Communicating network information using universal resource locators

A method for processing a value of a Management Information Base (MIB) variable, the method comprising:

• receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises an SNMP request for two or more MIB variables associated with the managed device, the request including information identifying the two or more MIB variables and a type of SNMP processing to be carried out;
• processing the request based on the type of SNMP processing specified in the URL;
• and
• communicating values of the two or more MIB variables associated with the managed device in a responsive URL.

An apparatus for retrieving a value of a Management Information Base (MIB) variable, comprising:

• a client computer system, wherein said client computer system comprises a processor;
• a computer-readable medium accessible to said processor and comprising one or more sequences for instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
• generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) request for a values of two or more MIB variables;
• transmitting the URL to a managed device in a network;
• and
• receiving a responsive URL, which includes the values of the two or more MIB variables and identifiers of the two or more MIB variables, from the managed device.

An apparatus for processing a value of a Management Information Base (MIB) variable, comprising:

• a managed device, said managed device comprising a processor;
• a computer-readable medium accessible to said processor and comprising one or more sequences for instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
• receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises an SNMP request for two or more MIB variables associated with the managed device, the request including information identifying the two or more MIB variables and a type of SNMP processing to be carried out;
• processing the request based on the type of SNMP processing specified in the URL;
• and
• communicating values of the two or more MIB variables associated with the managed device in a responsive URL.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for retrieving a value of a Management Information Base (MIB) variable, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) request for values of two or more MIB variables;
• transmitting the URL to a managed device in a network;
• and
• receiving a responsive URL, which includes the values of the two or more MIB variables and identifiers of the two or more MIB variables, from the managed device.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for processing a value of a Management Information Base (MIB) variable, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises an SNMP request for two or more MIB variables associated with the managed device, the request including information identifying the two or more MIB variables and a type of SNMP processing to be carried out;
• processing the request based on the type of SNMP processing specified in the URL;
• and
• communicating values of the two or more MIB variables associated with the managed device in a responsive URL.