JPH1185649A - Computer managing system on network - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage a management object computer on a network while using a computer having no system managing means by receiving a managing means from the management object computer through the network, executing that means through a managing computer and managing the management object computer. SOLUTION: A request sent to a management object computer 20 starts a data transmitting means 33 through a communication means 31 of a WWW server 30. The data transmitting means 33 acquires a managing picture 41 requested from a data storage part 40 and sends it to the communication means 31. Further, the managing picture 41 is transmitted to a WWW display means 70 and finally, the managing picture 41 is displayed on a screen. When the managing picture 41 is displayed on the screen, according to these internal data, a WWW display means 70 requests a managing means 42 to the WWW server 30. The WWW server 30 extracts the managing means 42 from the data storage part 40 and transmits it to a client computer 60, and the WWW display means 70 receives this means and executes it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer network management system, and more particularly, to a system for managing server computers on a computer network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional system management on a computer network will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 11 shows a computer system connected by a network 15. On the computer 80 to be managed,
There is a system management means 81. System management means 81
Is a communication unit 82 for performing processing based on the communication protocol on the network, a monitoring unit 83 for monitoring the state of the computer and notifying the management computer when an abnormality occurs, and collecting management information such as a memory and a hard disk. And a setting means 85 for updating system setting information.

A management computer 90 used to manage the management target computer 80 has a system management means 91. The system management means 91 includes a communication means 92, a user interface means 94 for receiving an input from a user,
It is composed of management means 93 for performing processing for user input.

[0005] Next, referring to FIG.
A process flow when a request for management information of the management target computer 80 is made for 0 will be described.

First, the request given to the user interface means 94 of the system management means 91 is
The data is sent to the system management means 81 of the managed computer 80 through the communication means 92. After the management information request sent to the system management means 81 is processed by the communication means 82, the request is sent to the management information collection means 84. Management information collection means 8
4 obtains the requested management information, and
Send to The communication means 82 transmits the management information to the management computer 90
Send to In the management computer 90, the system management means 91
The communication information 92, the management means 93, and the user interface means 94 are processed in this order to display management information.

FIG. 13 shows a processing flow when a user requests the management computer 90 to set the management target computer 80.

The process from when a setting request is given to the system management means 91 on the management computer 90 to when it is sent to the communication means 82 of the system management means 81 on the management target computer 80 is the same as the case of the management information request in FIG. The same is true.
The setting request processed by the communication unit 82 is sent to the setting unit 85. The setting unit 85 performs the requested setting, and sends a setting completion notification to the communication unit 82 when the setting is completed. The setting completion notification path is the same as that in the case of the management information transmission in FIG. 12, and notifies the user of the completion of the setting through the user interface unit 94.

When the system management means 91 is started by the management computer 90, the system management means 91 makes a monitoring request to the monitoring means. FIG. 14 shows the flow of the processing at this time.

The monitoring request is sent to the management means 9 on the management computer 90.
Given by 3. This monitoring request is sent to the communication means 92 and then to the communication means 82 of the system management means 81 on the managed computer 80. The monitoring request processed by the communication unit 82 is sent to the monitoring unit 83. Thus, the monitoring means 83 starts monitoring the state of the computer.

When the monitoring means 83 finds an abnormality in the computer, it sends a warning to the management computer 80 at that time. The transmitted warning is transmitted to the communication unit 82, the communication unit 92, and the management unit 9.
3 is displayed on the screen of the management computer 90.

[0012]

In the conventional system management on a computer network, a system management means 91 is prepared on a management computer 90 in addition to a system management means 81 provided on a management target computer 80. There is a need. Therefore, when the administrator uses a computer different from the computer normally used to manage the managed computer 80, the system management means 91 must be stored on the computer at all times.

Further, a communication load with a computer to be managed concentrates on a computer having a system management means.

If a computer having system management means breaks down, the management target computer cannot be managed.

Further, among the management information of the computers on the network, there is useful information for users other than the administrator, such as the operating state of the server computer. However, the conventional system management method requires the system management means 91. Because
The useful information cannot be provided to the user. It takes time even if it is performed through a computer having a management means.

Further, among the management information of the computer, the information relating to the setting may be affected by the setting to other users.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide means for allowing a user other than a system administrator to manage a computer to be managed on a network.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide means capable of managing a computer to be managed on a network by using a computer having no system management means.

A further object is to provide a means for checking the authority of the system administrator and users other than the system administrator, and permitting only the system administrator to make settings.

[0020]

An object of the present invention is to operate a network service having an external program execution function and a remote program transmission function on a management target computer in which a system management means is provided, This is achieved by providing a management computer with a network client having a function of executing a remote program and corresponding to the network service.

That is, the system management means on the management target computer in the prior art is prepared as an external program of the network service, and the system management means on the management computer in the prior art is prepared as a remote program of the network service. This is achieved by the network client on the management computer receiving and executing the system management means.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a general computer network constituted by a management target computer 20 and a management computer 60 connected by a network 10 and to which the present invention is applied.

The management target computer 20 includes a network service program 30 having an external program execution function and a remote program transmission function, and a management target computer 20.
System management means (including hardware and software) 55 for managing hardware and software. These programs are executed by a processor (not shown) in the managed computer 20. Further, a data storage unit 40 for storing programs and data used on the side of the management computer 60 (hereinafter also referred to as a client computer) serving as a client by the network service.
Consists of

In this example, the network service 30 is a TCP / IP (Transmission Connec- tion).
control Protocol / Internet Pro
tocol) (World Wide Wed)
Employ a network service called b). At this time, the WWW server program corresponds to the network service. Network service program (hereafter,
The WWW server 30 is an HTTP (Hyper T)
communication means 31 for processing a communication protocol for composite media called ext Transfer Protocol), a program execution means 32 for starting an external program which is a program independent of the WWW server 30, and transmission to the client computer A data transmission unit 33 for acquiring transmission data requested by a client from a data storage unit 40 storing data to be transmitted and transmitting the data to a client computer.

The system management means 55 monitors the state of the hardware and software of the computer 20 to be managed, and has a function of notifying the management computer when an abnormality has occurred. Monitoring communication means 46 for performing communication of the communication, monitoring start means 44 for starting the monitoring means 45 in response to a request from the management computer, communication means 43 for transmitting information from the monitoring means 45 to the management computer, a memory and a hard disk Management information collecting means 48 for collecting information such as information, management information communication means 49 for communicating with the management information collecting means 48, and management information starting having a function of being started by the WWW server 50 and starting the management information collecting means 48. Means 47, setting means 51 for controlling power supply and the like, and setting communication means 52 for communicating with the setting means 51
And a setting activation unit 50 which is activated by the WWW server 30 and has a function of activating the setting unit 51.

The client computer 60 has a WWW display means 70 serving as a client of the WWW server 30. The WWW display means 70 includes a communication means 71 for processing the HTTP communication protocol, a reception program execution means 72 activated when a program is received, and a display arrangement activated when data to be displayed on a screen is received. Management means 73; data display means 74 for displaying the execution result of the program or display data whose arrangement is determined on the screen; user interface means for accepting input from the user and transmitting the processing result to the user 75
Consists of An example of the WWW display means 70 is a program called a browser.

Next, the WWW display means 70 of the management computer 60
Is started, and the processing flow when the initial screen 41 is requested to the WWW server 30 of the managed computer 20 is shown in FIG.
This will be described below.

After the initial screen request given to the WWW display means 70 is processed by the user interface means 75,
The communication unit 71 converts the signal into a signal according to the HTTP protocol and sends the signal to the managed computer 20. The request sent to the management target computer 20 activates the data transmission unit 33 through the communication unit 31 of the WWW server 30. The data transmission unit 33 acquires the requested initial screen 41 from the data storage unit 40 and sends it to the communication unit 31. The above initial screen 41
Is further transmitted to the WWW display means 70 and the communication means 7
After the processing by step 1, the display arrangement management unit 73 is activated. Thereafter, the determined initial screen is sent to the data display means 74, and the initial screen is finally displayed on the screen. An example of the initial screen 41 is a home page displayed on the browser.

In this example, the initial screen 41 is an internal data item that specifies the management means 42 to be executed subsequently. When the initial screen 41 is displayed on the screen, the WWW display means 70 displays the management means 4 according to the internal data.
2 to the WWW server 30. WWW server 30
Retrieves the management unit 42 from the data storage unit 40 and transmits it to the client computer 60, and the WWW display unit 70 receives and executes it. The flow of this processing will be described with reference to FIG. Examples of the management unit 42 include various programs operating on a homepage.

After the management means request is given to the WWW display means 70, the data transmission means 33 of the managed computer 20
Is the same as in the case of the initial screen request. The data transmission unit 33 acquires the requested management unit 42 from the data storage unit 40 and transmits it to the communication unit 31. The management means is processed on the WWW display means 70 through the reception program execution means 72 after being processed by the communication means 71 of the WWW display means 70. The execution result of the management means is sent to the data display means and displayed on the screen. In addition, by executing the management unit, a monitoring communication unit 76 for network connection with the monitoring unit 45 of the managed computer 20 is created in the WWW display unit 70.

When the WWW display means 70 executes the management means 42, the management means 42 issues an activation request for the monitoring means 46 and monitors the
6 is in a state of waiting for a warning signal. The flow of this processing is shown in FIG.

The receiving program executing means controls the managing means 4.
When Step 2 is executed, a monitoring request is sent to the monitoring communication unit 71. The monitoring request is further transmitted to the communication unit 43 of the managed computer 20 and after being processed, the monitoring activating unit 44 activates the monitoring communication unit 45 and the monitoring unit 46 to complete the communication preparation between them. .

Further, when an error occurs in hardware or software on the management target computer 20, the monitoring means 46 sends a warning signal to the management computer 60. FIG. 6 shows the flow of this processing. In this way, when managing the system on the computer network, the management computer can automatically receive and execute the management means from the computer network.

FIG. 7 shows the flow of processing when a management information collection request is issued from the user via the management computer 60 via the management computer 60 while the management means 42 is being executed.

After the management information collection request is processed in the order of the user interface means 75, the communication means 71, and the communication means 31, the management information starting means 47 is executed through the program execution means 32. The management information starting means 47 starts the management information collecting means 48. The execution result of the management information collection unit 48 is transmitted to the data transmission unit 33 through the management information communication unit 49.
Is sent to the WWW display means 70
Sent as the above display data. WWW display means 70
The management means 42 processes the received data and displays it on the screen of the management computer 60 via the data display means 74 and the display arrangement management means 73.

FIG. 8 shows the flow of processing when a setting request is made on the management computer 60 by a user. The processing flow is the same as the management information collection request in FIG.
As a result of the setting request given to the management computer being transmitted to the management target computer, the setting means 51 is activated to perform the requested setting. When the setting is completed, a setting completion notification is transmitted to the management computer.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a screen when the system management means 70 on the management computer 60 executes the management means 42 received from the management target computer 20. On-screen, free memory capacity, hard disk remaining capacity, CPU
The status, FAN status, and temperature are information collected by the management information collection unit 49. Also, ON / OFF of power control
Can be set by the setting means 51. further,
In the column of monitoring information, a warning that is notified by the monitoring unit 46 when an error occurs in the managed computer is displayed.

FIG. 10 shows a configuration for managing a plurality of computers using this embodiment. It is characterized in that each of the managed computers 20 has a WWW server 30 and a system management means, and a computer without management means directly manages a plurality of managed computers without going through a computer having management means. It becomes possible to do.

As a result, any user can manage a plurality of computers to be managed. However, if a setting operation for making a change to the hardware resources or software resources of the computers on the network is performed, It can have a significant effect on other users. For example, power ON / OFF and the like correspond to this operation.

Therefore, in order to perform the setting operation, the management authority of the user is checked, and the management authority for performing the setting operation is restricted to a specific administrator such as a system administrator. Must be able to perform setting operations.

A method for restricting the management authority to a specific manager will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the computer network shown in FIG. A system newly added in order to restrict the management authority to a specific administrator inside the system management means 55 of the management target computer 20 is the management computer 60
An authentication unit 101 for confirming the authority of a user who attempts to manage from a user, authentication information 103 which is information transmitted by the user for confirming the authority, and an authentication information storage unit 102 for storing authentication information. You.

The management unit 42 included in the data storage unit 40 of the managed computer 20 includes an authentication unit 104 for receiving information for confirming the authority from the user and transmitting the information to the managed computer.

The state of the management computer 60 after the reception program execution means 72 of the WWW display means 70 has received and executed the authentication means 104 is shown.

FIG. 17 shows the structure shown in FIG.
The flow of processing for performing authentication is shown.

First, the management computer 60 sends a transmission request of the authentication means 104 to the managed computer 20.

On the other hand, the management target computer 20 transmits the designated authentication means 104 to the management computer 60.

The management computer 60 receives the authentication means 104, and receives the authentication means 104 according to the reception program 72.
Execute

When the authentication means 104 is executed, a display for receiving the authentication information from the user is displayed, and the apparatus waits for an input from the user.

When the user inputs authentication information using an input device such as a keyboard, the authentication means 104 encrypts the authentication information and transmits it to the managed computer 20.
At the time of encryption, a commonly used encryption method can be used.

When the management target computer 20 receives the authentication information transmitted from the management computer 60, the program execution means 32 of the network service 30 sends the authentication information to the authentication means 101.
And the given authentication information is stored in the authentication unit 101.
Pass to.

The authentication means 101 compares the authentication information 102 previously stored in the authentication information storage section 103 with the passed authentication information.

As a result of the comparison, if the authentication information 102 and the authentication information received from the management computer match, the management screen 41 stored in the data storage unit 40 is transmitted to the management computer 60, so that the management The screen 41 is displayed on the WWW display means 70.

As a result of the comparison, if the authentication information 102 does not match the authentication information received from the management computer, the transmission of the management screen 41 is refused, and the user is notified that he has no authority.

By using the above-described authentication method, a computer having no management means can manage a computer to be managed, and at the same time, has a great influence on other users, such as power ON / OFF setting. For items,
Authority can be restricted to specific administrators.

The user who receives the service provided by the system management means 55 cannot be specified in advance, and any user who knows the authentication information corresponding to the administrator authority can receive the service. Further, the computer used by these users cannot be specified in advance. For this reason, it is impossible to have the destination of the warning signal as information in advance.

It is not common to connect to the system management means 55 from the management computer 20 side and receive a warning signal while maintaining the connection. There are problems such as restrictions.

Therefore, a method for determining the destination of the warning signal will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the computer network shown in FIG. A system newly added to the destination of the warning signal in the system management unit 55 of the management target computer 20 includes a user information registration unit 111 for registering information of a user who receives a service of the system management unit. And user information 113 composed of information necessary for transmitting a warning signal, and a user information storage unit 112 for storing user information.

The management means 42 included in the data storage unit 40 of the managed computer 20 acquires user information necessary for transmitting a warning signal, and transmits the user information for transmitting the warning signal to the managed computer. A registration unit 114 is included.

The state of the management computer 60 after the reception program execution means 72 of the WWW display means 70 has received and executed the user information registration means 114 is shown.

FIG. 19 shows the configuration shown in FIG.
The flow of the registration process of the user information is shown.

First, the management computer 60 sends a transmission request of the user information registration unit 114 to the management target computer 20.

On the other hand, the management target computer 20 transmits the designated user information registration means 114 to the management computer 60.

The management computer 60 has the user information registration unit 1
14, the user program registration unit 114 is executed by the receiving program 72.

When executed, the user information registration means 114 automatically acquires user information from the WWW display means. Alternatively, the user can be requested to input, and all or part of the user information can be obtained from the input information.
For example, CGI (CommonGateway In)
Using the extended interface of the WWW server called "terface", when the WWW browser calls the CGI program, the IP address and the host name of the computer on which the browser is running can be acquired from the environment variables to be transferred. .

After obtaining the user information, the user information registration means 114 transmits the user information to the managed computer 20.

When the management target computer 20 receives the user information transmitted from the management computer 60, the program execution means 32 of the network service 30 executes the user information registration means 111 to store the given user information in the user information. The information is passed to the information registration unit 111.

The user information registration unit 111 stores the passed user information in the user information storage unit 112.

FIG. 20 shows an example of the user information 113 stored in the user information storage section 112. User information 113
Is information necessary for determining a destination of a warning signal, and is configured by an address for each user, a connection start time, and the presence or absence of an unconfirmed warning.

With the above series of procedures, the system management means 55 can dynamically acquire user information.

Next, FIG. 21 shows a flow of processing for transmitting a warning signal based on the user information 113.

When a hardware or software abnormality is detected in the computer to be managed, the monitoring means 45 in the system management means 55 refers to the user information 113, acquires the address of the currently connected user, and issues a warning signal. Determine the destination of the

Next, the monitoring communication means 46 transmits a warning to the transmission destination determined by the monitoring means 45.

Upon receiving the warning, the management computer 60, which is the destination of the warning, notifies the user of the reception of the warning using the user interface unit 75.

Although not shown in the figure, when the user ends the management operation, the user information is again transmitted from the management computer 60 to the management target computer 20 immediately before the end, and the system management means is terminated. 55 compares the user information 113 with the transmitted user information and deletes information including the same address from the user information 113,
Update the destination of the warning signal.

By using the above-described user information registration method, a computer having no management means can be managed.
0 can be managed, and at the same time, the management target computer 20 can dynamically and automatically determine the computer to which the warning signal is to be transmitted without preparing information on the destination in advance. .

[0079]

As described above, according to the present invention, a computer having no management means can manage a plurality of computers to be managed.
It is possible to directly manage without using a computer having management means. Direct management can save time.

Further, the communication load with the computer to be managed does not concentrate on the computer having the management means as in the related art.

Even if the management computer fails, it can be managed using another computer, so that the reliability can be improved.

Further, for management items that greatly affect other users, such as power ON / OFF settings, the authority can be restricted to a specific administrator.

Further, it becomes possible for the computer to be managed to dynamically and automatically determine the computer to which the warning signal is transmitted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram after execution of management means in an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow of processing of a management screen request according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing of a management unit according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of processing of a monitoring request according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of a warning in an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of processing of a management information request in an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a setting request according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a plurality of management targets.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing conventional system management.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a flow of processing of a management information request in conventional system management.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a setting request in conventional system management.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a flow of processing of a monitoring request in conventional system management.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a flow of a warning in the conventional system management.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration for authentication according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a flow of an authentication process according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a configuration for registering user information according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a process of registering user information according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of user information according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a warning signal transmission process based on user information according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: network, 20: managed computer, 30: W
WW server, 40: data management unit, 41: management screen, 4
2: management means, 55: system management means, 60: management computer, 70: WWW display means.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Igata 5030 Totsukacho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Software Development Division, Hitachi, Ltd.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A management system on a computer network comprising a management computer and a management target computer, wherein the management target computer includes management means, and the management computer receives the management means from the management target computer via the network. A computer management system for managing a computer to be managed by executing the computer. 2. The computer management system according to claim 1, wherein said management target computer has a monitoring means, and said management computer executes said management means to perform network connection with said monitoring means. Characteristic computer management system. 3. The computer management system according to claim 1, wherein said management target computer has a management information collecting means, and is executed by a network service on said management target computer to activate said management information collecting means. A system management method characterized by having management information activation means. 4. The computer management system according to claim 1, wherein said management target computer has a setting unit, and is executed by a network service on said management target computer, and said setting start unit starts said setting unit. A system management method characterized by having 5. The computer management system according to claim 1, wherein the management computer includes means for receiving and executing a means for encrypting and transmitting a character string input by a user from the management target computer, and A system management method, wherein a computer checks a user's management authority by checking an encrypted character string with authentication information. 6. The computer management system according to claim 1, wherein the management target computer includes a management unit including only items that can be operated with a user's management authority given as a result of the authentication according to claim 5. And transmitting to the management computer. 7. The computer management system according to claim 1, wherein the management computer receives and executes, from the management target computer, means for automatically acquiring or transmitting an address of the computer on a network by a user input. Means, wherein the managed computer stores the transmitted address information. 8. The computer management system according to claim 1, wherein said management target computer has means for specifying a management computer that notifies a warning signal based on the address information of claim 7 when a failure occurs. And system management techniques.