US 8,788,651 B1 · Multi-stage value retrieval and multi-rate value retrieval

Abstract

An element manager and programming discover that a network managed by the element manager comprises a network element. The network element stores a set of values describing a configuration of the network element. In response to the discovering, the element manager and programming automatically retrieve three or more subsets of the set of values from the network element in three or more respective, different stages. A network includes a first network element configured to provide first values describing a configuration of the first network element, a second network element configured to provide second values describing a configuration of the second network element, and an element manager configured to discover the network elements, to automatically retrieve the first values in a first number of stages, and to automatically retrieve the second values in a different second number of stages.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An element manager operating method comprising:

discovering that a network managed by the element manager comprises a network element, the network element storing a set of values describing a configuration of the network element;
in response to the discovering, automatically retrieving the set of values by automatically retrieving three or more subsets of the set of values from the network element in three or more respective, different stages, wherein the number of subsets equals the number of stages and one subset is retrieved during each stage;
and
interrupting retrieving of the three or more subsets of the set of values between each of the three or more respective, different stages to retrieve configuration values from one or more other network elements besides the network element in the network;
scheduling the retrieving of the set of values associated with one of the stages independent of schedules of the other stages of the retrieving of the set of values;
and
discovering the network elements based either on information received from other network elements of the network or information received from the network elements.

4 more elements

A network comprising:

a first network element configured to provide first values describing a configuration of the first network element;
a second network element configured to provide second values describing a configuration of the second network element;
and
an element manager comprising a stage mapping that determines subsets of the first values and the second values to retrieve and independent timing of retrieving the subsets, wherein the element manager performs the operations of:
discovering the network elements;
after discovering the network elements, immediately and automatically retrieve a first subset of the first values from the first network element and a first subset of the second values from the second network element, wherein the first subset and the second subset comprise parameter values determining a type of network element and physical topology;
and
after retrieving the first subset of the first values from the first network element and a first subset of the second values from the second network element and during a maintenance window, automatically retrieve a second subset of the first values from the first network element and a second subset of the second values from the second network element the first values;
scheduling the retrieving of the first values associated with one of the stages independent of schedules of the other stages of the retrieving of the first values;
and
discovering the network elements based either on information received from other network elements of the network or information received from the network elements.

8 more elements

An element manager operating method comprising:

defining a stage mapping of the element manager, each stage in the stage mapping defining which configuration parameters to retrieve and independent timing of retrieving the configuration parameters;
the element manager discovering a plurality of packet switches, each packet switch of the plurality being configured to store a set of values describing a configuration of the packet switch, the set of values corresponding with a set of parameters;
the element manager retrieving a first one of the values of the set from each of the packet switches, wherein the first one of the values comprise values determining a type of network element and physical topology;
the element manager retrieving a second one of the values of the set from each of the packet switches at a time after the retrieving the first one of values and during a maintenance window;
after the retrieving of the first one of the values of the set, the element manager repeatedly re-retrieving the first one of the values of the set from each of the packet switches at a first regular interval;
and
after the retrieving of the second one of the values of the set, the element manager repeatedly re-retrieving the second one of the values of the set from each of the packet switches at a second regular interval different from the first regular interval;
scheduling the retrieving of the values associated with one stage independent of schedules of other stages of the retrieving of the values;
and
discovering network elements based either on information received from other network elements or information received from the network element.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-stage value retrieval and multi-rate value retrieval

Life of this patent

Multi-stage value retrieval and multi-rate value retrieval

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22