Method and apparatus for sending address in the message for an e-mail notification action to facilitate remote management of network devices

A method for sending an e-mail notification to a user corresponding to the status of at least one network device in a communications network, said method comprising:

• creating at least one notification rule;
• configuring an e-mail notification action to correspond to the at least one notification rule;
• placing at least one variable representing characteristics of the at least one network device into a body of the e-mail notification action;
• monitoring the at least one network device;
• and if the at least one notification rule is satisfied:
• parsing the body of the configured e-mail notification action;
• replacing the at least one variable in the body of the e-mail notification action with an actual value represented by the at least one variable to get the e-mal notification rule, wherein one of the at least one variables symbolizes an address of the at least one network device;
• and
• sending the e-mail notification to the user.

A network management system for notifying a user of the status of at least one network device connected in a communications network, said network management system comprising:

• a management console connected to the communications network wherein the management console monitors the at least one device to determine if at least one notification rule is satisfied;
• a first module within said management console for sending an e-mail message to the user when the at least one notification rule is satisfied;
• a second module for ascertaining the address of the at least one network device satisfying the at least one notification rule;
• and
• a third module for placing the address ascertained by said second module into the e-mail message to be sent by said first module.