1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system managing method and apparatus and, more particularly, to a system managing method and apparatus using both a managed object interface and a non-managed object interface.
In a system such as an exchange system supporting a plurality of kinds of interfaces including a managed object (MO) interface and a non-managed object (non-MO) interface, it is desired to simplify a process using the MO interface and the non-MO interface. The MO interface includes common management information protocol (CMIP). A TL1 command and a graphical user interface (GUI) are included in the non-MO interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is an illustration for explaining a conventional system management model. The system management model shown in FIG. 1 is an open system interconnection (OSI) system which enables interconnection between different computer network systems. In the system management model shown in FIG. 1, communication between a managing system 41 (manager 43) and a managed system 42 is specified. The managed system 42 includes a plurality of managed objects (MOs) 45 and an agent 44 which operates the managed objects 45.
The managing system 41 (manager 43) may correspond to a managing apparatus such as a maintenance terminal apparatus provided with processors and memories. The managed system 42 may correspond to a switching apparatus provided with processors and memories. In the system management model shown in FIG. 1, resources to be managed are abstracted so as to manage the resources as the managed objects. The managed objects include concepts of a managed object class (MO class) and a managed object instance (MO instance). The MO class defines a characteristic of a managed object. The MO class defines attributes, attribute groups, notifications, operations and behavior. The MO instance represents a specific object defined by the MO class.
For example, the above-mentioned CMIP is defined as a protocol for transmission and reception of management commands and notification information of the managed objects 45 between the managing system 41 (manager 43) and the agent 44 of the managed system 42. The CMIP is a protocol for use on an individual managed object basis. A simple network management protocol (SNMP) is well-known as the CMIP. An interface between the manager 43 and the agent 44 is referred to as the MO interface. That is, the MO interface specifies communication between the managing system 41 and the managed objects 45 via the agent 44 such as transmission of managing operation commands from the managing system 41 (manager 43) to the managed objects 45 or transmission of notification from the managed objects 45 to the managing system 41.
Such a specification of communication is known as a common management information service (CMIS). The managing operations according to the CMIS includes, for example, M-GET which is acquisition of an attribute value, M-SET which is setting of an attribute value, M-ACTION which is an operation on the managed object, M-CREATE which is creation of the managed object, M-DELETE which is deletion of a managed object and M-CANCEL-GET which is cancellation of the M-GET. Notification according to the CMIS includes M-ENENT-REPORT which is a notification sent from a managed object.
On the other hand, the TL1 command or the GUI does not handle resources as the managed object. Such an interface is referred to as the non-MO interface. The non-MO interface is used in various systems including a switching system. In the TL1 command, invoked process and parameters for the process are specified.
FIG. 2 is an illustration for explaining another conventional system management model in which both the MO interface and the non-MO interface are used. The management system model shown in FIG. 2 includes a managing system (manager) 51 for the MO interface, a managed system 52, an agent 54, a common processing unit 55 and a managing system (manager) 56 for the non-MO interface.
The managed system 52 is provided with the common processing unit 55 so that a managing operation for both the MO interface managing system 51 and the non-MO interface managing system 52 can be performed. The common processing unit 55 has a structure based on either the MO interface or the non-MO interface.
If the common processing unit 55 has a structure suitable for the MO interface in the above-mentioned system in which both the MO interface and the non-MO interface are supported, the unit of process requested of the common processing unit 55 is the MO class and a full distinguished name (FDN). The FDN is a symbol used for designating the MO instance which belongs to one of the MO classes in the MO interface. That is, the FDN is an identification number of the MO instance managed as a hierarchical structure according to a hierarchical relationship between a plurality of MO classes.
In this case, a function of the common processing unit 55, which function is in accordance with the CMIP command including the MO class name and the FDN, can be correlated to a command sent from the MO interface. However, an appropriate function of the common processing unit 55 cannot be provided in response to a command sent from the non-MO interface since the command does not include the MO class name and the FDN. In such a case, a process is required for relating the non-MO command to a function of the common processing unit 55 that is based on the MO interface. Thus, the agent 54 performs such a process.
On the other hand, if the common processing unit 55 has a structure suitable for the non-MO interface, the function of the common processing unit 55 is constituted by the unit of command handled by the non-MO interface. Thereby, an appropriate function of the common processing unit 55 can be provided in response to a request from the non-MO interface. However, a command in the MO unit from the MO interface must be processed so as to be related to a command unit in the non-MO interface. In such a case, since the command unit of the non-MO interface has a course tendency as compared to that of the MO interface, there is a problem in that an appropriate function of the common processing unit 55 cannot be provided in response to the request from the MO interface.
Additionally, if a pointer attribute defined by the MO interface is handled in the common processing unit 55, it is considered to set a definition of various pointers that indicates a relationship between the instances so as to perform processes according to the definition. However, in order to respond to the request, a large process load is applied to the common processing unit 55. Additionally, there is a problem in that a long time and labor are required to develop a program performing such an operation.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved and useful system managing method and apparatus in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a system managing method and apparatus in which a load applied to a common processing unit is decreased so as to improve a managing ability of the system.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, there is provided according to the present invention a system managing method and apparatus for managing a system having a plurality of interfaces including a managed object interface and a non-managed object interface, the managed object interface handling resources as managed objects, the non-managed object interface handling resources as non-managed objects. A common processing unit performs operations common to the plurality of interfaces. A managed object interface agent is connected to the managed object interface so as to manage pointer attributes independently from the common processing unit. A non-managed object interface agent is connected to the non-managed object interface. The managed object interface agent includes a knowledge database and an agent database, the knowledge database storing information regarding a pointing instance and a pointed instance defined by each pointer attribute, the agent database holding the resources as instances of the managed object type so as to delete, add or update a value of each pointer attribute according to a process request.
According to the present invention, the pointer attributes can be processed solely by the managed object interface agent. That is, when a process request is transferred from the non-managed object interface agent to the common processing unit, the common processing unit determines whether or not the request is for the resources managed by the managed object interface. If the request is for the resources managed by the managed object interface, the common processing unit transfers the process request to the managed object interface agent so that the request is processed by the managed object interface agent. Thus, the common processing unit is not required to process the request for the resources managed by the managed object interface agent. That is, the common processing unit is required to perform only processes related to the non-managed object and basic processes common to the managed object and the non-managed object. This reduces a load to the common processing unit when a plurality of interfaces including the managed object interface and the non-managed object interface are present.