Systems and methods for dynamically configuring a network switch for monitoring

1. A method for dynamically configuring switch monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a network switch;

probing, by the processor, the network switch based, at least in part, on the received IP address to obtain first information regarding a vendor of the network switch and a model of the network switch;

preparing a request, to be transmitted to the network switch, for second information regarding a firmware version of the network switch based, at least in part, on the first information;

receiving from the network switch the second information comprising the firmware version of the network switch, in response to the request;

configuring, by the processor, the processor to monitor the network switch based on the processing of first information and on processing of the second information;

selecting, based at least in part on the first information and/or the second information, a template file to use to create a configuration file for configuring the processor to monitor the network switch;

creating the configuration file that is specific for the network switch based, at least in part, on the selected template file; and

executing the configuration file, wherein execution of the configuration file configures the processor to monitor the network switch.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein probing comprises:

transmitting a first request to the network switch requesting information from the network switch available in a standard management information base (MIB) associated with the network switch, wherein the first request is prepared and the network switch is identified based, at least in part, on the received IP address; and

receiving from the network switch the first information.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein probing further comprises:

transmitting a second request to the network switch requesting information from the network switch available in a switch-specific management information base (MIB) associated with the network switch.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein none of the first information and none of the second information are obtained from a network administrator.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the network switch based on the processing of the first information and/or the processing of the second information.

6. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a network switch;

probing the network switch based, at least in part, on the received IP address to obtain first information regarding the network switch, wherein the first information comprises a vendor of the network switch and a model of the network switch;

preparing a request for second information regarding a firmware version of the network switch to be transmitted to the network switch based, at least in part, on the first information;

receiving from the network switch the second information comprising the firmware version of the network switch, in response to the request;

configuring, by the processor, the processor to monitor the network switch based on processing of the first information and on processing of the second information;

selecting, based at least in part on the first information and/or the second information, a template file to use to create a configuration file for configuring the processor to monitor the network switch;

creating the configuration file that is specific for the network switch based, at least in part, on the selected template file; and

executing the configuration file, wherein execution of the configuration file configures the processor to monitor the network switch.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the medium further comprises instructions which cause the processor to perform the steps of:

transmitting a first request to the network switch requesting information from the network switch available in a standard management information base (MIB) associated with the network switch, wherein the first request is prepared and the network switch is identified based, at least in part, on the received IP address; and

receiving from the network switch the first information.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the medium further comprises instructions which cause the processor to perform the steps of:

transmitting a second request to the network switch requesting information from the network switch available in a switch-specific management information base (MIB) associated with the network switch.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein none of the first information and none of the second information are obtained from a network administrator.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the medium further comprises instructions which cause the processor to perform the step of monitoring the network switch based on the processing of the first information and/or the processing of the second information.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform the steps of:

receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a network switch;

probing the network switch based, at least in part, on the received IP address to obtain first information regarding the network switch, wherein the first information comprises a vendor of the network switch and a model of the network switch;

preparing a request for second information regarding a firmware version of the network switch to be transmitted to the network switch based, at least in part, on the first information;

receiving from the network switch the second information comprising the firmware version of the network switch, in response to the request;

configuring, by the processor, the processor to monitor the network switch based on processing of the first information and on processing of the second information;

selecting, based at least in part on the first information and/or the second information, a template file to use to create a configuration file for configuring the processor to monitor the network switch;

creating the configuration file that is specific for the network switch based, at least in part, on the selected template file; and

executing the configuration file, wherein execution of the configuration file configures the processor to monitor the network switch.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the steps of:

transmitting a first request to the network switch requesting information from the network switch available in a standard management information base (MIB) associated with the network switch, wherein the first request is prepared and the network switch is identified based, at least in part, on the received IP address; and

receiving from the network switch the first information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the steps of:

transmitting a second request to the network switch requesting information from the network switch available in a switch-specific management information base (MIB) associated with the network switch.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein none of the first information and none of the second information are obtained from a network administrator.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the step of monitoring the network switch based on the processing of the first information and/or the processing of the second information.