ABSTRACT
An XML accessible network device can perform functions in response to an XML encoded request transmitted over a network.
It includes a network data transfer service coupled to a network capable of receiving XML encoded requests from a client connected to the network. A service engine is capable of understanding and parsing the XML encoded requests according to a corresponding DTD. The service engine further instantiates a service using parameters provided in the XML encoded request and launches the service for execution on the network device by a command design parameter. A set of device APIs interacts with hardware and software on the network device for executing the requested service on the network device. A response is further collected from the device and provided to the client in a response message if necessary.
Command design pattern to access and configure network elements
An Inventor: Dr. Tal Lavian
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to network device configuration and monitoring, particularly to a method and apparatus for accessing, configuring, and controlling a device stationed on a network using a command design pattern and documents written in a markup language such as XML.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Computer networks continue to increase.
As they do so, they become increasingly complex and challenging to manage. This problem is exacerbated when various network devices, computers, and software are combined to integrate large intranets with the Internet.
As shown in FIG. 1, when a client 100 wants to learn information regarding a remote network device 104 stationed on a network 102, code executing on client 100 formats a message requesting such data and sends it to network 104. Network device 104 must be preprogrammed with functionality for communicating in the protocol required by client 100‘s message and knowing exactly how to get the requested information. If so, network device 104 can then respond with the requested information.
A simple network management protocol (SNMP) is one example of a network protocol that allows clients to learn about remote network devices. SNMP enables network devices to 104 to send alerts to a manager 102 or to send statistical traffic information. Still, it limits the kind of information that can be sent to that which is pre-defined in the management information blocks (MIBs) coded into the network device. Accordingly, a new MIB needs to be redefined each time a new type of information is maintained or is needed about the device, thus making network management and performance even more problematic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Efficiently accessing, configuring, and controlling a network device using a typical design pattern and documents written in a markup language such as the Extensible Markup Language (XML).
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an XML accessible network device is capable of performing functions in response to an XML encoded request transmitted over a network. It includes a network data transfer service coupled to a network capable of receiving XML encoded requests from a client connected to the network. A service engine can understand and pars the XML encoded requests according to a corresponding document type definition (DTD). The service engine further instantiates a service using parameters provided in the XML encoded request and launches the service for execution on the network device using a command design parameter. A set of device APIs interacts with hardware and software on the network device for executing the requested service on the network device. If necessary or desired, a response is further collected from the device and provided to the client in a response message.
Following another aspect of the invention, a method for causing a network device to perform a service locally comprises the steps of receiving at the network device a document written following a markup language and a corresponding document definition, parsing by the network device the received document following the related document definition, and executing the service on the network device following the parsed document and a command design parameter.
Following a further aspect of the invention, a network device for locally performing a service in response to a remote request comprises means for receiving at the network device a document written following a markup language and a corresponding document definition, means for parsing by the network device the received document following the related document definition, and means for executing the service on the network device following the parsed document and a command design parameter.
Following a further aspect of the invention, a network device for locally performing a service following a received document written in a document markup language comprises a parser that is adapted to parse the received document following a document definition, a service engine coupled to the parser that is adapted to instantiate an object corresponding to the service following the parsed received document and to execute the service following the instantiated object and a command design parameter.