Download and processing of a network management application on a network device
View Patent ↗A method and system is provided for performing a network management task on a network device. The network device loads a network management application capable of performing the network management task onto the network device in response to a request. Loading may include accessing an application server having the network management application capable of a performing the network management task and downloading the network management application over a network from the application server to the network device. The network device then executes the network management application corresponding to the requested network management task. Methods and systems provide a result from executing the network management application to a network management system used to manage the network.
1. A method of performing network management on a network device within a network comprising:
receiving a request to perform a network management task on a network device, the network device having a software agent previously loaded on the network device, the software agent configured to provide one or more first network parameters associated with the network device in response to one or more first network commands of a network management system (NMS) used to manage the network, the network management task requiring the network device to perform at least one of,
sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the networks,
receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, or
performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters;
loading a network management application capable of performing the network management task onto the network device in response to the request, the network management application being loaded onto the network device in addition to the software agent, the network management application increasing a network management capability of the network device relative to when only the software agent was loaded on the network device, the network device being configured to any or all of sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the network, receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, and performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters; and
executing the network management application corresponding to the requested network management task.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a result of the network management analysis from executing the network management application to the NMS used to manage the network.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
broadcasting a result of the network management analysis from executing the network management application over the network to other network devices capable of monitoring and processing the result.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein loading a network management application further comprises:
accessing an application server having the network management application capable of a performing the network management task; and
downloading the network management application over a network from the application server to the network device.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein loading a network management application further comprises:
determining if the network management application capable of performing the network management task is resident in a storage area on the network device in response to the request;
accessing an application server having the network management application capable of a performing the network management task depending on the determination; and
downloading the network management application over a network from the application server to the network device depending on the determination.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the network manage task requested includes monitoring traffic on a nearby network; and
notifying the NMS when the traffic on the nearby network becomes inactive or increases beyond a particular threshold.
7. An apparatus for performing network management on a network device within a network comprising:
a receiver module configured to receive a request to perform a network management task on a network device, the network device having a software agent previously loaded on the network device, the software agent configured to provide one or more first network parameters associated with the network device in response to one or more first network commands of a network management system (NMS) used to manage the network, the network management task requiring the network device to perform at least one of,
sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the networks,
receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, or
performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters;
a loader module configured to load a network management application capable of performing the network management task onto the network device in response to the request, the network management application being loaded onto the network device in addition to the software agent, the network management application increasing a network management capability of the network device relative to when only the software agent was loaded on the network device, the network device being configured to any or all of sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network device in the network, receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, and performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters; and
an execution module configured to execute the network management application corresponding to the requested network management task.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
a module that provides a result of the network management analysis from executing the network management application to the NMS used to manage the network.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
a broadcast module configured to broadcast a result of the network management analysis from executing the network management application over the network to other network devices capable of monitoring and processing the result.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the loader module further comprises:
an access module configured to access an application server having the network management application capable of a performing the network management task; and
a download module configured to download the network management application over a network from the application server to the network deice.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the loader module further comprises:
a determination module configured to determine if the network management application capable of performing the network management task is resident in a storage area on the network device in response to the request;
an access module configured to access an application server having the network management application capable of a performing the network management task depending on the determination; and
a download module configured to download the network management application over a network from the application server to the network device depending on the determination.
12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the network manage task requested comprises:
module configured to monitor traffic on a nearby network; and
a notification module configured to notify the NMS when the traffic on the nearby network becomes inactive or increases beyond a particular threshold.
13. An apparatus for performing network management on a network device within a network comprising:
a processor, and
a memory containing instructions when executed cause the processor to,
receive a request to perform a network management task on a network device, the network device having a software agent previously loaded on the network device, the software agent configured to provide one or more first network parameters associated with the network device in response to one or more first network commands of a network management system (NMS) used to manage the network, the network management task requiring the network device to perform at least one of,
sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the network,
receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands,
performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters,
load a network management application capable of performing the network management task onto the network device in response to the request, the network management application being loaded onto the network device in addition to the software agent, the network management application increasing a network management capability of the network device relative to when only the software agent was loaded on the network device, the network device being configured to any or all of sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the network, receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, and performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters, and
execute the network management application corresponding to the requested network management task.
14. An apparatus for performing network management on a network device within a network comprising:
means for receiving a request to perform a network management task on a network device, the network device having a software agent previously loaded on the network device, the software agent configured to provide one or more first network parameters associated with the network device in response to one or more first network commands of a network management system (NMS) used to manage the network, the network management task requiring the network device to perform at least one of,
sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the network,
receiving one or more second network parameters from in the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, or
performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters;
means for loading a network management application capable of performing the network management task onto the network device in response to the request, the network management application being loaded onto the network device in addition to the software agent, the network management application increasing a network management capability of the network device relative to when only the software agent was loaded on the network device, the network device being configured to any or all of sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the network receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, and performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters; and
means for executing the network management application corresponding to the requested network management task.
15. A computer program product for performing network management on a network device within a network the product comprising program code instructions to cause a processor to:
receive a request to perform a network management task on a network device, the network device having a software agent previously loaded on the network device, the software agent configured to provide one or more first network parameters associated with the network device in response to one or more first network commands of a network management system (NMS) used to manage the network the network management task requiring the network device to perform at least one of,
sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network devices in the network,
receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, or
performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters;
load a network management application capable of performing the network management task onto the network device in response to the request the network management application being loaded onto the network device in addition the software agent, the network management application increasing a network management capability of the network device relative to when only the software agent was loaded on the networks device, the network device being configured to any or all of sending one or more second network commands to one or more other network device in the network, receiving one or more second network parameters from the one or more other network devices in response to the one or more second network commands, and performing a network management analysis based on the received one or more second network parameters; and
execute the network management application corresponding to the request network management task.