JPH1063594A - Network managing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain not only the retrieving result of network managing information corresponding to this retrieving condition but the retrieving result of network managing information corresponding to a retrieving condition with the same meaning (synonymous) as this retrieving condition by allowing a retrieving operator only to clearly designating one retrieving condition. SOLUTION: The system consists of an extension part 8 housing a table 9 previously coordinating respectively synonymous retrieving conditions included in a retrieving request, a request analyzing part 11 extracting a retrieving condition 12 from the inputted retrieving request, a condition extending part 13 specifying an extension retrieving condition 14 synonymous with the extracted retrieving condition 12 by referring to the table 9 of the part 8, and a request extending part 15 generating an extension retrieving request 16 by adding the condition 14 to an inputted retrieving request, and the system is provided with at least a retrieving request extending part 7 generating the request 16 obtained by adding the condition 14 to the inputted retrieving request to collect managing information (an extension retrieving result 6) corresponding to the request 16 generated by this part 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called manager / agent model or the like, which is a component of a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a network component such as a network device or a computer device. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network management system for collecting management information such as fault information and fault information, and more particularly to a network management system suitable for reducing the load on an operator involved in inputting a management information search request.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of network technology such as LAN, a so-called client-server system (CSS) in which inexpensive systems such as personal computers (personal computers) and workstations are connected to a network.
Client Server System) is spreading. As a result, the types and quantities of various hardware and software network components are increased and complicated.

[0003] Therefore, SNM which is a substantial industry standard is used.
P (Simple Network Management Protocol) Manager (Nikkei Electronics 1990 by Nikkei BP)
8-20 (No. 507) pp. 115-137 and 1992 10-12 (No. 565) p
p. 335-350) and DMI (Desktop Mana
gement Interface) system (published by Nikkei BP) Nikkei Electronics 1993 12-6 (No. 596)
pp. It is becoming increasingly important to manage the status of network components by means of dedicated network management platforms, such as those described on pages 115-121).

Accordingly, the types of network management information stored and managed by the network management platform and searched by the network administrator are also diversifying according to the purpose of the network management platform itself, diversification and quantity of network components. With the increase, it has become enormous. Therefore, the importance of a database management system for integrating and efficiently managing these network management information is increasing.

In order to efficiently manage such network components, network management information collected and accumulated by the management platform of each network from the above-described database management system is easily and flexibly used according to the management purpose. It is important to search. Hereinafter, a technique of searching for management information in a conventional network management system will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional network management system, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a search operation of network management information by the network management system in FIG. In FIG. 3, 1
a and 1b are management platforms for performing network management as a single vendor, 1c and 1d are management applications for performing network management as multi-vendors, and 2a to 2d are management platforms 1a and 1b and management applications 1c and 1d, respectively. The collected network management information, 3 is each management information 2
A database management system (referred to as DBMS in the figure) for collecting integrated management information 3a integrating a to 2d, a search request input unit 4 for inputting a search request from the operator, and a reference numeral 5 for a search request from the operator A search unit 6 for extracting corresponding management information from the integrated management information 3a is a search result collected by the search unit 5.

[0007] The management platforms 1a and 1b and the management applications 1c and 1d collect network management information from respective network components and accumulate them as network management information 2a to 2d. Then, the management information 2a of these networks
２2d are sorted and collected by the database management system 3 according to the management purpose of the network, and accumulated and managed as integrated management information 3a.

The operation of the search unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG.
In the example shown in FIG. 4, in the device list table 3b as one of the integrated management information 3a of the network, for example,
Information indicating the same “meaning” (synonymous), such as “AAAAA” and “AAAAA Corporation”, is stored in different data formats as device manufacturer names. this is,
When the integrated management information 3a of the network is created, it is caused by a difference between the management platforms 1a and 1b and the management applications 1c and 1d of the network to which the management information is input.

That is, the management platforms 1a, 1
b and the management information data output by the management applications 1c and 1d are provided by a manufacturer that manufactures the components (personal computers, LAN boards, various drivers, etc.) that are the information collection destinations of the management platforms 1a and 1b and the management applications 1c and 1d. The management platform 1a, 1b or the management application 1c, 1
d itself merely defines the type of management information, data type (character type, numeric type, etc.), data size, and the like. Therefore, management information indicating the same “meaning” in the network system is stored in a different data format, for example, also occurs in management information in a single management platform.

When a plurality of different management platforms are used, similarly, different values of management information have the same meaning depending on the difference in the management information input method due to the difference in management protocol. As a specific example, the value of the physical address of a LAN board mounted on a personal computer is, for example, Hewlett Packard corp.
oration) "Openview Network Node Manager" is called "0x0020af7
39748 ”and“ Microsof ”manufactured by Microsoft Corporation in the United States.
t SMS ”on a management platform called“ 00: 2
0: af: 73: 97: 48 ".

In such a state, a search operator of the network management information inputs a condition search request 4a (for example, a device name) for searching for information (eg, a device name) relating to a device of a specific maker via the search request input unit 4. SELECT Device name, F
ROM equipment list, WHERE Manufacturer name = '
AAAA ′) is input to the search unit 5. As a result, the condition search request 4a is processed by the search unit 5,
The search result 6a (PC-1) is obtained. The search result 6a includes a condition (AAA Corporation) explicitly specified by the search operator of the network management information in the condition search request 4a.
Information that matches (A) is included, but conditions (meaningfully) that match (synonymously) with the specified condition (AAAAA, Inc.
AAA Corp. ) (WS-1, H
UB-1, PC-3) cannot be searched.

As described above, in the conventional network management system, in order to search for the desired network management information from the integrated management information 3a accumulated using the database management system 3 without shortage, the search operator needs to perform the integration. In the network management information stored in the management information 3a,
Understand that there is synonymous information with the same "meaning" in different data formats, and it is necessary to explicitly specify all necessary data formats as search conditions, which makes network management information search operations difficult. ing.

[0013]

The problem to be solved is that, in the prior art, only network management information corresponding to a search condition specified explicitly can be searched. An object of the present invention is to solve these problems of the prior art, and a search operator only explicitly specifies one search condition, and not only the search result of the network management information corresponding to the search condition, but also the search operator. An object of the present invention is to provide a network management system capable of obtaining a search result of network management information corresponding to a search condition having the same meaning (synonymous) as a search condition.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the network management system according to the present invention comprises: (1) an extension unit 8 for storing a table 9 in which respective synonymous search conditions included in a search request are previously associated; And a search condition equivalent to the search condition included in the input search request 4a.
Of the extended search request 1 in which the extracted synonymous search conditions are added to the input search request 4a.
And a management request (extended search result 6) corresponding to the extended search request 16 generated by the extended search request unit 7. (2) In the network management system according to (1), the search request extension unit 7 extracts the search condition 12 from the input search request 4a.
A condition expansion unit 13 for specifying an extended search condition 14 having the same meaning as the search condition 12 extracted by the request analysis unit 11 with reference to the table 9 of the expansion unit 8; and an extended search condition 14 specified by the condition expansion unit 13. Is added to the input search request 4a to generate an extended search request 16.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the present invention, search conditions included in a search request specified when searching for network management information have the same "meaning" by being grouped in advance. However, the same search conditions described in different formats are associated with each other. And
If one search condition is explicitly specified in the input search request, another search condition associated with the same group as the search condition is extracted and added to the search request.

As described above, even if one search condition is explicitly pointed out in the input search request, another search condition associated with the same group as the search condition is added to the search request. It is also possible to collect each piece of network management information associated with each synonymous search condition. Thus, when searching for network management information, the search operator need only explicitly specify the minimum search condition in the search request, and the load on the search operation is reduced. Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the configuration of the network management system of the present invention according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, management platforms 1a, 1b,
Management applications 1c, 1d, management information 2a-2
d, a database management system (described as DBMS in the figure) 3, integrated management information 3a, a search request input unit 4, and a search unit 5 are the same as those in the conventional network management system shown in FIG.

That is, the management platforms 1a, 1
b and the management applications 1c and 1d respectively collect network management information from each network component, accumulate them as network management information 2a to 2d, and manage these network management information 2a to 2d.
Are sorted and collected by the database management system 3 according to the management purpose of the network.
It is stored and managed as a. Then, the search unit 5 collects network management information corresponding to the search request input via the search request input unit 4 from the integrated management information 3a. In this example, such a conventional network management system is provided with a search request extension unit 7 and an extension unit 8.

The expansion unit 8 includes a table 9 in which search conditions included in a search request input via the request input unit 4 are previously associated with each other, and an extension information editing unit for inputting the contents of the table 9. 10 is provided. When the “table name” and “column name” indicating the type of the network management information are specified by the operator, the extended information editing unit 10 reads out all the corresponding condition values storing the target constituent elements, Display on the display device. And
The table is set when the operator selects and instructs grouping for the displayed corresponding condition value. That is, the operator specifies the “condition value” (AAAAA Corporation) for the type (table name) of the network management information and the identifier of the “group” indicating that the “condition value” has the same meaning and is related to the “condition value”. The table 9 is set by adding, deleting, and changing 1).

The search request extension unit 7 analyzes a search request input via the search request input unit 4 and extracts a search condition 12, and an extended search condition 14 synonymous with the search condition 12. Is added to the search request input via the search request input unit 4 to add the extended search request 16 to the search request input via the search request input unit 4. The request extension unit 15 generates the request. The search unit 5 is a request extension unit 15 of the search request extension unit 7.
Based on the extended search request 16 generated by the
a, and collect the corresponding network management information. Hereinafter, a search operation according to the present invention of the network management system having such a configuration will be described with a specific example shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a search operation of the network management information according to the present invention by the network management system in FIG. In this example, "device list (table)" is shown as a search target in the integrated management information 3a of the network of the database management system 3, and in this "device list (table)", "model"
Each item of “device name” and “manufacturer name” is set. Here, the “model” is “PC” (personal computer), “WS” (workstation), “HUB”
(PC-1), "PC-2", "WS-1" and "WS-" corresponding to each model.
2 "," HUB-1 ", and" HUB-2 "
“AAAAA”, “xxxx”, “AA Inc.
"AA", "yyyy", "AAAAA Corp."
Each manufacturer name of “zzzz” is shown.

In Table 9, "table name",
Each item of “Column name” and “Group” is set. Here, “Device list” is shown as “Table name”, “Manufacturer name” is shown as “Column name”, and “Column name” Each manufacturer is grouped. For example, in this example, "AAAAA" and "AAAAA Corporation" and "AAAAA Corp." are associated as "group (1)", and these maker names are synonymous (having the same meaning). Are described in a different format).

The search request 4a input via the search request input unit 4 includes "SELECT device name",
"FROM device list" and "WHERE maker name = 'AAAAA'" are shown. In this search request 4a, the “manufacturer name” is “A”
The request is to search for “device name” of “AAA”. When the search request 4a is input to the search request expansion unit 7 via the search request input unit 4, first, the request analysis unit 11 parses the search request 4a and extracts each search condition 12 included therein. I do. Here, “Table name:“ Device list ””
"Column name:" Manufacturer name "", "Condition value:" A
A search condition 12 consisting of "AAA""is extracted.

Based on the search conditions 12 extracted in this manner, the condition expansion unit 13 searches the table 9 of the expansion unit 8 and determines that the maker is a search condition having the same meaning as “condition value:“ AAA ”. Specify the first name. In other words, "device list"
In the table, a group whose maker name is "AAAAA" (here, "1") is searched, and each maker name in this group (1) is specified. as a result,""
AAAA "", "AAA Corporation"
A "", "" AAAA Corp. An extended search condition 14 consisting of "" is obtained. The request extension unit 15 adds the extended search condition 14 to the search request 4a, and adds “SELEC
T device name ”,“ FROM device list ”,“ WHERE
Manufacturer name IN ('AAAAA', Inc.)
AAAA ',' AAAAA Corp. An extended search request 16 consisting of "" is generated.

In response to the extended search request 16, the search unit 5 sets the integrated management information 3 a of the database management system 3.
(Device list (table)), and as a result,
"PC-1", "WS-1", "HUB-1", "PC
-3 "is obtained. By doing so, in the conventional network management system shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, from the search request 4a having the same content,
Although only "PC-1" was searched, in the present embodiment, "W-1"
S-1 "," HUB-1 ", and" PC-3 "can also be searched without fail.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the network management system according to the present embodiment, the search operator of the network management information allows the management platform or management platform from which the network management information is obtained. It is possible to search for related desired network management information with only one search condition without being aware of synonymous network management information having the same meaning and a different data format depending on the application.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, but can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. For example, in the present embodiment, the search condition “(share)
Although “AAAAA” is also specified in the extended search condition 14, since the search condition “AAAAA” is already included in the search request 4 a, the search condition “AAAAA” is not included. A configuration that is not included in the extended search condition 14 may be used.

[0028]

According to the present invention, not only search conditions specified explicitly but also network management information corresponding to search conditions synonymous with the search conditions can be searched. By simply specifying the conditions, it is possible to obtain the related desired network management information, and to improve the operability by reducing the specified conditions when searching for the network management information, and to omit the search due to insufficient specification of the search conditions. It is possible to improve search quality.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a configuration according to the present invention of a network management system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a search operation of network management information according to the present invention by the network management system in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional network management system.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a search operation of network management information by the network management system in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b: management platform, 1c, 1d: management application, 2a to 2d: management information, 3: database management system, 3a: integrated management information, 4: search request input unit, 4a: search request, 5: search unit, 6: Extended search result, 6a: Search result, 7: Search request extension unit, 8: Extension unit, 9: Table, 10: Extended information editing unit, 11: Request analysis unit, 12: Search condition, 13: Condition extension unit , 14: Extended search condition, 15: Request extended section, 16: Extended search request.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location H04L 12/26

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A network management system for collecting management information of each network element constituting a network in response to an input search request, wherein a synonymous search condition included in the search request is previously supported. Expansion means for storing the attached table, and a search condition having the same meaning as the search condition included in the input search request is extracted from the table of the expansion means, and the extracted search condition having the same meaning is extracted from the input search request. A network management system comprising at least search request extension means for generating an extended search request added to the above, and collecting the management information in response to the extended search request generated by the search request extension means. 2. The network management system according to claim 1, wherein the search request extension unit includes a request analysis unit that extracts a search condition from the input search request, and a search condition extracted by the request analysis unit. Synonymous search conditions
A condition expansion unit that specifies the table by referring to the table of the expansion unit, and a request expansion unit that adds the synonymous search condition specified by the condition expansion unit to the input search request to generate the expansion search request And a network management system.