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US6430617B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Methods and systems for dynamic measurement of a system's ability to support data collection by network management system applications

Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
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Filing: 1999-03-22
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Granted: 2002-08-06
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Expires: 2019-03-22
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Abstract

Abstract Methods and associated systems for dynamically measuring the capacity of a host system to gather network management data by a network management system application. The methods of the present invention are operable as part of a network management system on host systems of the network management applications. An NMS application is provided a list of other nodes on the network with which it will likely exchange data to perform desired network management functions. The NMS application then directs a steady stream of data units to the identified nodes which, in turn, echo the received data units back to the originating host system. The data units are sequentially identified with, at least, a sequence number. The NMS application then examines the data unit received back from the nodes. If no packets are missing as indicated by the sequence numbers, then the frequency of data unit generation and transmission is increased to identify a saturation point at which returned data units are lost by the NMS application's host system. Reaching this saturation point is indicative of over subscription of at least one computing resource required by the network management application on the host computer. This dynamically measured value is then used to optimize the performance of the NMS application by governing its exchange of other data units for purposes of network management.

Inventors

  • 👤 Steve Van Britt
  • 👤 Linda Ann Klinger

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 12:25
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L43/00; H04L43/50; H04L41/00; H04L41/50

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 88 words
A method for adapting operation of a network management system application to a host system capacity on which said network management system application operates comprising the steps of: determining a protocol data unit exchange saturation point of said host system wherein said saturation point is determined by operation of said network management system application operating within said host system; and adapting operation of said network management system application so as to not exchange protocol data units with other nodes of a network in excess of said saturation point.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 88 words
A method for adapting operation of a network management system application to a host system capacity on which said network management system application operates comprising the steps of: determining a protocol data unit exchange saturation point of said host system wherein said saturation point is determined by operation of said network management system application operating within said host system; and adapting operation of said network management system application so as to not exchange protocol data units with other nodes of a network in excess of said saturation point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 106 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining said saturation point includes the steps of: sending a sequence of transmit protocol data units to each of said other nodes; receiving a sequence of returned protocol data units from said other nodes in response to sending of said sequence of transmit data protocol units wherein each returned protocol data unit corresponds to a transmit protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units; and detecting that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 50 words
The method of claim 2 wherein each transmit protocol data unit in said sequence includes a transmit sequence number indicative of the sequential position of said each transmit protocol data unit in said sequence of transmit protocol data units relative to others of said sequence of transmit protocol data units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said each transmit protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units further includes a node ID indicative of the node to which said each transmit protocol data unit was transmitted and from which it is expected to be returned.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 53 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of detecting includes the step of detecting from said transmit sequence number and from said node ID that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the step of detecting includes the step of detecting from said transmit sequence number that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 70 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining said saturation point includes the steps of: periodically exchanging protocol data units with all of said other nodes wherein the exchange with said other nodes is substantially simultaneous; detecting loss of protocol data units returned to said host system from at least one node of said other nodes; and determining said saturation point from the frequency of the periodic exchange.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining said saturation point further includes the step of: increasing the frequency of the periodic exchange until said loss of protocol data units is detected.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 98 words
An adaptable network management system application operable on a host system of a network, said system comprising: a protocol data unit exchange monitor that detects a saturation point in protocol data unit exchange between said network management system application and other nodes of said network wherein said saturation point is determined by said monitor by operation of said network management system application operating within said host system; and an operation adapter that adapts said network management system application so as to not exchange protocol data units with other nodes of said network in excess of said saturation point.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 98 words
An adaptable network management system application operable on a host system of a network, said system comprising: a protocol data unit exchange monitor that detects a saturation point in protocol data unit exchange between said network management system application and other nodes of said network wherein said saturation point is determined by said monitor by operation of said network management system application operating within said host system; and an operation adapter that adapts said network management system application so as to not exchange protocol data units with other nodes of said network in excess of said saturation point.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 131 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said monitor includes: a protocol data unit transmitter to transmit a sequence of transmit protocol data units to each of said other nodes; a protocol data unit receiver to receive a sequence of returned protocol data units from said other nodes in response to sending of said sequence of transmit data protocol units wherein each returned protocol data unit corresponds to a transmit protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units; and a protocol data unit loss detector to detect that at least one protocol data unit in said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system from at least one node of said other nodes whereby said protocol data unit loss detector determines said saturation point.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 50 words
The system of claim 10 wherein each transmit protocol data unit in said sequence includes a transmit sequence number indicative of the sequential position of said each transmit protocol data unit in said sequence of transmit protocol data units relative to others of said sequence of transmit protocol data units.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said each transmit protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units further includes a node ID indicative of the node to which said each transmit protocol data unit was transmitted and from which it is expected to be returned.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 56 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said protocol data unit loss detector includes: a sequence detector to detect from said transmit sequence number and from said node ID that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 51 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said protocol data unit loss detector includes: a sequence detector that detects from said transmit sequence number that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 81 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said monitor includes: a period protocol data units transceiver to exchange protocol data units with all of said other nodes wherein the exchange with said other nodes is substantially simultaneous; a protocol data unit loss detector to detect loss of protocol data units returned to said host system from at least one node of said other nodes wherein said protocol data unit loss detector determines said saturation point from the frequency of the periodic exchange.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said monitor increases the frequency of the periodic exchange until loss of protocol data units is detected.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 101 words
A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying programmed instructions for implementing a method for adapting operation of a network management system application to a host system capacity on which said network management system application operates, said method comprising the steps of: determining a protocol data unit exchange saturation point of said host system wherein said saturation point is determined by operation of said network management system application operating within said host system; and adapting operation of said network management system application so as to not exchange protocol data units with other nodes of a network in excess of said saturation point.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 101 words
A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying programmed instructions for implementing a method for adapting operation of a network management system application to a host system capacity on which said network management system application operates, said method comprising the steps of: determining a protocol data unit exchange saturation point of said host system wherein said saturation point is determined by operation of said network management system application operating within said host system; and adapting operation of said network management system application so as to not exchange protocol data units with other nodes of a network in excess of said saturation point.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 108 words
The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the method step of determining said saturation point includes the steps of: sending a sequence of transmit protocol data units to each of said other nodes; receiving a sequence of returned protocol data units from said other nodes in response to sending of said sequence of transmit data protocol units wherein each returned protocol data unit corresponds to a transmit protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units; and detecting that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 51 words
The storage medium of claim 18 wherein each transmit protocol data unit in said sequence includes a transmit sequence number indicative of the sequential position of said each transmit protocol data unit in said sequence of transmit protocol data units relative to others of said sequence of transmit protocol data units.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 49 words
The storage medium of claim 19 wherein said each transmit protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units further includes a node ID indicative of the node to which said each transmit protocol data unit was transmitted and from which it is expected to be returned.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 55 words
The storage medium of claim 20 wherein the method step of detecting includes the step of detecting from said transmit sequence number and from said node ID that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 50 words
The storage medium of claim 19 wherein the method step of detecting includes the step of detecting from said transmit sequence number that at least one protocol data unit of said sequence of transmit protocol data units was not received by said host system to thereby detect said saturation point.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 72 words
The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the method step of determining said saturation point includes the steps of: periodically exchanging protocol data units with all of said other nodes wherein the exchange with said other nodes is substantially simultaneous; detecting loss of protocol data units received by said host system from at least one node of said other nodes; and determining said saturation point from the frequency of the periodic exchange.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 36 words
The storage medium of claim 23 wherein the method step of determining said saturation point further includes the step of: increasing the frequency of the periodic exchange until said loss of protocol data units is detected.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US6011804A Cited
US6222856B1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2005-08-05 2006-02-04 2006-08-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-08-05 2010-02-04 2010-08-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-08-05 2014-02-04 2014-08-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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