, an information distribution and management system for the
Internet, and a dynamic format for communications on the Web. The Web
seamlessly, for the user, integrates different formats of information,
including still images, text, audio, and video. A user on the Web using a
"graphical user interface" (a "GUI," pronounced "gooey") may transparently
communicate with different host computers on the system, and different
system applications (including FTP and Telnet), and different information
formats for files and documents including, for example, text, sound and
graphics.
The Web uses hypertext and hypermedia. Hypertext is a subset of hypermedia
and refers to computer-based "documents" in which readers move from one
place to another in a document, or to another document, in a non-linear
manner. To do this, the Web uses a client-server architecture, and the
computers that maintain Web information are Web servers. The Web servers
enable the user to access hypertext and hypermedia information through the
Web and the user's computer. (The user's computer is referred to as a
client computer of the Web server computers.) The clients send requests to
the servers, which react, search and respond. The Web allows client
application software to request and receive hypermedia documents
(including formatted text, audio, video and graphics) with hypertext link
capabilities to other hypermedia documents, from a Web file server.
The Web, then, can be viewed as a collection of document files residing on
Web host computers that are interconnected by hyperlinks using networking
protocols, forming a virtual "web" that spans the Internet.
Each Web page that appears on client monitors of the Web may appear as a
complex document that integrates, for example, text, images, sounds, and
animations. Each such page may also contain hyperlinks to other Web
documents so that a user at the client computer using a mouse may click on
icons and activate hyperlink jumps to a new page (which is a graphical
representation of another document file) on the same or a different Web
server.
A Web server is a software program on a Web host computer that answers
requests from Web clients, typically over the Internet. All Web servers
use a language or protocol to communicate with Web clients which is called
HyperText Transfer Protocol "HTTP"). All types of data can be exchanged
among Web servers and clients using this protocol, including HyperText
Markup Language ("HTML"), graphics, sound, and video. HTML describes the
layout, contents and hyperlinks of the documents and pages. Web clients,
when browsing, convert user specified commands into HTTP GET requests,
connect to the appropriate Web server, issue the command to the Web server
to get information, and wait for a response. The response from the server
can be the requested document or an error message.
After the document or error message is returned, the connection between the
Web client and the Web server is closed. HTTP is a stateless protocol.
That is, with HTTP, there is no continuous connection between each client
and each server. The Web client using HTTP receives a response as HTML
data or other data. After receipt, the Web client formats and presents the
data or activates an ancillary application such as a sound player to
present the data. To do this, the server or the client determines the
various types of data received.
A Web server can log activity information regarding Web client requests for
information. For each such client request, a Web server can record the
Internet address of the client, the time, and the information requested.
Web servers can also protect certain files from non-authenticated users.
2.2 Gateways
Also, Web servers can forward client requests for data, that neither the
Web client nor the Web server can access directly, to applications called
gateways. Using gateways, a Web server can support data types and
resources, and access information outside of the Internet. These data
types and resources accessed through gateways may not have been conceived
of when the Web was created, and may not be part of the Internet.
In the process to use a gateway, the Web client collects data and
formulates a request, using HTTP, and transmits the request to the Web
server with the name of the gateway program to be executed. The server
then communicates with the gateway. The gateway reformats the request, if
necessary, and transmits it to an information server to be accessed
through the gateway. The gateway receives back a response from the
information server and reformats that response, if necessary, as an HTML
document, which is delivered to the Web server. The Web server forwards
the response to the Web client.
A gateway is a way for two software applications to communicate with each
other. A gateway allows for communications between two networks that use
different protocols, or which use the same protocols but do not otherwise
communicate. For example, a gateway may, in effect, translate between two
network protocols. For example, if one network uses TCP/IP, but a user
wishes to communicate with another network that may use another protocol
such as Novell, DECnet, SNA, or any of over a dozen leading brands of
network protocols, then a gateway may convert the traffic back and forth
from one set of protocols to the other, as the first network communicates
with the second network.
Gateways tend to be specific to particular protocols used on particular
networks, and also tend to be specific to the application in question.
This is because, for example, the way to convert electronic mail in one
network protocol, to a second network protocol, may be quite different
from the way that a remote terminal session (that is, a Telnet session) on
one network protocol is to be converted to the second network protocol.
Conventional gateways, then, are usually for a specific application from
one specific network protocol to another specific network protocol. Hence,
conventional gateways are specific to the hardware platform of the two
networks, the communication protocols of the two platforms, and specific
applications being run.
A conventional gateway may be embodied as a software application that is
resident on a Web server host, or as a software application resident on a
device separate from a Web host. In the latter case, the gateway may
communicate with the Web host through the Internet, or directly by other
means. Examples of conventional gateways include Gopher, and FTP.
A network manager is a software application or device that manages a
network and which provides various management services, including
communication through the managed network and with the managed objects of
the network, graphic interface with the network, and other services.
Examples of existing network managers include HP OpenView, Sun NetManager,
and IBM NetView.
Conventionally, for a Web client request that requires a gateway, the user
invokes the name of the gateway. The Web server then identifies the
gateway required, accesses the gateway application through the Internet or
otherwise, and transfers the necessary request information to the gateway.
The gateway then executes its function in response to the specific
request. In this process, the Common Gateway Interface ("CGI")
specifications are typically used.
2.3 Managing Networks
Historically, as computing and data communications requirements became more
complex, companies began selecting individual items of hardware and
software that best met their needs, regardless of vendor. Since each
vendor's equipment generally used proprietary network management hardware
and software, many companies now find themselves with a diverse assortment
of incompatible networks and network management resources. Although
standardization of network management protocols in the prior art, such as
SNMP, help in managing multi-vendor network configurations, the user
interfaces still vary quite widely in the prior art when dealing with
multi-vendor network situations. No one prior art user interface or
network manager can serve across most multi-vendor configurations.
To address this problem implementors have developed the concept of "manager
of network managers" or "manager of managers" ("MOM") whereby one system
would provide a common interface for multiple managed networks.
Unfortunately there is no standard for the MOM, and no MOM has previously
been provided that would provide network management by a Web browser,
remotely through the Web, from a Web client.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has several objects. It is an object of the present
invention to provide network management of a network or multiple networks,
using a Web client, and including multimedia and hypermedia capability. It
is an object of the present invention to process requests from Web clients
forwarded by Web servers to the present invention, and to interact with
other communication systems and networks, and their associated managed
objects, to obtain information from the managed systems and communicate
that information back to the Web client in response to the request. It is
an object of the present invention to provide a "manager of managers"
capability for networks, acting remotely through the Web. It is an object
of the present invention to provide a common Web GUI for network
management, whether remote through the Web, or local.
The present invention for the first time permits a Web client,
communicating through a Web server, to perform network management. If more
than one network is managed through the Web, then a manager of managers
function is provided. If the Web is used to manage one or more networks,
then the management is done remotely. If the management is not done
through the Web but is provided locally, then the same common Web
interface is provided to the user, as when remote management is provided
through the Web. This for the first time provides such a common Web
interface for network management.
The present invention receives requests from a Web client forwarded by a
Web server and interacts with the managed networks and their associated
objects to obtain information. The present invention then converts this
information in real time to hypermedia document format in HTTP and HTML,
and transmits this information to the Web client via the Web server,
appearing to the client as if the information received were a Web file ab
initio. This permits a Web user to manage multiple networks and access
multiple networks via a single Web client. The Web client does not need to
inform the Web server of the name of each gateway program necessary.
The present invention for the first time provides a unified, remote,
graphical, transparent interface for Web users, using a Web client, to a
variety of managed networks. The present invention provides a standard
interface for network management and communications. The present invention
is platform-independent, using readily available client software. The
present invention uses standard protocols and provides hypermedia support.
The present invention for the first time provides a network management
system operating through the Web, or with a Web user interface, with a
centralized point of control over an entire multi-vendor network or
networks. In the present invention, communication flows between the
central network management system and the systems that manage individual
network devices and objects, so that a local and central management system
provides a common user interface and common means for monitoring and
controlling devices on a network.
By providing a network management gateway function to the Web, the present
invention makes any commercially available Web client into a powerful
remote network management station providing world-wide access via the
Internet. The present invention solves the problem of providing a standard
network management interface that is independent of the system being
managed, and provides a solution of the "manager of managers" problem so
that a user can manage multiple remote networks via a single Web client.
With the present invention, the Web client presents the user interface to
the Web user and allows for simultaneous access into different managed
networks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention may be better understood with reference to the
detailed description of the preferred embodiment, in conjunction with the
following figures. In the figures, like numerals denote identical
elements.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the architecture of the traditional Web
client/server operation.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the network architecture of the traditional Web
client/server operation using a gateway application.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the network architecture of the present
invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the network management gateway system concept
of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the network management gateway method of the
current invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention can be embodied as a software application resident on
a Web server, or a software application resident on a separate
programmable device that communicates with a Web server through the
Internet, or as a software application resident on a programmable device,
or as software on a tangible computer-useable memory medium, or otherwise.
Embodiments comprising software applications resident on programmable
devices are preferred. As is the case with all software applications, the
present invention can be embodied as hardware with specific circuits,
although these circuit embodiments are not now preferred because of their
cost, lack of flexibility, and expense of modification.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the architecture of the traditional Web
client/server operation. A Web client 1 supports a user interface 2, which
is a graphical user interface (a "GUI"). A Web client 1 formulates a
request for information in HTTP and transmits it by the Internet (or by
another network using Internet protocols) to a Web server 3. The Web
server 3 forwards the request on the Internet (not shown), or the request
is forwarded in the host computer if the request is to be serviced
locally. The Web server 3 receives a response in HTTP, or formulates a
response in HTTP, and forwards the response in HTTP to the Web client 1.
The Web client 1 then generates an HTML, graphics, sounds, or video
display and presents the response through its user interface 2.
FIG. 2 shows the architecture of the traditional Web client/server
operation using a gateway application. Any of the many and increasing
number of Web clients 1, using a GUI 2, formulates a request for
information in HTTP and transmits it by the Internet (or by another
network using Internet protocols) to any one of the many Web servers 3.
The Web server 3 recognizes the request as one to be forwarded to the
appropriate gateway 4, and forwards the request directly or indirectly to
the appropriate gateway 4. The gateway 4 routes the request to the
appropriate Internet resource (not shown), first making any necessary
changes in the communication protocol used. Requests handled in this
manner may include, for example, Gopher requests, FTP requests, or
database queries. The Internet resource (not shown) then formulates a
response and returns the response to the gateway 4 in the same protocol.
The gateway 4 forwards the response in HTTP to the server 3, which
forwards it to the client 1. The client 1 then generates an HTML,
graphics, sound, or video display on the user interface 2, or another form
of presentation of the information to the user. The common gateway
interface "CGI") specification is often used to define a standard
interface for gateway programs to interface with Web servers.
FIG. 3 shows the network architecture for the present invention 5 when used
for remote network manager of manager functions through the Web. A
conventional Web client 1, supporting a GUI 2, makes a request for
information to a Web server 3 using HTTP, through the Internet (or through
another network using Internet protocols). The Web server 3 recognizes
that the information to be retrieved pursuant to the request must be
obtained by the present invention 5, the network management gateway 5
("NMG"), and the Web server 3 forwards the request to the present
invention 5, communicating through the Internet or otherwise. The present
invention 5 parses and translates the request, converts the request into
the appropriate network management service requests, and forwards each
request to the appropriate managed network 6 using the appropriate
communication protocol (for example, TCP/IP, frame relay, CDPD, or others)
for each managed network 6, through the appropriate Internet (or other)
network access 7. The processed requests are transmitted through the
appropriate network management system 9, to the managed network elements
8, on the appropriate managed network 6. Examples of managed networks
include SNNP-based networks, CMIP-based networks, SNA-based networks,
Ethernet LANs consisting of routers, hubs, and workstations, ATM-based
equipment, SONET-based equipment, and cellular telephony systems. Access
to additional managed networks can be added to the present invention as
they are developed, or as interest in them develops.
Information in response to each network management service request is
received from the appropriate network management system 9 of each managed
network 6 by the present invention 5, through the appropriate Internet (or
other) network access 7.
The present invention 5 converts dynamically in real time each such
response into HTML document files (that is, HTML files that are built "on
the fly") and transmits them to the requesting Web server 3. The Web
server 3 then returns the HTML files to the requesting Web client 1, where
the information is then displayed on the user interface 2, or otherwise
presented to the user. The presentation may include text, graphics, sound,
and video.
FIG. 4 shows the internal structure of the present invention 5 when used in
the Internet (or other network) as a remote manager of managers. Network
management services are provided by the NMG 5 by software modules 11 for,
for example, network configuration management, fault management,
performance management, accounting management, and security management.
These software modules may include such functions as providing a help
desk, customer service and support, software distribution, product
information distribution, trouble ticket and reporting, and other
functions.
Incoming HTTP requests from the Web server 3 are processed by the Web
server CGI 13 resident in the NMG 5, and transmitted to the parser 18 in
the parser/formatter 12. The parser 18 parses and translates the Web
client requests into network management requests ("NMRs") which are
communicated to the network management service modules 11 for processing.
The modules 11 may transmit the NMRs to the Management Information Base
("MIB") 14, or the network management proxy agents 15, as appropriate. The
MIB 14 is a database of managed networks 6, and managed objects 8. The MIB
14 is maintained locally within the NMG 5, and communicates with the
network management proxy agents 15. The MIB 14 contains a database of
information regarding the managed networks 6 and information regarding the
network management gateway 5.
The network management proxy agents 15 contain a network proxy 19 for each
managed network 6. The agents 19 include network specific protocols and
managers such as, for example: SNMP, CMIP, and proprietary protocols, or
others.
The proxy agents 19 communicate with the network access protocols 16. There
is an appropriate network protocol 20 to access each managed network 6.
The access mode may be WAN, LAN, dial-up, wireless, or others. The
protocols may be, for example: TCP/IP, SLIP, PPP, OSI, Frame Relay,
proprietary, or others.
The appropriate data is then collected in response by the managed network 6
and objects 8, and then sent to the network access means 7. From there the
responses are transferred to the present invention 5, which converts the
network management information in real-time, on the fly, to HTML documents
using the service modules 11. The present invention receives the
information through the network access protocols 16, and the proxy agents
15, and transmits it to the service modules 11, and/or the MIB 14. The
service modules 11 process the information, converting the information in
real-time on the fly into HTML documents, which are then formatted for
output by the output formatter 17 in the parser/formatter 12. The
documents are then processed by the CGI 13 and passed to a Web server 3,
and then to the client 1 through the Internet, or otherwise.
In the preferred embodiment, the NMG is a software application running on a
hardware platform, and the various elements in FIG. 4 are component
software elements running on the hardware platform.
FIG. 5 shows the network management gateway system concept of the present
invention. Web clients 1 communicate through the Internet to Web servers
3. The servers 3 communicate to the present invention 5, through the
Internet, or otherwise. The present invention 5 parses and translates the
client 1 requests into a number of NMRs, converts each NMR to the
appropriate protocol, and transmits each NMR through the Internet or
otherwise to the appropriate managed network 6. The managed network 6
develops a response, and transmits the response back to the present
invention 5, the NMG, arriving as a real-time HTML document at the client
1, as described in more detail above regarding FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the network management gateway method of the
current invention. The first step of the method is to receive 21 a Web
client request from a Web client, through a Web server. Then, the Web
client request is parsed and translated 22 with a programmable device, or
a circuit device, into at least one network management request ("NMR").
The NMR is analyzed 23 as to whether processing the NMR requires
interaction with one or more managed networks. If not, the NMR is
processed locally 24; and if so, the NMR is forwarded to an appropriate
network management proxy agent 25. After the forwarding step 25, the
network management proxy agent determines whether the information i | | |
