System for tracking the history of channel based network devices

An apparatus for determining a history of at least one of a set of network devices coupled to a network, the set of network devices utilizing a channel based protocol, the current status of each of the set of network devices being stored in a registration memory, the apparatus comprising:

• a history memory;
• a status recorder that records, in the history memory at selected times, the current status of the at least one of the set of network devices stored in the registration memory to collect recordings in the history memory that provide a history for the at least one of the set of network devices;
• an input that receives an inquiry message requesting information about the at least one of the set of network devices;
• and
• a reply message generator operatively coupled with the input to receive the inquiry message and responsively generate a reply message, the reply message having device data representing at least one of the current status and history of the at cast one of the set of network devices, the device data being retrieved from the history memory.

A computer program product for use on a computer system for determining the history of at least one of a set of network devices coupled to a network, the set of network devices utilizing a channel based protocol, the current status of each of the set of network devices being stored in a registration memory, computer program product comprising computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:

• program code that maintains a history memory;
• program code that records, in the history memory at selected times, the current status of the at least one of the set of network devices stored in the registration memory to collect recordings in the history memory that provide a history for the at least one of the set of network devices;
• program code that receives an inquiry message requesting information about the at least one of the set of network devices;
• and
• program code that generates a reply message having device data representing at least one of the current status and history of the at least one of the set of network devices, the device data being retrieved from the history memory in response to receipt of the inquiry message.

An apparatus for tracking the history of a given network device coupled to a network, the given network device being a member of a set of network devices that utilize a channel based protocol, the current status of each of the network devices in the set of network devices being stored in a registration memory, the apparatus comprising:

• a history memory;
• a registration memory access module that accesses the registration memory at selected times to determine the current status of the given network device at each selected time;
• and
• a status recorder that records each determined current status in the history memory to collect recordings in the history memory that produce history data for the given network device.

A computer program product for use on a computer system for tracking the history of a given network device coupled to a network, the given network device being a member of a set of network devices that utilize a channel based protocol, the current status of each of the network devices in the set of network devices being stored in a registration memory, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:

• program code that accesses the registration memory at selected times to determine the current status of the given network device at each selected time;
• program code that maintains a history memory;
• and
• program code that records each determined current status in the history memory to collect recordings in the history memory that produce history data for the given network device.

A method of determining the history of a given network device in a set of network devices coupled to a network, the set of network devices utilizing a channel based protocol, the current status of the given network device being stored in a registration memory, the method comprising:

• forwarding an inquiry message from a first network device to a second network device, the inquiry message requesting information about the given network device;
• recording, at selected times in a history memory associated with the second network device, the current status of the given network device stored in the registration memory to collect recordings that provide a history for the given network device;
• generating a reply message in response to receipt of the inquiry message, the reply message having device data representing at least one of the current status and the history of the given network device;
• and
• forwarding the reply message to the first network device.