Network management discovery tool

An apparatus for discovering network paths between network devices in a distance-vector network, the apparatus comprising:

• an object server configured to provide a node model of network devices in the distance vector network including a network address of first network device;
• the object server further configured to query the first device for routing information using the network address;
• the object server further configured to identify a second network address corresponding to a second network device and to identify a path from the first network device to the second network device based on the routing information;
• the object server further configured to map the first and second network devices and the path between the first and second network devices in the node model;
• and
• the object server further configured to query the second network device for subsequent routing information to identify and map subsequent devices and paths.

A computer program product for discovering network paths between network devices in a distance-vector network, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer-usable medium having a computer-usable program code embodied therein, the computer-usable program code comprising:
• computer-usable program code for providing a node model of network devices in the distance-vector network including a network address of first network device;
• computer-usable program code for querying the first network device for routing information using the network address;
• computer-usable program code for identifying a second network address corresponding to a second network device and further identifying a path from the first network device to the second network device based on the routing information;
• computer-usable program code for mapping, in the node model, the first and the second network devices and the path therebetween;
• and
• computer-usable program code for querying the second network device for subsequent routing information to identify and map subsequent devices and paths.