Centralized management in a computer network

In a computer network having a plurality of nodes interconnected by a plurality of communications links an improved method for managing said network comprising the steps of:

• (a) partitioning the network into a plurality of Focal Point and a plurality of Non-Focal Point nodes, with each Focal Point node assigned to provide management services to a selected group of Non-Focal Point nodes;
• (b) at each Focal Point node, maintaining a sphere of control (SOC) table that includes the names of the Non-Focal Point nodes which are being serviced by that Focal Point node;
• (c) at each Non-Focal Point node, maintaining a Focal Point authorization table that includes indicia that identifies Focal Point nodes and the type of management services that the nodes provide;
• (d) generating and sending a Focal Point node to active Non-Focal Point nodes a "Request to be Your Focal Point" message;
• (e) for selected ones of Non-Focal Point node receiving the message of step (d), responding with an "Accept Request" message only if a Non-Focal Point node determines that the Focal Point node is its servicing node;
• and
• (f) thereafter, said selected ones of Non-Focal Point node generating and sending to the Focal Point node information messages.

In a communications network having a plurality of network nodes interconnected by a plurality of communications links an improved method for exchanging selected information between network nodes comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting at least one network node as a control node;
• (b) maintaining in said one control node a list of network nodes which are being controlled by said control node;
• (c) maintaining in said one control node a topology data base which indicates changes in said network;
• (d) monitoring in said one control node the list of network nodes and the topology data base;
• and
• (e) as a network node becomes active node, issuing a "Request to be Your Focal Point" message to said active node.

An improved method for managing a computer network including a plurality of nodes interconnected by a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) partitioning the network into at least one Focal Point (FP) node and a plurality of Non-Focal Point (NFP) nodes;
• (b) at the Focal Point node, maintaining a sphere of control (SOC) table that includes a listing of names of the Non-Focal Point nodes and a set of Management Service (MS) keys identifying services provided by the Focal Point node;
• (c) at each Non-Focal Point node, maintaining a Focal Point authorization table with said Focal Point authorization table at least containing indicia which identifies the Focal Point node and Management Service keys;
• (d) generating and sending from the Focal Point node to active Non-Focal Point nodes a "Request to be Your Focal Point" message;
• (e) for selected ones of Non-Focal Point nodes receiving the message of step (d) responding with an "Accept Request" message only if a Non-Focal Point node ascertains that the Focal Point node is its primary focal point node or if the node lacks a focal point for specified Management Service keys;
• and
• thereafter said selected ones of Non-Focal Point nodes, generating and forwarding informational messages with the specified Management Service keys to the Focal Point node.

In a computer network having a plurality of computer nodes interconnected by communications links an improved apparatus for managing said network comprising:

• at least one of the computer nodes providing management services to selected ones of said computer nodes;
• said at least one of the computer nodes including a storage means with a topology data base (TDB) table containing information about structures or activities of said computer nodes or a Focal Point management services table listing the selected ones of said computer nodes or codes representative of management services provided by said one computer node;
• and
• a control means located in said one computer node for monitoring said topology data base table or the Focal Point management services table and as the selected ones of said nodes become active, generate and transmit a "Request to be Your Focal Point" message to said nodes.