Configuration manager for network devices and an associated method for providing configuration information thereto

What is claimed is:

1. For a computer system having a processor subsystem and a memory subsystem coupled by a system bus for bi-directional exchanges therebetween, a configuration manager for configuring a network device remotely coupled thereto, said configuration manager comprising:

at least one configuration script stored in said memory subsystem, said configuration script containing a series of executable instructions for constructing a configuration file and a bootptab file for a first specified type network device, said configuration script including at least a first section containing a series of configuration commands which generate requests for information, and a second section containing a set of connection rules for connecting said first specified type of network device to at least one other specified type of network device, and where said second section of said configuration script includes at least (i) an identifier for each connection interface of said first specified type of network device and (ii) a list of network device types that can be connected to the connection interface associated therewith, said list being provided for each of said identifiers;

a first software module, executable by said processor subsystem, for constructing a configuration file suitable for upload to a network device of said first specified type and a bootptab file suitable for identifying said network device, said first software module constructing said configuration file and said bootptab file by executing said series of executable instructions contained in said configuration script; and

a second software module, executable by said processor subsystem, for processing a configuration request issued by said network device by identifying said network device using said constructed bootptab file and configuring said network device by uploading said constructed configuration file thereto.

2. A configuration manager for configuring a network device remotely coupled thereto according to claim 1 wherein information received by said first software module in response to said requests for information is used to construct said configuration file and said bootptab file.

3. A configuration manager for configuring a network device remotely coupled thereto according to claim 1 and wherein said second section of said configuration script further comprises:

a first portion which uniquely identifies said network device; and

a second portion which identifies devices installed in said network device.

4. A configuration manager for configuring a network device remotely coupled thereto according to claim 3 and wherein said first section of said configuration script further comprises:

a first portion corresponding to each of said at least one other specified type of network device specified in said connection rules contained in said second section of said configuration script;

said first portion containing a subset of said series of configuration commands which are executed only if said network device for which said configuration file is being constructed is connected to a network device of said other specified type of network device.

5. A computer-implemented method for configuring a remotely located network device, comprising the steps of:

providing a configuration script containing a series of executable instructions for constructing a configuration file for a first specified type of network device, said configuration script including a first section containing a series of configuration commands and a second section containing a set of connection rules for connecting said first specified type of network device to at least one other specified type of network device, and where said second section of said configuration script includes at least (i) an identifier for each connection interface of said first specified type of network device and (ii) a list of network device types that can be connected to the connection interface associated therewith, said list being provided for each of said identifiers;

constructing a configuration file by executing said series of instructions contained in said configuration script;

detecting a request for configuration issued by a network device;

determining if said configuration file corresponds to said network device issuing said request for configuration;

if said configuration file corresponds to said network device, issuing a reply to said request for configuration that identifies said configuration file to said network device; and

issuing said configuration file to said network device in response to a request for configuration file which identifies said configuration file.

6. A computer-implemented method for configuring a remotely located network device according to claim 5 and further comprising the steps of:

generating requests for information by executing said series of configuration commands contained in said first section of said configuration script; and

constructing said configuration file using information received in response to said requests for information.

7. A computer-implemented method for configuring a remotely located network device according to claim 6 and further comprising the steps of:

constructing a bootptab file which contains a unique identifier and said configuration file for said network device.

8. A computer-implemented method for configuring a remotely located network device according to claim 7 wherein the step of determining if said configuration file corresponds to said network device issuing said request for configuration further comprises the steps of:

determining if said network device issuing said request for configuration has an identification code which matches an identification code contained in said bootptab file; and

determining if devices installed in said network device issuing said request for configuration matches installed devices identified in said bootptab file.

9. A computer-implemented method for configuring a remotely located network device according to claim 5 wherein the step of providing a configuration script containing a series of executable instructions further comprises the step of:

providing a configuration script which includes, within said second section, a first portion corresponding to each of said at least one other specified type of network device specified in said connection rules contained in said second section of said configuration script;

each said first portion containing a subset of said series of configuration commands.

10. A computer-implemented method for configuring a remotely located network device according to claim 9 and further comprising the step of:

executing said subset of said series of configuration commands contained in each said first portion only if said network device for which said configuration file is being constructed is connected to a network device of said other specified type of network device.

11. For a computer system having a processor subsystem and a memory subsystem coupled by a system bus for bidirectional exchanges therebetween, an apparatus for constructing configuration files for network devices, comprising:

a plurality of configuration scripts for various different types of network devices, said configuration scripts being stored in said memory subsystem, and each of the configuration scripts being used to construct a configuration file and a bootptab file, the bootptab files being constructed are used to assist with remote configuration of network devices including at least one connection statement for each connection port of the associated one of the network devices, the connection statements included in said configuration scripts comprise connection rules that specify permissible connections between the ports of the various different types of network devices and other of the network devices, the connection rules include an identifier for the associated port and a list of network devices that are permitted to connect to the associated port;

first computer program code for enabling selection of a particular one of the various different types of network devices; and

second computer program code for executing the one of said configuration scripts associated with the particular one of the various different types of network devices to produce a configuration file and a bootptab file for the particular one of the various different types of network devices.

12. An apparatus for constructing a configuration files for network devices according to claim 11, wherein the configuration scripts includes at least one connection statement for each connection port of the associated one of the network devices, and a series of commands, the series of commands associated with a particular one of said configuration scripts are executed by said second computer program when said second computer program code executes the particular one of said configuration scripts.

13. An apparatus for constructing a configuration files for network devices according to claim 12, wherein said apparatus further comprises:

third computer program code for uploading said configuration file to a network device of the particular one of the various different types of network devices.

14. An apparatus for constructing a configuration files for network devices according to claim 12, wherein the executing of the one of said configuration scripts by said second computer program code prompts a user of said apparatus to enter information, and the entered information is used by said second computer program code in producing the configuration file.

15. For a computer system having a processor subsystem and a memory subsystem coupled by a system bus for bidirectional exchanges therebetween, an apparatus for constructing configuration files for network devices, comprising:

a plurality of configuration scripts for various different types of network devices, said configuration scripts being stored in said memory subsystem, and each of the configuration scripts being used to construct a configuration file and a bootptab file, the bootptab files being constructed are used to assist with remote configuration of network devices including at least one connection statement for each connection port of the associated one of the network devices;

first computer program code for enabling selection of a particular one of the various different types of network devices;

second computer program code for executing the one of said configuration scripts associated with the particular one of the various different types of network devices to produce a configuration file and a bootptab file for the particular one of the various different types of network devices;

third computer program code for detecting a request for configuration issued by a connecting network device;

fourth computer program code for determining if a configuration file already exists for the network device based on the bootptab file associated with the connecting network device issuing the request for configuration; and

fifth computer program code for issuing a reply to the request for configuration that identifies the appropriate configuration file for the network device when said fourth computer program code determines that the configuration file already exists for the connecting network device; and

sixth computer program code for directing execution of at least a portion of said second computer code to produce a configuration file and then issuing the produced configuration file to the connecting network device when said fourth computer program code determines that the configuration file does not exist for the connecting network device.

16. An apparatus for constructing a configuration files for network devices according to claim 15, wherein the configuration scripts includes at least one connection statement for each connection port of the associated one of the network devices.

17. An apparatus for constructing a configuration files for network devices according to claim 16, wherein each of the configuration scripts further includes a series of commands, and

wherein the series of commands associated with a particular one of said configuration scripts are executed by said second computer program when said second computer program code executes the particular one of said configuration scripts.

18. An apparatus for constructing a configuration files for network devices according to claim 17,

wherein dialog screens for the user to input information are produced when said second computer program code executes the one of said configuration scripts associated with the particular one of the various different types of network devices, and the dialog screens prompt the user to enter the input information, and the input information that the user enters is used by said second computer program in producing the configuration file.

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A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/603,061, filed on even date herewith, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GUIDED CONFIGURATION OF UNCONFIGURED NETWORK AND INTERNETWORK DEVICES", assigned to the Assignee of the present application and hereby incorporated by reference as if reproduced in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This application generally relates to computer networks and internetworks and, more particularly, to a configuration manager which, from a central location, provides configuration information to remote devices included in a computer network or internetwork.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally speaking, a network is a collection of user devices, generally classified as data terminal equipment (or "DTE"), interconnected for bi-directional exchanges of information. For example, visual displays, computer systems and office workstations are all electronic devices classified as DTEs. A local area network (or "LAN") is an interconnection of plural computer systems distributed around a single site. A wide area network (or "WAN") is an interconnection of plural computer systems located at different sites. Traditionally, computer systems have used modems to connect to a WAN via the public switched telephone network (or "PSTN") or public switched data network (or "PSDN"). In recent years, WANs which utilize integrated services digital networks (or "ISDNs"), which enable data to be transmitted without modems, to interconnect computer systems have become more common. Finally, an internetwork is a collection of networks interconnected by a WAN.

Devices are initially unconfigured when delivered by the factory. Configuration is a process during which the hardware and software of an unconfigured device is organized and interconnected so that the configured device will be able to perform the tasks desired thereof. As is well appreciated in the art, the wide variety of devices which may be installed on a network, as well as the variety of networks which may be connected to form an internetwork, makes the configuration of networks and internetworks a difficult task which requires highly detailed technical knowledge of the various networks, the protocols used to link with the various networks and the devices to be installed thereon. Thus, configuration of network devices is often one of the most daunting tasks facing a network administrator, particularly for those in charge of small and medium size networks have between 100 and 1,000 nodes. While such networks are relatively complex, their administrators often have only minimal training in internetworking administration and may be unfamiliar with routing technology and/or WAN technology.

For example, data link protocols are used to control access to networks. A LAN typically uses the logical link control (or "LLC") subclass of the high-level data link control (or "HDLC") protocol as its data link protocol. However, an X.25-type packet-switching WAN uses link access procedure, balanced (or "LAPB"), a protocol based on HDLC, as its data link protocol. The data link protocol for an ISDN-type WAN, on the other hand, may either be a connection-orientated protocol known as frame switching or a connectionless protocol known as frame relay.

Even when configuration information is available, further complications problems arise when transporting the configuration information to a network device. For example, in order to communicate with a remotely located network device, a network administrator needs to know where to send the information. However, that knowledge typically resides in the configuration information for the network device. Thus, the network administrator is constrained as to what information may be delivered to the network device until after the device is configured but, until the device is configured, much of the configuration information is undeliverable. While techniques for transporting information to an unconfigured device using a limited amount of configuration information exist, inconsistencies in such information often complicate the task of transferring information using such techniques.

Thus, it can be readily seen from the foregoing that it would be desirable to simplify the task of configuring a remotely located network device. It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a configuration manager and an associated method of configuring a remote network device from a central location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention is of a configuration manager for configuring a network device remotely coupled thereto. The configuration manager includes a configuration script stored in a memory subsystem of a computer system and first and second software modules respectively executable by a processor subsystem of the computer system. The configuration script contains a series of executable instructions for constructing a configuration file and a bootptab file for a first specified type of network device. By executing the instructions contained in the configuration script, the first software module may construct a configuration file suitable for upload to a network device and a bootptab file suitable for identifying the network device. Configuration requests issued by the network device are processed by the second software module by identifying the requesting network device using the constructed bootptab file and configuring the requesting network device by uploading the constructed configuration file thereto.

In one aspect of this embodiment of the invention, the configuration script includes a first section which contains a series of configuration commands which generate requests for information such that information received by the first software module in response to the requests for information is used to construct the configuration and bootptab files. In another aspect of this embodiment of the invention, the configuration script includes a second section which contains a set of connection rules for connecting the first specified type of network device to at least one other specified type of network device.

In a related aspect thereof, the second section of the configuration script includes a first portion which uniquely identifies the network device and a second portion which identifies devices installed in the network device. In another related aspect thereof, the first section of the configuration script includes a first portion which corresponds to each of the at least one other specified type of network device specified in the connection rules contained in the second section of the configuration script. Each such portion contains a subset of the series of configuration commands contained in the first section of the configuration script and each such subset of configuration commands are executed only if the network device for which the configuration file is being constructed is connected to a network device of the other specified type of network device.

In another embodiment, the present invention is of a computer-implemented method for configuring a remotely located network device. A request for configuration issued by a network device is detected. If a previously constructed configuration file corresponds to the network device issuing the request for configuration, a reply which identifies the configuration file is transmitted to the network device. The configuration file is then transmitted to the network device in response to a request for the identified configuration file. The configuration file is constructed using a configuration script containing a series of executable instructions for constructing a configuration file for a first specified type of network device is provided. The configuration file is then constructed by executing the series of instructions contained in the configuration script. In one aspect thereof, the configuration script includes a first section containing a series of configuration commands. Requests for information are issued by executing the series of configuration commands contained in the first section of the configuration script and information received in response to the requests for information is used to construct the configuration file. The information may also be used to construct a bootptab file which, in addition to the configuration file, contains a unique identifier for the network device.

In another aspect of this embodiment of the invention, a determination of whether the configuration file corresponds to the network device issuing the request for configuration is accomplished by determining if the network device issuing the request for configuration has an identification code which matches an identification code contained in the bootptab file and determining if devices installed in the network device issuing the request for configuration match the installed devices identified in the bootptab file.

In yet another aspect of this embodiment of the invention, the provided configuration script may also include a second section containing a set of connection rules for connecting the first specified type of network device to at least one other specified type of network device. Within the second section, a first portion corresponding to each of the at least one other specified type of network device specified in the connection rules contained in the second section of the configuration script may also be provided. Each first portion contains a subset of the series of configuration commands which are executed only if the network device for which the configuration file is being constructed is connected to a network device of the other specified type of network device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1A is a simplified block diagram of a computer system on which a network device configuration tool may be installed;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a network device configuration tool constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a configuration scripts portion of the network device configuration tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is an expanded block diagram of an attributes section of a configuration script of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is an expanded block diagram of a bitmap section of a configuration script of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2D is an expanded block diagram of a bitmap menu section of a configuration script of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2E is an expanded block diagram of a guided configuration section of a configuration script of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a flow chart of a method for guiding configuration of a network device in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a flow chart of a map edit section of the flow chart of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a flow chart of a guided configuration subsection of the flow chart of FIG. 3B;

FIG. 3D is a flow chart of a method for determining whether a pair of network devices are connectable;

FIG. 4 illustrates a configuration manager GUI for constructing a map of configured network devices with a preconstructed network configuration map in a network workspace portion thereof;

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary guided configuration GUI for constructing a configuration script for a network device;

FIG. 6 illustrates a backplane bitmap for a configured network device;

FIG. 7 illustrates the configuration manager GUI of FIG. 4 with a preconstructed network configuration map modified to include newly added and configured devices thereon;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of configuring a remote network device in accordance with another aspect of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a pop-up bootP GUI in which an unconfigured network device is requesting configuration information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIG. 1A, a computer system 2 suitable for installing a network device configuration tool thereon may now be seen. The computer system 2 is comprised of a processor subsystem 4, for example, a type P6 Pentium processor manufactured by Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., coupled to a memory subsystem 6, for example, a hard drive or other auxiliary memory device capable of storing large amounts of data infrequently used by the processor subsystem 4, by a system bus 8, preferably, a 32-bit wide peripheral connection interface (or "PCI") bus. Also coupled to the system bus 8 is a user interface 9. Commonly, the user interface is comprised of three peripheral devices--a video display, a keyboard and a pointing device.

Referring now to FIG. 1B, a network device configuration tool 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention will now be described in greater detail. The network device configuration tool 10 is graphical user interface (or "GUI") based software launchable from a suitable platform installed on the computer system 2. For example, Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51, both manufactured by Microsoft of Redmond, Wash., are suitable platforms from which the network device configuration tool 10 may be launched.

In its broadest sense, the network device configuration tool 10 provides a GUI in which the so-called "drag and drop" process is used to construct a network configuration map comprised of a series of interconnected network devices and/or network entities, for example, a LAN, WAN or other network, from a combination of user inputs, network configuration maps, configuration scripts and local configuration files.

In constructing the network configuration map, a series of local configuration files are constructed for the network devices and appended to the network configuration map. The local configuration files contain information, for example, internet protocol (or "IP") address, default gateway, router name and simplified network management protocol (or "SNMP") community strings, necessary for the network device, for example, a router, to properly communicate on the network.

For each network device for which a local configuration file has been constructed, the network device configuration tool 10 may also construct a network device configuration file suitable for export to the network device itself. In this manner, remote configuration of network devices is enabled.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the network device configuration tool 10 may be representatively illustrated as being comprised of two software modules, map editor 14 and configuration guide 18, both of which are executable by the processor subsystem 4, which retrieve data and programming instructions from various locations within the memory subsystem 8 of the computer system 2 on which the network device configuration tool 10 is installed.

The data and programming instruction are stored in the memory subsystem 6 as a series of files which may be selectively accessed by the map editor 14 and/or the configuration guide 18. Files which are accessible to the map editor 14 and/or the configuration guide 18 are configuration scripts 12, map files 16, local configuration files 20 and network configuration files 22. The configuration scripts 12 identify the types of network devices and network entities which may be placed on the network configuration map and interconnected with other network entities and network devices. The configuration scripts 12 also identify the network devices which are configurable by the network device configuration tool 10 and contain information necessary to construct configuration files for those network devices. If a particular network device does not have a configuration script, a configuration file cannot be constructed by the network device configuration tool 10. The map files 16 contain a series of network configuration maps, each comprised of a series of interconnected network devices and network entities, constructed using the network device configuration tool 10. The local configuration files 20 contain information which, if uploaded to the corresponding network device 26, would enable configuration of that device. If local configuration files 20 are constructed for the network devices illustrated on the network configuration map(s) 16 produced using the network device configuration tool 10, such local configuration files 20 are associated with the corresponding network device such that they may be directly accessed from the network configuration maps 16.

The network configuration files 22 are similar in content to the local configuration files 20 except that the files have been formatted for upload to a network device 26 coupled to the configuration tool in a manner to be more fully described below. Broadly speaking, a local configuration file 20 is modified for upload to the corresponding network device 26 by formatting the local file into the appropriate IP address for the target network device 26. Finally, the network device configuration tool 10 includes a reverse parser 24 coupled to the local configuration files 20 and the network configuration files 22. The reverse parser 24 is used to construct a local configuration file 20 from a network configuration file 22 downloaded to the network configuration tool 10 by the network device 26.

It is contemplated that the network device configuration tool 10 would be installed in the computer system 2 operated by a network administrator and that plural network devices 26 and other network entities, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1B for ease of illustration, would be coupled to the network device configuration tool 10. Utilizing the network device configuration tool 10, the network administrator may build a representative network configuration map for the network. The network administrator may then configure remotely located network devices by uploading configuration files constructed during the process of building the network configuration map to the devices. Thus, by using the network configuration tool, the network administrator can, from a central location, design a suitable configuration network and then configure any number of remotely located devices included in the network.

The network device configuration tool 10 is coupled to the network device 26 by an