JPH09247149A - Network management system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] Collecting management information generated in an agent with a smaller number of communications than the number of agents. SOLUTION: When the management information generated by each agent is stored in a predetermined agent according to its type and the management information is collected, the management information is collected with the predetermined agent as the collection destination according to the type of the management information. To collect. The manager 21 is provided with a memory table 22 in which storage destination candidate information corresponding to the type of management information generated in each agent is stored.
The management information collecting means 23 collects management information based on the data in the memory table 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network management system in which a plurality of management target devices and a network management device for collecting management information generated in the management target devices are connected via a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG.
In a system in which computers are connected by a network 100 such as (local area network),
A system called a manager for managing the network is installed in a predetermined workstation 101, for example, a network device such as a router or a bridge connected to the network 100, or other workstations 102-1 to 102-. A system called an agent is installed in n to manage the network by sending and receiving management information to and from each other.

In such a network management system, a manager collects management information from an agent.
-1 to 102-n are individually accessed to collect management information.

[0004]

Therefore, when collecting the management information, the manager must access all the agents regardless of the presence or absence of the management information, resulting in a large number of times of communication and a network failure. There has been a problem that the load given to 100 cannot be ignored.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional network management system, and an object thereof is to collect management information generated in an agent with a smaller number of times of communication than the number of agents. It is to provide a network management system that can.

[0006]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network management system in which a plurality of management target devices and a network management device for collecting management information generated in the management target devices are connected via a network. In this network management system, each managed device is provided with a management information storage means for storing management information generated in each managed device into a predetermined managed device according to its type. The device is characterized by being provided with a management information collecting means for collecting the management information, when collecting the management information, according to the type of the management information, with a predetermined management target device as the collection destination. As a result, the management information generated in each management target device is stored in a predetermined management target device according to its type, while the management information is collected in a predetermined management target device according to the type of management information. Management information is collected with the device as the collection destination.

According to another aspect of the network management system of the present invention, each management target device manages a plurality of storage destinations whose priorities are determined according to the type of management information generated in each management target device. A memory table in which the target devices are associated is provided, and the management information storage means stores the management information in a predetermined management target device based on the data in the memory table. As a result, the management information can be stored in any of the plurality of storage-destination managed devices, and it is possible to deal with the case where the management information cannot be stored in one storage-destination managed device.

According to another aspect of the network management system of the present invention, in the network management device, there is stored a memory table in which management target device candidate information of a storage destination corresponding to a type of management information generated in each management target device is stored. And the management information collecting means collects the management information based on the data in the memory table. As a result, it becomes possible to collect the management information based on the management target device candidate information of the storage destination according to the type of the management information, and the proper collection of the management information is secured.

According to another aspect of the network management system of the present invention, when the management information storage means stores the management information in a storage target device having a priority order equal to or lower than a predetermined priority order, the management of the network management apparatus is performed. While notifying the information collecting means, the management information collecting means collects the management information in response to the notification. As a result, when the management information is stored in the storage-destination managed device having the priority order equal to or lower than the predetermined priority order, the management information collecting means of the network management device is notified, and the management information is sent according to the notification. Will be collected.

According to another aspect of the network management system of the present invention, the management information collection means notifies the management information storage means that the management information has been stored in a storage-destination managed device having a priority order lower than a predetermined priority order. In accordance with the above, the data in the memory table storing the storage-destination managed device candidate information is changed. As a result, when the management information is stored in the management target device of the storage destination having the priority order equal to or lower than the predetermined priority order from the management information storage means,
The data of the memory table in which the management target device candidate information of the storage destination is stored is changed, and the management information can be obtained from the management target device relating to the appropriate storage destination.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A network management system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same constituent elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 1, the network management system includes a computer 2 which is a network management device equipped with a manager (system containing programs) 21 and a computer 3 which is a managed device equipped with an agent 310 (system containing programs). -1 to 3-n are connected to the network 1.

The agent 310 is provided with a management information storage means 330 for storing the management information generated in the computers 3-1 to 3-n, which are the respective management target devices, in a predetermined management target device according to its type. In addition, the manager 21 is provided with a management information collecting unit 23 that collects the management information when the management information is collected with a predetermined management target device as a collection destination according to the type of the management information.

Computer 3-1 which is each device to be managed
A memory associated with a computer agent, which is a plurality of storage-destination managed devices, whose priorities are determined according to the type of management information generated in each managed device. A table 320 is provided. The management information storage unit 330 stores the management information in the computer 3, which is a predetermined management target device, based on the data in the memory table 320. The computer 2, which is a network management device, is provided with a memory table 22 in which agent information of the computer 3, which is a candidate for management target device of a storage destination according to the type of management information generated in each management target device, is stored. Therefore, the management information collecting means 23 collects the management information based on the data in the memory table 22.

In the above description, the management information is various information for network management that occurs in each of the computers 3-1 to 3-n that are managed devices, and includes, for example, the number of received packets, the number of transmitted packets, and the received This is information such as the number of errors. The management information is stored in the computer 3-
OS (operating system
It is monitored and detected by one function of the system). The memory table 320 of each of the computers 3-1 to 3-n stores that the storage destination of the first priority of the management information A is the agent 3-1 and the storage destination of the second priority is its own agent. It is stored that the storage destination of the first priority of the management information B is the agent 3-2 and the storage destination of the second priority is its own agent, and the storage destination of the first priority of the management information C is It is an agent, and it is stored that there is no storage destination of the second priority. In this configuration, up to the second priority is stored, but candidates with a third priority or higher may be stored. Management information storage means 330
First, the storage device attempts to store the above-mentioned first priority agent, and if the management information fails to be stored due to the storage destination being down or the like, it stores it in the second priority storage destination.

In the memory table 22 of the computer 2, for the management information A, B, C, ..., Group management ID (identification information) or individual management ID, and the storage destination (computer agent) of the management information. Are associated with. Here, it is shown that the management information A and B are group-managed and the respective storage destinations are the agent 3-1 and the agent 3-2 (actually, a file or the like). When collecting the management information A, the management information collecting means 23 accesses the agent 3-1 and
When collecting the management information B, the agent 3-2 is accessed. Further, the management information C indicates individual management, and indicates that each agent must be accessed.

The computers 2, 3-1 to 3-n are actually configured, for example, as shown in FIG.
The computers 2, 3-1 to 3-n are C for controlling each part.
A main memory 31 in which data and programs used by the PU 30 and the CPU 30 are stored is provided, and a bus 32 extending from the CPU 30 includes a communication interface 33, a mouse interface 34, and a keyboard interface 3.
5, a display interface 36, and a magnetic disk interface 37 are connected. The communication unit interface 33 is connected to a communication processing unit 41 that transmits and receives data to and from the network 1 such as a bus type LAN, the mouse interface 34 is connected to a mouse 42 of a pointing device, and the keyboard interface 3 is connected.
5, a keyboard input device 43 for keying in information is connected, a display interface 36 is connected to a display device 44 such as a CRT or LED, and a magnetic disk interface 37 is connected to a magnetic disk device 45. Has been done. This computer 2, 3
In -1 to 3-n, for example, the CPU 30 uses the main memory 31.
The network program (SN
It functions as a manager 21 or an agent 310 by MP (Simple Network Management Protocol), and together with the main memory 31, the computers 2, 3-1 of FIG.
To 3-n. Memory table 22, 3
20 is provided in the main memory 31, for example.

When the monitored device is a network device such as a router, this device is actually configured as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The network device includes a CPU 50 that controls each unit and a main memory 51 that stores data and programs used by the CPU 50, and communication units interfaces 53 and 54 are connected to a bus 52 extending from the CPU 50. The communication interface 53 is connected to a communication processing unit 55 that transmits and receives data to and from the network 1 such as a bus LAN.
To the communication unit interface 54, for example, a communication processing unit 56 that transmits / receives data to / from another LAN is connected. Then, the network device relays a packet (frame) between LANs of the same type or different types. In this network device, for example, the CPU 50 has the main memory 5
By the program in 1, the network protocol (S
NMP) functioning as an agent, main memory 5
1 constitutes each unit of the computers 3-1 to 3-n of FIG.

As described above, the network protocol (S
As a result of adopting (NMP), management information is transmitted and received by the SNMP frame shown in FIG. That is, in the SNMP frame, as shown in FIG. 4A, the SNMP message is arranged next to the MAC header, the LLC header, the IP header, and the UDP header, and is terminated by the LLC-MAC trailer. Then, in the SNMP message, the PDU (protocol data un) shown in FIG.
it) is included. In the PDU, the PDU type is placed at the beginning, and then the request ID, error status, error index, and variable list are placed. In this PDU, the manager requests the agent to retrieve the management information Get-Request, the manager continuously requests the agent to retrieve Get-Next-Request, and the manager requests the agent to change the management information Set-Re.
quest, Get-Response requesting return of results for this Set-Request are supported as standard PDUs.

In the standard PDU, the format of the trap information (Trap) for notifying the manager side of the event occurred on the agent side is as shown in FIG. 4 (c). In other words, the PDU type is placed at the beginning, then the enterprise that is the ID of the system that generated the trap is placed, and the agent address that is the address of the system that issued the trap is placed, which corresponds to the standard trap. General traps, special traps corresponding to vendor-defined traps are placed,
Further, a variable list is arranged. The event includes that the managed system changed the management information to operate and started the service, that the managed system operated and started the service without changing the management information, and the interface below the IP layer. There is an abnormality, etc., and the trap information corresponding to these is notified as cold start, warm start, and link down, respectively.

In the system of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, each computer 3-1 to 3-3 is a file device (corresponding to the magnetic disk device 45) 350-1 to 35.
0-3, and is configured to store management information therein. Regarding the management information A, the computer 3-1
Agent (actually, a file device (the same applies below)) is the storage destination of the first priority, and the computer 3
The agent of -2 is the storage destination of the second priority. Here, when the management information A is generated in the computer 3-3, the storage processing is performed by the management information storage unit 330 of the agent 310-3 as follows. That is, the management information storage unit 33 of the agent 310-3
0 takes out the agent of the computer 3-1 which is the first storage destination of the management information A from the memory table 320-3, transfers the management information A to this storage destination, and stores it.

In this case, the transfer processing is performed by, for example, "NFS (Network File System
m) ”is used. That is, in the management information storage means 330,
Incorporate "NFS". As shown in FIG. 6, this “NFS” is a file access program 61 installed in the computer 60, and by the processing of this program 61, the general program of the computer 60 becomes
This is a function for accessing the file 53 of the other node 52 as if it were in its own node.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the files text.c and back.c have the directory structure shown in the file of the computer (host name wsn) of another node, the computer of the own node (host When transferring as if the file with the name ws1) is under the directory tosi, as shown in command 57, "% mount wsn: / use /
"ten / use / tosi", specify the host name wsn of another node and the file name (the file is under the route from use to ten), and specify the computer (host name ws1
) File directory under the route from use to tosi.

Therefore, an area for storing the management information in the file device 350-1 of the computer 3-1 which is the storage destination of the management information A is as shown in FIG. 8, and the management information A is identified by its group management ID. Stored in the area 80 corresponding to each computer 3-1 to 3-3 of the table, the file name as described above that specifies the area 80 in which the management information A of the computer 3-3 is stored is stored. , Which is stored in association with the management information A in the memory table 320 of the computer 3-3. The host name of the computer 3-1 is stored as the host name of the storage destination of the management information A. Then, the management information storage means 33 in the agent 310-3 of the computer 3-3.
When the management information A is 0, the file transfer is performed by the NFS using the command described in FIG. 7 every time the management information A is generated, so that the file device 350 of the computer 3-1.
The data (management information A) of the corresponding file of -1 is rewritten and the management information is stored (FIG. 5).

If the management information A is stored in the file device 350-1 of the computer 3-1, but the storage fails due to the computer 3-1 being in a stopped state or the like, The management information storage means 330 of the agent 310-3 of the computer 3-3 retrieves the agent of the computer 3-2, which is the storage destination of the second priority of the management information A, from the memory table 320, and as shown in FIG. Then, the management information A is transferred to and stored in this storage destination. The transfer processing means at this time is, for example, "NFS" of Sun Microsystem Co. Is performed in the same manner as above.

At this time, the management information storage means 330 of the agent 310-3 of the computer 3-3 notifies the management information collection means 23 of the computer 2 which is the network management device. That is, the management information collecting means 23 of the computer 2 is notified that the management information A has been stored in the storage location of the second priority. In response to this, the management information collecting means 23 causes the memory table 2 of the computer 2 to
Change the data of 2 (Fig. 9). That is, the memory table 22 of the computer 2 stores the agent 310-2 of the computer 3-2 as the storage destination of the management information A. The above notification is, for example, shown in FIG.
This is performed by the SNMP trap shown in. In other words, this notification is defined as a special trap, and notification is performed using the variables in the variable list.

As described above, the management information A is the file device 350-1 of the computer 3-1 (when there is a failure, the file device 350-2 of the computer 3-2).
The management information collecting means 23 of the computer 2 as the network management device collects the management information A (and other management information) as necessary. At this time, the management information collecting means 23 reads out the group management ID and the storage destination information for the management information A in the memory table 22, creates and transmits an SNMP frame using this, and requests the management information A.

For example, an IP address or the like for designating the computer 3-1 which is the storage destination of the management information A is arranged in the header portion of the SNMP frame shown in FIG. 10, and the group management ID of the management information A is set as a variable in the variable list. Set
It indicates that the management information A is requested.

The agent 310-1 of the computer 3-1 which has received the SNMP frame requesting the management information A
File group 350-1 using the group management ID.
Read the management information A from the storage area of the management information A of
It is embedded in the SNMP frame and returned to the management information collecting means 23 of the manager 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, an IP address or the like for designating the computer 2 of the manager 21 is arranged in the header portion of the SNMP frame, and a variable in the variable list indicates in which agent the management information A occurred. A name, its length, and management information A are set, and this is repeatedly arranged corresponding to all the stored agents. That is, 1
Since the management information A of a plurality of agents is sent by one SNMP frame, the manager 21 does not need to issue a request to all the agents.

Further, the management information collecting means 23 of the computer 2 which is a network management device is provided with the memory table 2
It is detected whether or not the storage destination information other than the second management information A is registered, and the storage of the management information A in the first priority storage destination fails as described in FIG.
When the computer 3-2, which is the storage destination of the priority order, is registered, an SNMP frame is created and transmitted using this, and the management information A is requested. The method of requesting and the method of returning the management information A are the same as above. In this way, as shown in FIG. 12, the manager 21 manages the computers 3-1 and 3-2 in which the management information A is stored.
It is possible to collect the management information A stored by all the agents by simply accessing, to reduce the number of communications and reduce the communication load of the network.

Although the communication protocol SNMP is used to collect the management information in the above-mentioned embodiments, the management information may be collected using the communication protocol OSI management. It is possible to collect management information appropriately as in the case of. The means used by the management information storage means 310 for file transfer is O
FTAM (File Transfer & Management) at SI
If you can use the file transfer and access management service called "NF" of Sun Microsystems
Means other than "S" may be used.

[0031]

As described above, according to the network management apparatus of the first aspect, when the management information is generated in each management target apparatus, the management information is sent to the predetermined management target apparatus according to its type. When collecting the stored management information, the management information is collected with the predetermined management target device as the collection destination according to the type of the management information, and thus the storage destination collected for each type of management information is accessed. It is possible to collect the management information of the type by itself, reduce the number of times of communication, and reduce the communication load of the network.

As described above, according to the network management apparatus of the second aspect, the management information can be stored in any of the plurality of storage-destination managed devices.
It is possible to deal with the case where the data cannot be stored in one storage destination managed device.

As described above, according to the network management apparatus of the third aspect, it becomes possible to collect the management information based on the management target apparatus candidate information of the storage destination according to the type of management information, which is necessary. Ensures proper collection of different types of management information.

As described above, according to the network management apparatus of the fourth aspect, when the management information is stored in the management target apparatus of the storage destination having the priority order equal to or lower than the predetermined priority order, the network management apparatus The management information collection means will be notified, and the management information will be collected according to this notification.Therefore, it is not necessary to register the managed device that may be stored from the beginning, and You can collect management information.

As described above, according to the network management apparatus of the fifth aspect, when the management information is stored in the storage-target management target apparatus having the priority order lower than the predetermined priority order from the management information storage means. In this case, the data in the memory table in which the management target device candidate information of the storage destination is stored is changed, and the management information can be obtained from the management target device relating to the appropriate storage destination.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a network management device or a management target device in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of a managed device in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a format of an SNMP frame used in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a storage operation of management information in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a storage operation of management information in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a storage operation of management information in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a storage state of management information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a storage operation of management information in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an SNMP frame requesting management information.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an SNMP frame for returning management information.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an operation of collecting management information in the network management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a conventional network management system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 network 2, 3-1 to 3
-N computer 21 manager 22 memory table 23 management information collection means 310 agent 320 memory table 330 management information storage means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. In a network management system in which a plurality of management target devices and a network management device for collecting management information generated in the management target devices are connected via a network, Management information storage means for storing the management information generated in the management target device in a predetermined management target device according to its type, and the network management device stores the management information when the management information is collected. A network management device, comprising: management information collecting means for collecting management information with a predetermined management target device as a collection destination according to the type. 2. A memory in which each management target device is associated with a plurality of storage target management target devices whose priorities are determined according to the type of management information generated in each management target device. The network management system according to claim 1, further comprising a table, wherein the management information storage means stores the management information in a predetermined management target device based on the data of the memory table. 3. The network management device is provided with a memory table in which management target device candidate information of a storage destination according to the type of management information generated in each management target device is stored. The network management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means collects management information based on the data in the memory table. 4. The management information storage means, when the management information is stored in a storage-destination managed device having a priority order equal to or lower than a predetermined priority order, notifies the management information collection means of the network management device, 4. The network management system according to claim 1, wherein the management information collecting means collects the management information according to the notification. 5. The management information collecting means, in response to a notification from the management information storing means that the management information has been stored in a management target apparatus having a priority order equal to or lower than a predetermined priority The network management system according to claim 4, wherein data in a memory table storing device candidate information is changed.