US 6,490,617 B1 · Active self discovery of devices that participate in a network

Abstract

An active self discovery system and method for a network. The network includes a management server having a corresponding server address and one or more managed devices. The management server includes a management database that is used to store management information and corresponding network addresses for each of the managed devices. Each managed device includes an active discovery agent that initiates management by sending its management information and network address to the management server. The managed device sends its management information upon initialization or anytime after the device becomes active on the network. Also, the managed device sends updated management information to the management server if and when the management information changes. Such changes include any status or configuration changes of the managed device or a new network address if the device's address is dynamically changed. Communication may be according to HTTP, where the management information is sent using HTTP post transactions. The HTTP post transactions may comprise HTML forms field formatted data and/or a tagged entity body with a MIME descriptor.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A network management active self discovery system for a network, comprising:

a management server, for coupling to the network and having a corresponding server address, that includes a management database that is used to store management information and corresponding network addresses received from the network;
and
at least one managed device, for coupling to the network, that includes an active discovery agent which initiates its management by the management server by sending management information including its network address via the network using the server address, wherein the management server further comprises:
a network interface for coupling to the network;
and
a back end module coupled to the network interface and the management database that processes management information and network addresses received by the network interface into the management database, wherein the back end module further comprises:
a transaction file;
a first module coupled to the network interface that transfers management information and addresses into the transaction file as received;
and
a second module that processes management information and addresses from the transaction file into the management database.

7 more elements

A method of active self discovery of devices of a network that includes at least one managed device and a management server, comprising steps of

providing a managed device with a server address corresponding to the management server;
formulating, by the managed device, management information and a network address corresponding to the managed device into a management package;
and
sending, by the managed device, the management package to the management server using the server address to initiate management of the managed device by the management server;
processing, by the management server, any management packages received via the network into a management database, wherein said processing further comprises steps of:
transferring, by the management server, any management packages received via the network into an intermediate file;
and
processing by the management server, any management packages written to the intermediate file into the management database.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Active self discovery of devices that participate in a network

Life of this patent

Active self discovery of devices that participate in a network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16