JPH07177200A - Method and device for managing network - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To specify an abnormal point immediately on the occurrence of an abnormal in the case where a managed equipment having a unique protocol is managed via a proxy agent from a management equipment. CONSTITUTION:A management equipment 11 collects a communication state with a computer 16 on which a program 17 realizing a proxy agent function is realized, collects a communication enable state from the management operation program 17 to a managed equipment 13 based on a standard management operation protocol and sends a transmission command of an equipment state corresponding to the managed equipment based on the management operation protocol to the program. The program 17 collects the equipment state of the managed equipment 13 by a unique protocol in response to a transmission command and replies it with the management equipment by the management operation protocol and the normal state of the computer 16, the program 17 and the managed equipment 13 is individually judged based on the communication state, the communication enable state and the equipment state collected by the management equipment 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network management method and a network management device for managing the status of each device incorporated in a network by a management device, and more particularly to a proxy agent from a management device having a standard management protocol. The present invention relates to a network management method and a network management apparatus for managing a device state of a managed device having a unique protocol that does not have a standard management protocol via the network management method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method of managing a large number of devices having information processing functions incorporated in a network such as a LAN with a single management device, SNMP (simple Network Management Pro
tocol: Standard management protocol) is defined.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when a managed device 2 called an agent and a managed device 3 called a manager are connected to a transmission line 1 of a network, the managed device 3 and the managed device 2 are connected. The standard management protocol dedicated to management described above is incorporated in advance.

When the management device 3 manages (monitors) the device state indicating whether the managed device 2 normally functions, the management device 3 manages the managed device 2 via the transmission line 1 according to the standard management protocol. A device status transmission request is transmitted to the device 2. The managed device 2, which has received the transmission request, detects its own device state and transmits the detected device state according to the standard management protocol to the management device 3 via the transmission line 1. Therefore, the management device 3 can manage the device state of the managed device 2.

However, the managed device 2 incorporated in the network may not include the standard management protocol described above. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 5, a relay function called a proxy agent 5 is interposed between the management device 3 incorporating the standard management protocol and the managed device 4 not incorporating the standard management protocol. I am trying. The proxy agent 5 has the above-described standard management protocol for exchanging management information with the management device 3, and exchanges management information with the managed device 4 having a unique protocol that does not have the standard management protocol. It has its own protocol for

The proxy agent 5 may be incorporated as a program in the management device 3 or may be incorporated in the relay computer 6 as a program as shown in FIG.

When incorporated as a program in the relay computer 6 shown in FIG. 5, the management device 3
When managing the device status of the managed device 4, the managing device 3 first uses the standard management protocol for the proxy agent 5 of the relay computer 6 to manage the managed device 4.
To send a device information transmission command to the device.

The relay computer 6 which has received the transmission command
The proxy agent 5 sends a device status transmission command to the managed device 4 using the original protocol. When the managed device 4 receives the device status transmission command from the proxy agent 5, the managed device 4 detects its own device status and sends this device status as management data to the proxy agent 5 of the relay computer 6 using a unique protocol. .

The proxy agent 5, which has received the management data of the device status from the managed device 4, responds to the management device 3 with the management data indicating the device status by using the standard management protocol. Therefore, the management device 3 is a managed device 4 having a unique protocol that does not have a standard management protocol.
The device status of can be managed.

[0010]

However, the network management method using the proxy agent 5 shown in FIG. 5 still has the following problems to be improved. That is, when some abnormality occurs and the management device 3 cannot collect the management data of the device state of the managed device 4,
There is a problem that the abnormal part cannot be identified. As a factor that the management device 3 cannot normally collect the management data, it is highly possible that the managed device 4 to be managed itself is abnormal, but the program of the proxy agent 5 is defective, or the program of this proxy agent is installed. It is also possible that the relay computer 6 that is running is defective.

Therefore, when the management device 3 is once unable to collect the management data, it takes a lot of time and labor to investigate the cause. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an information transmission request for individually determining normality / abnormality from a management device to a proxy agent program and a computer equipped with this program is transmitted. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a network management method and an apparatus thereof that can immediately determine the location of an abnormality when an abnormality occurs.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a device status of a managed device having a unique protocol without a standard management protocol from a management device having a standard management protocol via a proxy agent. It is applied to the network management method to manage.

Then, the management device collects a communication state with a computer equipped with a program for realizing the function of the proxy agent by using the communication function of the OS system, and the program is transmitted from the program by the standard management protocol via this computer. The communication availability status for the managed device is collected, and a transmission command of the device status to the managed device is sent to the program by the standard management protocol via the computer. Further, the program that realizes the function of the proxy agent responds to the transmission command, collects the device status of the managed device by the original protocol, and responds to the management device by the standard management protocol. Then, the normal state and abnormal state of the computer, the program, and the managed device are individually judged based on the communication status, the communication availability status, and the device status collected in the management device.

Further, in the network management apparatus of another invention, the communication status between the management apparatus and a computer equipped with a program for realizing the function of the proxy agent by using the communication function of the OS system is collected. Communication status collecting means, communication availability status collecting means for collecting the communication availability status from the program to the managed apparatus by the standard management protocol via the computer, and apparatus for the management target apparatus to the program by the standard management protocol via the computer Each function of a transmission command sending means for sending a status transmission command, and a judgment means for individually judging whether the computer, the program, and the managed device are normal or abnormal based on the collected communication status position, communication availability status, and device status. Is added.

Further, in response to a transmission command from the management device, a program for realizing the function of the proxy agent collects the device status of the managed device by the original protocol and responds to the management device by the standard management protocol. A device status collecting means is added.

[0016]

In the network management method and the network management device configured as described above, for example, when some abnormality occurs in the computer equipped with the program that realizes the function of the proxy agent, the management device is the OS system. The communication function can be used to identify that the computer is abnormal.

Further, when there is an abnormality in the program that realizes the function of the proxy agent, it is possible to communicate with the managed device from the program under the condition that the communication function of the OS system confirms that the computer is normal. Can be identified by the fact that they cannot be collected.

Further, when the final managed device itself is abnormal, it can be specified by the fact that the device status of the managed device cannot be collected from the program while the normal state of the computer and the program is confirmed by the above-mentioned method.

In this way, from the management device to the computer,
Normal for each device (computer, program, managed device) separately for program and managed device.
Since the information indicating the abnormal state is collected, the abnormalities can be distinguished and grasped.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a LAN network system adopting the network management system and the network management apparatus of the embodiment. The management device 11 is connected to one network 10a, and the proxy agent 12 is connected to this network 10a. Further, the proxy agent 12 is connected to another network 10b. A plurality of management devices 13 to be managed are connected to this other network 10b.

The management device 11 is provided with a CRT display device 14 and a keyboard 15 for a supervisor to operate. Note that in an actual network system, the proxy agent 12 is, as shown in FIG. The program 1 for the proxy agent in the relay computer 16 connecting the 10b to each other
It is incorporated as 7. The relay computer 1
In addition to the program 17 for realizing the proxy agent function, the communication function 19 of the normal OS system is incorporated in the system 6.

The program 17 for implementing the proxy agent function installed in the management device 11 and the relay computer 16 connected to the one network 10a has the above-mentioned standard management protocol.

The managed device 13 connected to the other network 10b has a unique program for management unique to the managed device 13 other than the standard management protocol. In addition, the management device 1 connected to the network 10a
1 and the relay computer 16 have a common OS system for data transmission.

In such a network system, the management apparatus 11 performs management processing for the managed apparatus 13 according to the sequence shown in FIG. (1) The management device 11 collects the communication status between the management device 11 and the relay computer 16 by using the communication function that is standardly equipped in the OS system installed therein. Specifically, for example, when using the TCP / IP support function that the UNIX computer has as standard equipment, the management device 11 sends an ICMP echo request to the relay computer 16 via the network 10a.

Communication function 19 of relay computer 16
Upon receipt of this ICMP echo request, the automatic reply of this ICMP echo as it is to the management apparatus 11 via the network 10a. The management device 11 that has received the ICMP echo response displays and outputs the information regarding the presence or absence of the ICMP echo response on the CRT display device 14 and stores the information. (2) The management device 11 uses the standard management protocol owned by itself to allow the program 17 that implements the proxy agent function installed in the relay computer 16 to determine whether the managed device 11 can communicate with the managed device 13. Send a send request.

A program 17 for realizing a proxy agent function installed in the relay computer 16
Upon receiving the communication availability transmission request via the communication function 19 of the relay computer 16, the self-program 1
7 self-diagnoses whether communication with the managed device 13 is possible or not, and the self-diagnosis result is held by itself as response data (normal / abnormal information) to the communication availability transmission request. It responds to the management device 11 using a standard management protocol. The management device 11 displays the received normal / abnormal information as the self-diagnosis result of the program 17 on the CRT
The display is output to the display device 14 and stored and held. (3) The management device 11 responds to the program 17 that implements the proxy agent function installed in the relay computer 16 using the standard management protocol,
A device status transmission request to the managed device 13 is transmitted.

A program 17 for realizing the proxy agent function installed in the relay computer 16
When receiving the transmission request of the device status via the communication function 19 of the relay computer 16, the device manages the managed device via the other network 10b using the unique protocol corresponding to the managed device 13 owned by itself. For 13,
Send a request to send the device status.

Upon receiving the device status transmission request from the program 17 for realizing the proxy agent function, the managed device 13 collects its own device status and relays this device status as response data using its own protocol. It is transmitted to the program 17 which implements the proxy agent function installed in the computer 16 for use.

The program 17 for realizing the proxy agent function of the relay computer 16 that has received the response data indicating the device status manages the received response data indicating the device status via the network 10a using the standard management protocol. Respond to the device 11. The management device 11 judges whether the managed device 13 is normal or abnormal from the received device status of the managed device 13, outputs the display to the CRT display device 14, and stores and retains it. (4) The management device 11 is the finally obtained managed device 1
When an abnormality is found in the device state of No. 3, the abnormality is detected at any place based on each response from the relay computer 16, the program 17, and the managed device 13 obtained by the procedure of (1) to (3). It is determined according to the logics shown in (a) to (c) whether or not the error has occurred.

(A) ICM from the relay computer 16
When the P echo is not received, some abnormality has occurred in the communication function 19 of the relay computer 16. (b) The ICMP echo from the relay computer 16 was normally received, but the response data indicating the communication availability status was not received from the program 17 that implements the proxy agent function, or was received but "No". If it is a response, the program 17 that implements the proxy agent function installed in the relay computer 16
Something abnormal happened to.

(C) ICM from the relay computer 16
The P echo was normally received, and the communication enable / disable state from the program 17 for realizing the proxy agent function was normal, but the device state from the managed device 13 was not received, or it was received but an error occurred. In the case of the state shown, some abnormality has occurred in the managed device 13 itself.

The management device 11 displays and outputs the above judgment results (a) to (c) on the CRT display device 14. According to the network management method and the network management device configured as described above, when the management device 11 manages a managed device that does not have a standard management protocol via the proxy agent 12 via the network, When the device status is not received, it is possible to immediately understand which of the relay computer 16, the program 17 that implements the proxy agent function, and the managed device 13 has an abnormality. As a result, when an abnormality occurs, the cause can be investigated and abnormality recovery measures can be taken more quickly.

[0033]

As described above, in the network management method and the network management device of the present invention, the management device individually determines whether the proxy agent program and the computer on which the program is installed are normal or abnormal. Information is transmitted and response information is individually collected.

Therefore, when an abnormality occurs, the abnormality may be caused by the program realizing the proxy agent function, the computer having this program, or the managed device itself. You can judge immediately. Therefore, it is possible to realize a network system in which the cause can be investigated and an error recovery measure can be taken more quickly when an abnormality occurs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a network management device to which a network management method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a network system in which an embodiment network management device is incorporated.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the network management device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a network system incorporating a general network management device adopting only a standard management protocol.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a network management device employing a conventional proxy agent.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Management device, 12 ... Proxy agent, 13
... managed device, 14 ... CRT display device, 15 ... keyboard, 16 ... relay computer, 17 ... program, 19
… Communication function.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location H04L 29/06 9371-5K H04L 13/00 305 B

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A network management method for managing a device state of a managed device having a unique protocol that does not have a standard management protocol from a management device having a standard management protocol via a proxy agent, wherein the management device communicates with an OS system. A communication state with a computer equipped with a program that implements the function of the proxy agent by using a function, and the management device communicates from the program to the managed device via the computer with the standard management protocol. The management device collects a permission / prohibition state, and sends the device status transmission command to the managed device to the program by the standard management protocol via the computer, and the program responds to the transmission command to execute the device status transmission command. The above-mentioned managed device Of the computer, program and managed device based on the communication status, the communication enable / disable status and the device status collected by the management device. A network management method characterized by making individual judgments. 2. A network management device for managing a device state of a managed device having a unique protocol not having a standard management protocol from a management device having a standard management protocol via a proxy agent, wherein the management device is an OS system Communication state collecting means for collecting a communication state with a computer equipped with a program for realizing the function of the proxy agent by using a communication function; and the managed device from the program according to the standard management protocol via the computer. Communication availability status collecting means for collecting the communication availability status for
Transmission command sending means for sending a device status transmission command to the managed device to the program by the standard management protocol via the computer, and the computer with the collected communication status, communication availability status and device status , A judgment means for individually judging whether the program and the managed device are normal or abnormal, and the program collects the device status of the managed device by the unique protocol in response to a transmission command from the management device. And a device status collecting means for responding to the management device by the standard management protocol.