Recursive discovery of CDP type of nodes in a network of various node types

1. A method of discovering Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) nodes in a network of nodes of various types in real time resulting in a set of CDP type of nodes, comprising:

seeding a discovery process using at least one of querying a user to provide a first CDP node information and searching a database of CDP nodes previously discovered by a network manager to identify a first CDP node;

transmitting a signal from the network manager to the first CDP node of the network, wherein the signal requests information contained in a management information base of the first CDP node regarding additional CDP nodes known to the first CDP node;

receiving a response that identifies the additional CDP nodes known to the first CDP node;

repeating the transmitting and receiving steps for each additional CDP node identified; and

storing a list containing addresses of all identified nodes of the CDP type for a selected display pertaining to the identified CDP nodes among the nodes of various types in the network wherein the first CDP node can be any of the CDP type of nodes within the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each signal is an SNMP message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

limiting a depth of a search for additional CDP nodes.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein limiting the depth of the search comprises:

establishing a recursion depth limit;

tracking the depth of recursion into the network from the first CDP node; and

preventing any additional signals from being transmitted to newly discovered CDP nodes once the depth of recursion equals the recursion depth limit.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

limiting a breadth of a search for additional CDP nodes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein limiting the breadth of the search comprises:

establishing a maximum hop limit;

tracking a number of hops from the first CDP node; and

preventing any additional signals from being transmitted to newly discovered CDP nodes once the number of hops equals the maximum hop limit.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

limiting a breadth and a depth of a search for the additional CDP nodes.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing the discovery process based upon a user's request or at fixed time intervals.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying the identified CDP nodes in a Graphical User Interface.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

modifying the list in real time to facilitate real time display of identified CDP nodes as each CDP node is identified, wherein the real time display is presented as a graphical topology of the network on a Graphical User Interface.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network manager is Network Node Manager.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list further comprises at least one of information on the interrelation of the identified CDP nodes, device identification information, and device type information.

13. A method for discovering Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) nodes in a network of nodes of various types in real time resulting in a set of CDP type of nodes, comprising:

seeding a discovery process using at least one of querying a user to provide a first CDP node information and searching a database of CDP nodes previously discovered by a network manager to identify a first CDP node;

transmitting a SNMP message from the network manager to the first CDP node of the network to obtain information contained in a management information base of the first CDP node;

recursively transmitting a SNMP message to at least one additional CDP node of the network identified to the network manager by the information obtained from the first CDP node; and

storing a list containing information of all identified nodes of the CDP type for a selected display pertaining to the identified CDP nodes among the nodes of various types in the network wherein the first CDP node can be any of the CDP type of nodes within the network.

14. A computer-based system that discovers Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) nodes in a network of nodes of various types in real time resulting in a set of CDP type of nodes, comprising:

logic that seeds a discovery process using at least one of querying a user to provide a first CDP node information and searching a database of CDP nodes previously discovered by a network manager to identify a first CDP node;

logic that transmits a signal from the network manager to the first CDP node of the network, wherein the signal requests information contained in a management information base of the first CDP node regarding additional CDP nodes known to the first CDP node;

logic that receives a response that identifies the additional CDP nodes known to the first CDP node;

logic that repeats the transmitting and receiving steps for each additional CDP node identified; and

logic that stores a list containing addresses of all identified nodes of the CDP type for a selected display pertaining to the identified CDP nodes among the nodes of various types in the network wherein the first CDP node can be any of the CDP type of nodes within the network.

15. The computer-based system of claim 14 , further comprising:

logic that limits a depth and a breadth of a search for additional CDP nodes.

16. The computer-based system of claim 15 , wherein limiting the depth of the search comprises:

logic that establishes a recursion depth limit;

logic that tracks the depth of recursion into the network from the first CDP node; and

logic that prevents any additional signals from being transmitted to newly discovered CDP nodes once the depth of recursion equals the recursion depth limit.

17. The computer-based system of claim 15 , wherein limiting the breadth of the search comprises:

logic that establishes a maximum hop limit;

logic that tracks a number of hops from the first CDP node; and

logic that prevents any additional signals from being transmitted to newly discovered CDP nodes once the number of hops equals the maximum hop limit.