JP3619039B2 - Network device setting method and network management apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network device setting method and a network management apparatus .
[0002]
[Prior art]
Due to the development of computer equipment and the communication technology that form the basis of computer networks, high-speed and highly reliable computer networks have emerged in recent years. Accordingly, the types of devices that can be connected to a network have increased, and network management software for managing a plurality of devices has been developed. By using these network management software, information on various devices on the network can be acquired.
[0003]
As a method for managing devices on the network, several attempts have been made by many standard organizations. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides a general-purpose reference framework called the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. The OSI model of this network management protocol is called a common management information protocol (CMIP). This CMIP is a European common network management protocol.
[0004]
In the United States, there is a variant protocol related to CMIP called Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) as a more common network management protocol (“Introduction to Simple Book Internet Management” MT Rose = Written by Eiki Matsushima = translated by Toppan Co., Ltd., see the first edition on December 15, 1995).
[0005]
According to this SNMP network management technology, a network management system uses at least one network management station (NMS), several managed nodes including agents, and management stations and agents used to exchange management information. Includes network management protocols. The user can acquire or change data on the network by communicating with the agent software on the management target node using the network management software on the NMS.
[0006]
Here, the agent is software that operates as a background process for each target device. When a user requests management data from a device on the network, the management software puts object identification information in a management packet or frame and sends it to the target agent. The agent interprets the object identification information, retrieves data corresponding to the object identification information, puts the data in a packet, and sends it back to the user. Sometimes the corresponding process is invoked to retrieve the data.
[0007]
In addition, the agent holds data on its state in the form of a database. This database is called MIB (Management Information Base). FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of the MIB. As shown in FIG. 1, the MIB has a tree-structured data structure, and all nodes are uniquely numbered. In FIG. 1, a number written in parentheses is an identifier of the node. For example, the identifier of the node 101 shown in FIG. 1 is “1”. Since the identifier of the node 102 is “3” below the node 101, it is expressed as “1.3”. Similarly, the identifier of the node 103 is expressed as “1.3.3.6.1.2”. The identifier of this node is called an object identifier (Object Identifier).
[0008]
This MIB structure is called a management information structure (SMI: Structure of Management Information), and is defined in RFC1155 Structure and Identification of Management Information TCP / IP-based Information. In addition, this SMI is ASN. 1 (Abstract Syntax Notation One = Abstract Syntax Notation. 1 is defined using the OSI language.
[0009]
Next, a network device setting method will be described. The network management station can set the device by providing a direct object access method that allows the user to specify an individual object using an object ID or a user-friendly information format as a GUI. There is an indirect object access method with a transformation module. An example of a network management station using the indirect object access method is JetAdmin of Hewlett-Packard (HP).
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the setting method of the network work management software described above, it is necessary for the user to make some input for each setting item, and it is necessary to perform a troublesome operation.
[0011]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems , recognizes whether or not different setting values should be set for each network device, and recognizes that the setting items should be set to different setting values. In this case, an object is to allow the user to input a set value .
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network management apparatus that manages a plurality of network devices connected on a network, and sets a setting value for a plurality of setting items related to the first network device. setting an acquisition unit configured to acquire a set value of the plurality of setting items related to the second network device, whether the or not to set the setting value different from the set value of the plurality of setting items related to a second network device acquired by the acquiring means If you recognized a recognition means for recognizing for each item, and the setting items to be set different set values in said recognition means sets the setting value prompted input the user to set different set values, the recognition set hand for a recognized not set items to be set different setting values by a means for setting a setting value acquired by the acquisition unit Characterized in that it has and.
[0013]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network device setting method in a network management apparatus that manages a plurality of network devices connected on a network, and sets a plurality of setting items related to a first network device. when setting the value, the second acquisition step of acquiring the set value of the plurality of setting items related to the network device, the setting value is different from the set value of the plurality of setting items related to a second network device acquired by the acquisition step a recognition step of recognizing each setting item whether to configure, when recognizing the in the setting items to be set different set values the recognition process is inputted prompts the user to set different set values set the set value, the case where the recognized in recognition step the setting entry is not to be set to different settings the And having a setting step of setting a setting value obtained in the obtained step.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
<< Configuration on the PC side >>
The PC side on which the network management software moves will be described.
[0016]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a PC capable of operating the network management software. In the figure, reference numeral 200 denotes a PC on which network management software runs. The PC 200 includes a CPU 201 that executes a network management program that is stored in a ROM 202 or a hard disk (HD) 211 or that is supplied from a floppy disk drive (FD) 212. Control.
[0017]
Reference numeral 203 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, work area, and the like of the CPU 201. A keyboard controller (KBC) 205 controls instruction input from a keyboard (KB) 209 or a pointing device (not shown). Reference numeral 206 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC), which controls display on a display (CRT) 210. A disk controller (DKC) 207 controls access to a hard disk (HD) 211 and a floppy disk controller (FD) 212 that store a boot program, various applications, editing files, user files, a network management program, and the like. A network interface card (NIC) 508 bi-directionally exchanges data with an agent or a network device via the LAN 100.
<< Module configuration of network management software >>
Next, the configuration of the network management software that uses the MIB object database will be described. The network management apparatus is realized on a PC having the same configuration as a PC capable of realizing the conventional network management apparatus as shown in FIG. The hard disk (HD) 211 stores a network management software program that is an operation subject in all the descriptions to be described later. In all the explanations to be described later, unless otherwise specified, the execution subject is the CPU 201 in hardware.
[0018]
On the other hand, the subject of software control is network management software stored in the hard disk (HD) 211. In the embodiment, the OS is assumed to be, for example, Windows 95 (manufactured by Microsoft Corporation), but is not limited thereto. The network management program may be supplied in a form stored in a storage medium such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM. In that case, the floppy disk controller (FD) 212 shown in FIG. A program is read from the storage medium by a ROM drive or the like and installed in the hard disk (HD) 211.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a module configuration of the network management software in the embodiment. This network management software is stored in the hard disk 211 shown in FIG. At that time, the CPU 201 uses the RAM 203 as a work area.
[0020]
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a device list module that displays a list of devices connected to the network. 302 is called an overall control module and controls other modules based on instructions from the device list. A module 303 is called a configurator and performs a special process related to the network setting of the agent. 304 is called a search module, and is a module that searches for devices connected to the network. Devices searched by the search module 304 are displayed in a list by the device list module 301. Reference numeral 305 denotes a NetWare job module, which acquires the status of a print job from a network server using the NetWare API 316. For the NetWare API, refer to “NetWare Programmer * s Guide for C” issued by Novell, for example. This book can be purchased from Novell.
[0021]
Reference numerals 306 and 307 denote UI (User Interface) modules for displaying a device detail window, which will be described later, and there is a UI module for each target model for displaying detailed information. 308 and 309 are both called control modules, and are modules responsible for control specific to the target model for which detailed information is acquired. Similar to the UI module, each control module also exists for each target model that displays detailed information. The control A module 308 and the control B module 309 acquire MIB data from the management target device using the MIB module described later, convert the data as necessary, and send data to the corresponding UIA module 306 or UIB module 307 respectively. give.
[0022]
A module 310 is called a MIB module and performs object identifier <=> object key conversion. Here, the object key is a 32-bit integer corresponding one-to-one with the object identifier. Since the object identifier is a variable-length identifier and is difficult to handle when implementing the network management software, the network management software internally uses a fixed-length identifier that corresponds to the object identifier in a one-to-one manner. Modules above the MIB module 310 handle MIB information using this object key. This greatly reduces the implementation of network management software. The object identifier <=> object key conversion is performed by calling 318 OIM module.
[0023]
Reference numeral 311 denotes an SNMP module, which transmits and receives SNMP packets. Reference numeral 312 denotes a common transport module, which is a module that absorbs differences in lower-layer protocols for carrying SNMP data. Actually, either the IPX handler 313 or the UDP handler 314 is responsible for transferring data depending on the protocol selected by the user during operation. The IPX handler 313 uses NetWare 316 as an implementation, and the UDP handler 314 uses WinSock 317 as an implementation. For this WinSock, see, for example, the specification of Windows Socket API v1.1. This document can be obtained from a plurality of locations, but is included in Visual C ++, which is a compiler manufactured by Microsoft Corporation.
[0024]
The current protocol 315 used by the configurator 303 indicates either the IPX protocol or the UDP protocol selected by the user during operation.
[0025]
In the following description, the network management software according to the present application is referred to as “NetSpot”.
[0026]
<< Device list >>
When the NetSpot activation process ends, a screen called a device list as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. On this screen, information such as names related to devices connected to the network is displayed in a list as indicated by 402 to 406 in the figure.
[0027]
In NetSpot, a device is selected from this screen, and a setting screen for each device is opened for setting.
[0028]
Next, a method for copying the same setting as the device for which the setting has been completed to another device will be described.
[0029]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the setting process in this embodiment. First, in step S101, an icon of a device to be copied (symbol picture) displayed in the device list is dragged and dropped onto the icon of the device to be copied. In step S102, device setting values are acquired and stored for all setting items related to the device to be copied.
[0030]
Next, in step S103, it is determined whether all setting items are items for which different values should be set for each device. For example, there is no problem even if the same setting value is set for different devices for the toner density and the like, but the same value such as an IP address may not be set. If the item to be set is an item for which a different value is to be set, the process proceeds to step S104 to notify the user to set a different value. In step S105, a value newly input by the user is set as a set value in the device.
[0031]
Note that, as a result of step S103, even when notifying the user to set a different value, the same item may be copied.
[0032]
If it is not necessary to set a different value for the item to be set in step S103, the process proceeds to step S106, and the setting value acquired in step S102 is set in the device to be copied.
[0033]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, by dragging and dropping the icon of the device displayed in the device list, a value similar to the value set in the device can be set in another device. it can.
[0034]
Therefore, when setting a new device, it is not necessary to make any input for each setting item, and the setting work can be greatly reduced.
[0035]
In addition, by giving an attribute to the setting item and providing a branch depending on whether different information should be set for each device, it is possible to copy the setting with a single operation.
[0036]
Even if the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.), an apparatus (for example, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, etc.) composed of a single device. You may apply to.
[0037]
Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and store the computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus in the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the programmed program code.
[0038]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0039]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.
[0040]
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.
[0041]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, whether to set different setting values for each network device is recognized for each setting item, and when it is recognized that the setting item is to set a different setting value, The user 's convenience can be improved by allowing the user to input the set value .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a structure of a management information database (MIB).
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a PC capable of operating network management software.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a module configuration of network management software in the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a device list screen in the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a setting process in the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
200 PC
201 CPU
202 ROM
203 RAM
204 System bus 205 KBC
206 CRTC
207 DKC
208 NIC
209 KB
210 CRT
211 HD
212 FD

Claims (6)

A network device setting method in a network management apparatus for managing a plurality of network devices connected on a network,
An acquisition step of acquiring setting values of a plurality of setting items related to the second network device when setting values to a plurality of setting items related to the first network device ;
A recognition step of recognizing whether or not to set the setting value different from the set value of the plurality of setting items related to a second network device acquired by the acquiring step for each setting item,
If the user recognizes that the setting item is a different setting value in the recognition process, the user should be prompted to set a different setting value, set the input setting value, and set a different setting value in the recognition process. A network device setting method comprising: a setting step of setting the setting value acquired in the acquisition step when it is recognized that the setting item is not a setting item. A display process for displaying network devices as icons;
Further comprising a designation step for designating the icon of the network devices displayed in said display step,
The second network device icon in response to being dragged and dropped onto the icon of the first network device, by the setting step, setting a plurality of setting items related to the first network device The network device setting method according to claim 1, wherein a value is set. 3. The network device setting method according to claim 2, wherein the display step displays a list of network device icons. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer step of transferring setting values of a plurality of setting items related to the first network device set in the setting step to the first network device via the network. The network device setting method described . In a network management apparatus that manages a plurality of network devices connected on a network,
An acquisition unit configured to acquire setting values of a plurality of setting items related to the second network device when setting values to a plurality of setting items related to the first network device ;
And recognizing means for recognizing whether or not to set the setting value different from the set value of the plurality of setting items related to a second network device acquired by the acquisition unit for each setting item,
If the recognition unit recognizes that the setting item is a different setting value, the user is prompted to set a different setting value, and the input setting value is set, and the setting unit should set a different setting value. network management apparatus when recognizing not the setting item is characterized by having a setting means for setting setting value acquired by the acquisition unit. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the network device setting method according to claim 1.

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