Method and system for detecting changes in a network using simple network management protocol polling

A method comprising:

• generating, at a network device, a plurality of first-level management information base (MIB) groups;
• generating a plurality of subsets of MIB object instances, wherein each subset in the plurality of subsets includes a number of MIB object instances that is less than all MIB object instances in the network device;
• for each MIB group in the plurality of first-level MIB groups, populating the MIB group with identifiers corresponding to MIB object instances that are included in one selected subset in the plurality of subsets, wherein each MIB group in the plurality of first-level MIB groups is associated with a different subset in the plurality of subsets;
• generating, at the network device, a second-level MIB group, wherein the second-level MIB group includes the plurality of first-level MIB groups;
• receiving, from a network management server (NMS), a request for information associated with MIB object instances included in the network device;
• responsive to receiving the request, determining, for each first-level MIB group, whether changes are made to the MIB object instances for which corresponding identifiers are included in the first-level MIB group;
• based on a determination of a change in at least one MIB object instance associated with a particular first-level MIB group, modifying an existing aggregate change identifier (ACID for the particular first-level MIB group, wherein an ACI is a checksum computed using configuration values of the MIB object instances corresponding to identifiers included in the associated first-level MIB group;
• computing a first updated ACI for the particular first-level MIB group, wherein the first updated ACI is an incremental checksum that is computed using the existing ACI that is modified;
• computing a second updated ACI for the second-level MIB group, wherein the second updated ACI is computed based on the first updated ACI for the particular first-level MIB group, and existing ACIs for remaining first-level MIB groups;
• and
• sending the second updated ACI to the NMS.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium including a plurality of instructions for execution by at least one processor, the plurality of instructions when executed cause the at least one processor to perform operations including:

• generating, at a network device, a plurality of first-level management information base (MIB) groups;
• generating a plurality of subsets of MIB object instances, wherein each subset in the plurality of subsets includes a number of MIB object instances that is less than all MIB object instances in the network device;
• for each MIB group in the plurality of first-level MIB groups, populating the MIB group with identifiers corresponding to MIB object instances that are included in one selected subset in the plurality of subsets, wherein each MIB group in the plurality of first-level MIB groups is associated with a different subset in the plurality of subsets;
• generating, at the network device, a second-level MIB group, wherein the second-level MIB group includes the plurality of first-level MIB groups;
• receiving, from a network management server (NMS), a request for information associated with MIB object instances included in the network device;
• responsive to receiving the request, determining, for each first-level MIB group, whether changes are made to the MIB object instances for which corresponding identifiers are included in the first-level MIB group;
• based on a determination of a change in at least one MIB object instance associated with a particular first-level MIB group, modifying an existing ACI for the particular first-level MIB group, wherein an ACI is a checksum computed using configuration values of the MIB object instances corresponding to identifiers included in the associated first-level MIB group;
• computing a first updated aggregate change identifier (ACI) for the particular first-level MIB group, wherein the first updated ACI is an incremental checksum that is computed using the existing ACI that is modified;
• computing a second updated ACI for the second-level MIB group, wherein the second updated ACI is computed based on the first updated ACI for the particular first-level MIB group, and existing ACIs for remaining first-level MIB groups;
• and
• sending the second updated ACI to the NMS.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing a plurality of instructions for execution by the processor, the plurality of instructions when executed cause the processor to perform operations including:
• generating a plurality of first-level management information base (MIB) groups;
• generating a plurality of subsets of MIB object instances, wherein each subset in the plurality of subsets includes a number of MIB object instances that is less than all MIB object instances in the network device;
• for each MIB group in the plurality of first-level MIB groups, populating the MIB group with identifiers corresponding to MIB object instances that are included in one selected subset in the plurality of subsets, wherein each MIB group in the plurality of
• first-level MIB groups is associated with a different subset in the plurality of subsets;
• generating a second-level MIB group, wherein the second-level MIB group includes the plurality of first-level MIB groups;
• receiving from a network device a request for information associated with MIB object instances;
• responsive to receiving the request, determining, for each first-level MIB group, whether changes are made to the MIB object instances for which corresponding identifiers are included in the first-level MIB group;
• based on a determination of a change in at least one MIB object instance associated with a particular first-level MIB group, modifying an existing ACI for the particular first-level MIB group, wherein an aggregate change identifier (ACI) is a checksum computed using configuration values of the MIB object instances corresponding to identifiers included in the associated first-level MIB group;
• computing a first updated ACI for the particular first-level MIB group, wherein the first updated ACI is an incremental checksum that is computed using the existing ACI that is modified;
• computing a second updated ACI for the second-level MIB group, wherein the second updated ACI is computed based on the first updated ACI for the particular first-level MIB group, and existing ACIs for remaining first-level MIB groups;
• and
• sending the second updated ACI to the network device.