US6349306B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for configuration management in communications networks
Assignee: CA Inc
•
Filing: 1998-10-30
•
Granted: 2002-02-19
•
Expires: 2018-10-30
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for monitoring parameters that govern the operational characteristics of a network device, including the use of templates for generating configuration records of network devices of a selected model type. A database of models is provided, each model representing an associated network device and including attribute values for the parameters of the associated network device. Templates are used to screen a model in order to retrieve values for each of the attributes and create a configuration record. The configuration records may be stored in the configuration manager or other storage device, and/or transferred to the pre-existing model database for use by a network management system in reconfiguring the associated network devices. This system for configuration management is less time consuming, expensive, and error prone than prior systems.
Inventors
- 👤 Rajiv Malik
- 👤 Steve Sycamore
- 👤 Bill Tracy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 18:12
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/22; H04L41/08; H04L41/0803; H04L41/084; H04L41/0843; H04L41/085; H04L41/0859; H04L41/0866; H04L41/0876; H04L41/0883; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for monitoring device parameters that govern the operational characteristics of a network device, the method including the steps of: accessing a database of models, each model representing an associated network device and including attribute values for the parameters of the associated network device; accessing a set of model types, each model type having an associated set of attributes; creating a template by selecting a model type and one or more attributes from the associated set of attributes; screening a model of the selected model type with the template to retrieve values for each of the attributes in the template, from the attribute values in the database, to create a configuration record for the model; and storing the configuration record.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for monitoring device parameters that govern the operational characteristics of a network device, the method including the steps of: accessing a database of models, each model representing an associated network device and including attribute values for the parameters of the associated network device; accessing a set of model types, each model type having an associated set of attributes; creating a template by selecting a model type and one or more attributes from the associated set of attributes; screening a model of the selected model type with the template to retrieve values for each of the attributes in the template, from the attribute values in the database, to create a configuration record for the model; and storing the configuration record.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the steps of transferring the configuration record to a user interface and displaying the configuration record on the user interface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the screening is performed using multiple templates simultaneously to create a composite configuration record.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of modifying the configuration record.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of transferring the configuration record to the associated model.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 5 , further including the step of generating an alarm when the transferring step is unsuccessful.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the transferring step includes transferring multiple configuration records to multiple models simultaneously.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of verifying the configuration of a device by comparing the model and the configuration record.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8 , further including the step of generating an alarm when the verifying step is unsuccessful.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of modifying the parameters of the associated network device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 10 , further including the step of generating an alarm when the modifying step is unsuccessful.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of maintaining a schedule for initiating one or more of the screening, transferring, verifying and modifying steps.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of maintaining the database of models, including: acquiring parameter data from the associated network device; maintaining a virtual network of interrelated intelligent models comprising objects representing the network devices, each of the objects including the parameter data as attributes and one or more inference handlers for processing the parameter data, the inference handlers being initiated by changes occurring in one or more objects.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the creating step includes selecting the model type and associated set of attributes from a pre-existing configuration record.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
130 words
A system for monitoring parameters that govern the operational characteristics of the network device, the system comprising: a database of models, each model representing an associated network device and including attribute values for the parameters of the associated network device; a database of model types, each model type having an associated set of attributes; a configuration manager for creating and storing configuration records comprising: means for creating a template by selecting a model type and one or more attributes from the associated set of attributes; means for screening a model of the selected type with the template to retrieve values for each of the attributes in the template, for the attribute values in the database, to create a configuration record for the model; and means for storing the configuration record.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
130 words
A system for monitoring parameters that govern the operational characteristics of the network device, the system comprising: a database of models, each model representing an associated network device and including attribute values for the parameters of the associated network device; a database of model types, each model type having an associated set of attributes; a configuration manager for creating and storing configuration records comprising: means for creating a template by selecting a model type and one or more attributes from the associated set of attributes; means for screening a model of the selected type with the template to retrieve values for each of the attributes in the template, for the attribute values in the database, to create a configuration record for the model; and means for storing the configuration record.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 15 , further including: a user interface for displaying the configuration record.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 15 , further including: means for transferring the configuration record to the associated model.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 15 , further including: means for verifying the configuration of a device by comparing the configuration record and the associated model.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 15 , further including: means for modifying the parameters of the associated network device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 , further including: means for generating an alarm when any one of the transferring, verifying and modifying is unsuccessful.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 , further including: means for scheduling one or more of the means for screening, the means for transferring, the means for verifying and the means for modifying.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5175800A
Cited
US5049873A
Cited
US5202985A
Cited
US5193152A
Cited
US5884072A
Cited
US5444851A
Cited
US5384697A
Cited
US6115713A
Cited
US5333252A
Cited
US5483631A
Cited
US5226120A
Cited
US5295244A
Cited
US5436909A
Cited
US5261044A
Cited
US5559955A
Cited
US5471399A
Cited
US5500934A
Cited
US5452415A
Cited
US5285494A
Cited
US5539870A
Cited
US5535335A
Cited
EP0609990A2
Cited
US5535403A
Cited
US5568605A
Cited
US5485455A
Cited
US5572652A
Cited
US5455938A
Cited
US5832503A
Cited
US5872928A
Cited
US6094654A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-18 | 2005-08-20 | 2006-02-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-18 | 2009-08-20 | 2010-02-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-18 | 2013-08-20 | 2014-02-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |