Methods and apparatus for optimizing network management traffic using dynamic SNMP packet resizing

1. A method for transferring packets between network management systems and network elements via one or more network links, comprising:

obtaining a first maximum link capacity of a first link operable to transmit information, wherein obtaining a first maximum link capacity of a first link includes subtracting header adjustments from a maximum transmission unit (“MTU”) value;

comparing the first maximum link capacity of the first link with a first network management system (“NMS”) maximum packet size, wherein comparing the first maximum link capacity of the first link with the first NMS maximum packet size includes identifying maximum packet size that the first NMS is able to handle; and

setting a first outbound packet size of a network element (“NE”) in response to a result of comparison between the first maximum link capacity of the first link and the first NMS maximum packet size.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a first manager registration issued by the first NMS over the first link; and

updating a database located in the NE in accordance with the first NMS associated to the first manager registration.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

sending a first network message indicating a first maximum packet size and the first outbound packet size from the NE to the first NMS via the first link; and

issuing a first response indicating the first NMS maximum packet size from the first NMS to the NE via the first link.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

sending a first request of dynamic SNMP packet resizing from the first NMS to an agent of the NE; and

initiating a process of first link maximum transmission unit (“MTU”) to identify the first link capacity.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

sending a second request of dynamic SNMP packet resizing from a second NMS to the NE; and

initiating a process of second link MTU to identify a second link capacity.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising:

obtaining a second maximum link capacity of a second link operable to transmit information;

comparing the second maximum link capacity of the second link with a second NMS maximum packet size; and

setting a second outbound packet size of the NE in response to a result of comparison between the second maximum link capacity of the second link and the second NMS maximum packet size.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a second manager registration issued by a second NMS over a second link;

updating the database located in the NE in accordance with the second NMS associated to the second manager registration;

sending a second network message indicating a second maximum packet size and a second outbound packet size from the NE to the second NMS via the second link; and

issuing a second response indicating the second NMS maximum packet size from the second NMS to the NE via the second link.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the first maximum link capacity of the first link with the first NMS maximum packet size includes identifying a smaller value between the first maximum link capacity of the first link and the first NMS maximum packet size.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein setting a first outbound packet size at an NE includes:

resizing a first maximum packet size to the first NMS maximum packet size if the first maximum packet size is greater than the first NMS maximum packet size; and

resizing the first outbound packet size to the first maximum link capacity if the first maximum link capacity is smaller than the first NMS maximum packet size.

10. A method for transferring packets between network management systems and network elements via one or more network links, comprising:

initiating a first link maximum transmission unit (“MTU”) discovery for determining a first MTU value indicating a first link capacity;

setting a first outbound packet size to a first MTU value for communication between an agent and a first network management system (“NMS”) when the first MTU value is greater than the first outbound packet size;

initiating a second link maximum transmission unit (“MTU”) discovery for identifying a second MTU value indicating a second link capacity;

setting a second outbound packet size to the second MTU value for communication between the agent and a second NMS when the second MTU value is greater than the second outbound packet size;

setting the first outbound packet size of the NE to a first NMS maximum packet size if the first NMS maximum packet size is greater than the first outbound packet size; and

sending a first request of dynamic SNMP packet resizing from the first NMS to an agent of the NE.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

detecting a first manager registration issued by the first NMS over the first link; and

updating a database located in the NE in accordance with the first NMS associated to the first manager registration.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

sending a first network message indicating a first maximum packet size and the first outbound packet size from the NE to the first NMS via the first link; and

issuing a first response indicating the first NMS maximum packet size from the first NMS to the NE via the first link.

13. A method of claim 11 , wherein initiating a first link MTU discovery includes determining the first MTU value indicating the first link capacity by subtracting a header from a first MTU size.

14. A method of claim 13 , wherein setting a first outbound packet size to a first MTU value includes setting a first Simple Network Management Protocol (“SNMP”) outbound packet size to the first MTU value if the first MTU value is smaller than the first NMS maximum packet size.

15. A network system, comprising:

a first network management system (“NMS”) capable of monitoring one or more managed devices;

a first link coupled to the first NMS and capable of transferring data up to a first maximum link capacity; and

a network element (“NE”) coupled to the first link and configured to include an agent wherein the agent is capable of communicating to the first NMS via the first link with the first maximum link capacity;

wherein the agent includes a first worker thread capable of initiating a first link maximum transmission unit (“MTU”) discovery for determining a first MTU value indicating a first link capacity and setting a first outbound packet size to a first MTU value for communication between the agent and the first NMS when the first MTU value is greater than the first outbound packet size;

wherein the agent further includes a second worker thread capable of initiating a second link MTU discovery for identifying a second MTU value indicating a second link capacity and setting a second outbound packet size to the second MTU value for communication between the agent and a second NMS when the second MTU value is greater than the second outbound packet size.

16. The network system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a second NMS coupled with the NE; and

a second link coupled to the second NMS and capable of transferring data up to a second maximum link capacity, wherein the agent is capable of communicating to the second NMS via the second link with the second maximum link capacity.

17. The network system of claim 16 , wherein the first maximum link capacity is different from the second maximum link capacity.