US5751962A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Object-based systems management of computer networks
Assignee: NCR Voyix Corp
•
Filing: 1995-12-13
•
Granted: 1998-05-12
•
Expires: 2015-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for object-based systems management of a computer network. An object-based representation of the network is stored in a memory of a computer. The object-based representation includes one or more objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy, wherein each of the objects represents the network, one or more nodes within the network, or one or more components executed by each of the nodes within the network. Each of the objects stores systems management information about the network, node, or component. A systems management application performed by the computer retrieves information from the network, nodes, and components, and stores the retrieved information in the objects.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen Reid Fanshier
- 👤 My Tien Pare
- 👤 Anthony Bautista Nacional
- 👤 Steven Lynn Klekas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 14:58
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/02; H04L41/0233
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A systems administration apparatus for a computer network, comprising: (a) a computer having a memory, the computer being connected to a network; (b) an object-based representation of the network stored in the memory of the computer, wherein the object-based representation comprises one or more objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy, wherein each of the objects represents the network, one or more nodes within the network, or one or more components executed by each of the nodes within the network, and wherein each of the objects stores systems management information about the network, node, or component; and (c) systems management means, performed by the computer, for generating command objects that target any of the objects in the hierarchy, wherein the command objects describe a systems administrative request for the associated network, node, and component, and the systems administrative request is transmitted to the associated network, node, and component when the command object is sent to the targeted object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A systems administration apparatus for a computer network, comprising: (a) a computer having a memory, the computer being connected to a network; (b) an object-based representation of the network stored in the memory of the computer, wherein the object-based representation comprises one or more objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy, wherein each of the objects represents the network, one or more nodes within the network, or one or more components executed by each of the nodes within the network, and wherein each of the objects stores systems management information about the network, node, or component; and (c) systems management means, performed by the computer, for generating command objects that target any of the objects in the hierarchy, wherein the command objects describe a systems administrative request for the associated network, node, and component, and the systems administrative request is transmitted to the associated network, node, and component when the command object is sent to the targeted object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object-based representation further comprises a session object at an apex of the hierarchy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 2, wherein the session object comprises a collection of system objects.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 3, wherein the system object describes and represents a network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 4, wherein the node object describes and represents a node within a network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 5, wherein the component object describes and represents a component executing on a node within a network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein each object is defined to have a set of attributes and relationships with other objects.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the systems administrative request is selected from a group comprising sign on, sign off, startup, shutdown, status, messages, connections, configurations, controls, and diagnostics.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the systems management means further comprises means for retrieving information from the networks, nodes, and components, and for storing the retrieved information in the objects in the memory of the computer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for retrieving further comprises means for retrieving information from the networks, nodes, and components in response to the command objects.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 9, wherein the retrieved information comprises response objects.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 11, wherein the response objects are transmitted from targeted networks, nodes, and components in response to the command objects.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 11, wherein the response objects are transmitted from targeted networks, nodes, and components as unsolicited messages.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein effective targets for the command object are all active component objects on all signed-on node objects that are subordinate to one or more network objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein effective targets for the command object are all active component objects that are subordinate to one or more node objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein effective targets for the command object are all component objects that are identified with one or more component objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The systems administration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the targets of the command objects are identified by one or more attributes selected from a group comprising type, name, and number.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of systems administration for a computer network, comprising the steps of: (a) creating an object-based representation of the network in a memory of a computer connected to the network, wherein the object-based representation comprises one or more objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy, wherein each of the objects represents the network, one or more nodes within the network, or one or more components executed by each of the nodes within the network, and wherein each of the objects stores systems management information about the network, node, or component; (b) generating command objects that target any of the objects in the hierarchy, wherein the command objects describe a systems administrative request for the associated network, node, and component; and (c) transmitting the systems administrative request to the associated network, node, and component when the command object is sent to the targeted object.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of systems administration for a computer network, comprising the steps of: (a) creating an object-based representation of the network in a memory of a computer connected to the network, wherein the object-based representation comprises one or more objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy, wherein each of the objects represents the network, one or more nodes within the network, or one or more components executed by each of the nodes within the network, and wherein each of the objects stores systems management information about the network, node, or component; (b) generating command objects that target any of the objects in the hierarchy, wherein the command objects describe a systems administrative request for the associated network, node, and component; and (c) transmitting the systems administrative request to the associated network, node, and component when the command object is sent to the targeted object.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 18, wherein the object-based representation further comprises a session object at an apex of the hierarchy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the session object comprises a collection of system objects.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 20, wherein the system object describes and represents a network.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the node object describes and represents a node within a network.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 22, wherein the component object describes and represents a component executing on a node within a network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the systems administrative request is selected from a group comprising sign on, sign off, startup, shutdown, status, messages, connections, configurations, controls, and diagnostics.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of retrieving information from the networks, nodes, and components, and for storing the retrieved information in the objects in the memory of the computer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the retrieving step further comprises the step of retrieving information from the networks, nodes, and components in response to the command objects.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the retrieved information comprises response objects.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 27, wherein the response objects are transmitted from targeted networks, nodes, and components in response to the command objects.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 27, wherein the response objects are transmitted from targeted networks, nodes, and components as unsolicited messages.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 18, wherein each object is defined to have a set of attributes and relationships with other objects.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 18, wherein effective targets for the command object are all active component objects on all signed-on node objects that are subordinate to one or more network objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 18, wherein effective targets for the command object are all active component objects that are subordinate to one or more node objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 18, wherein effective targets for the command object are all component objects that are identified with one or more component objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 18, wherein the targets of the command objects are identified by one or more attributes selected from a group comprising type, name, and number.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
169 words
A program storage device, readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method of systems administration for a computer network, the method comprising the steps of: (a) creating an object-based representation of the network in a memory of a computer connected to the network, wherein the object-based representation comprises one or more objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy, wherein each of the objects represents the network, one or more nodes within the network, or one or more components executed by each of the nodes within the network, and wherein each of the objects stores systems management information about the network, node, or component; (b) generating command objects that target any of the objects in the hierarchy, wherein the command objects describe a systems administrative request for the associated network, nodes, and components; and (c) transmitting the systems administrative request to the associated network, node, and component when the command object is sent to the targeted object.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
169 words
A program storage device, readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method of systems administration for a computer network, the method comprising the steps of: (a) creating an object-based representation of the network in a memory of a computer connected to the network, wherein the object-based representation comprises one or more objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy, wherein each of the objects represents the network, one or more nodes within the network, or one or more components executed by each of the nodes within the network, and wherein each of the objects stores systems management information about the network, node, or component; (b) generating command objects that target any of the objects in the hierarchy, wherein the command objects describe a systems administrative request for the associated network, nodes, and components; and (c) transmitting the systems administrative request to the associated network, node, and component when the command object is sent to the targeted object.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
The program storage device of claim 35, wherein the object-based representation further comprises a session object at an apex of the hierarchy.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The program storage device of claim 36, wherein the session object comprises a collection of system objects.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The program storage device of claim 37, wherein the system object describes and represents a network.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
The program storage device of claim 38, wherein the node object describes and represents a node within a network.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
23 words
The program storage device of claim 39, wherein the component object describes and represents a component executing on a node within a network.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
23 words
The program storage device of claim 35, wherein each object is defined to have a set of attributes and relationships with other objects.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
31 words
The program storage device of claim 35, wherein the systems administrative request is selected from a group comprising sign on, sign off, startup, shutdown, status, messages, connections, configurations, controls, and diagnostics.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
35 words
The program storage device of claim 35, further comprising the step of retrieving information from the networks, nodes, and components, and for storing the retrieved information in the objects in the memory of the computer.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
30 words
The program storage device of claim 43, wherein the retrieving step further comprises the step of retrieving information from the networks, nodes, and components in response to the command objects.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
The program storage device of claim 43, wherein the retrieved information comprises response objects.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
25 words
The program storage device of claim 45, wherein the response objects are transmitted from targeted networks, nodes, and components in response to the command objects.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
22 words
The program storage device of claim 45, wherein the response objects are transmitted from targeted networks, nodes, and components as unsolicited messages.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
40 words
The program storage device of claim 35, wherein effective targets for the command object are all active component objects on all signed-on node objects that are subordinate to one or more network objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
35 words
The program storage device of claim 35, wherein effective targets for the command object are all active component objects that are subordinate to one or more node objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
34 words
The program storage device of claim 35, wherein effective targets for the command object are all component objects that are identified with one or more component objects that are targets of the command object.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
30 words
The program storage device of claim 35, wherein the targets of the command objects are identified by one or more attributes selected from a group comprising type, name, and number.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5483631A
Cited
US5276789A
Cited
US5295244A
Cited
US5394522A
Cited
US5471399A
Cited
US5586255A
Cited
US5627766A
Cited
US5655081A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-11 | 2001-11-10 | 2002-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-11 | 2005-11-10 | 2006-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-11 | 2009-11-10 | 2010-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |