Network management gateway

A network management gateway device comprising:

• a. means for receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a Web server;
• b. means for parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit device, a Web client request into at least one network management request (NMR), electronically communicating with the means for receiving a Web client request;
• c. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a managed network;
• d. means for forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
• e. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from the local managed information database, if the information is available from the database;
• f. means for forwarding the NMR to the managed network via access protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
• g. means for receiving network management information transmissions in response to NMR;
• h. storing network management information received in the local managed information database;
• i. means for converting network management information transmissions, in real-time, into HTML documents, electronically communicating with the means for parsing and translating and the means for transmitting each NMR and the means for receiving network management information;
• and
• j. means for forwarding HTML documents to the Web client, through a Web server.

A network management gateway method comprising:

• a. receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a Web server, through the Internet, using a Web server CGI, the request comprising a request selected from the group comprising:
• configuration management, fault management, performance management, accounting management, security management, help desk, customer service and support, software distribution, product information distribution, and trouble ticket and reporting;
• b. parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit device a Web client request into at least one network management request (NMR);
• c. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a managed network which is one of a plurality of incompatible managed networks, where the local managed information database is resident on the same hardware platform as the Web server and uses a hard disk, a CD-ROM, or other memory device;
• d. forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
• e. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from the local managed information database, if the information is available from the database;
• f. transmitting the NMR to the managed network via access protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
• g. receiving network management information transmissions in response to NMR's;
• h. storing network management information received in the local managed information database;
• i. converting network management information transmissions, in real-time, into HTML documents;
• and
• j. forwarding HTML documents to the Web client, through the Web server, through the Internet, further comprising formatting for output.

A network management gateway method comprising:

• a. receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a Web server;
• b. parsing and translating with a programmed device, or a circuit device, a Web client request into at least one network management request (NMR);
• c. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a managed network;
• d. forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
• e. processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from the local managed information database, if the information is available from the database;
• f. transmitting the NMR to the managed network via access protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
• g. receiving network management information transmissions in response to NMR's,
• h. storing network management information received in the local managed information database;
• i. converting network management information transmissions, in real-time, into HTML documents;
• and
• j. forwarding the HTML documents to the Web client, through a Web server.

A machine readable memory medium, encoded with data representing a network management gateway computer program, that can be used to direct a computer when used by the computer, comprising:

• a. means for receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a Web server, through the Internet, using a Web server CGI, the request comprising a request selected from the group comprising:
• configuration management, fault management, performance management, accounting management, security management, help desk, customer service and support, software distribution, product information distribution, and trouble ticket and reporting;
• b. means for parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit device, a Web client request into at least one network management request (NMR), electronically communicating with the means for receiving a Web client request;
• c. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a managed network, which is one of a plurality of incompatible managed networks;
• d. means for forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
• e. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from the local managed information database, if the information is available from the database;
• f. means for forwarding the NMR to the managed network via access protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
• g. means for receiving network management information transmissions in response to NMR's;
• h. storing network management information received in the local managed information database;
• i. means for converting network management information transmissions, in real-time, into HTML documents, electronically communicating with the means for parsing and the means for transmitting each NMR and the means for receiving network management information;
• and
• j. means for transmitting HTML documents to the Web client, through the Web server, through the Internet, further comprising means for formatting for output.

A machine readable memory medium, encoded with data representing a network management gateway computer program, that can be used to direct a computer when used by the computer, comprising:

• a. means for receiving a Web client request from a Web client, through a Web server;
• b. means for parsing and translating with a programmed device or a circuit device, a Web client request into at least one network management request (NMR), electronically communicating with the means for receiving a Web client request;
• c. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from a local managed information database, if the NMR is not related to a managed network;
• d. means for forwarding the NMR to the appropriate network management proxy agent, if the NMR relates to the managed network;
• e. means for processing the NMR locally to obtain information directly from the local managed information database, if the information is available from the database;
• f. means for forwarding the NMR to the managed network via access protocols, if the information is not available from the database;
• g. means for receiving network management information transmissions in response to NMR's;
• h. storing network management information received in the local managed information database;
• i. means for converting network management information transmissions, in real-time, into HTML documents, electronically communicating with the means for parsing and translating and the means for transmitting each NMR and the means for receiving network management information;
• and
• j. means for forwarding HTML documents to the Web client, through a Web server.