Device management method, and apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a device management method and an apparatus. The method can be applied to a first network management device, and comprises: receiving a first request message from a first device management device, the first request message being used for requesting to query link fault information of a first link, the first link being an end-to-end link between a first device and a second device; and sending a second request message to a second network management device, the second request message being used for requesting to query a link status of a second link, the second link being part of the first link, and the second link being a link managed by the second network management device. After receiving the request message for querying the link fault information of the end-to-end link, the network management device may query the link status of part of the link from the network management device that manages said part of the link, so as to determine whether the end-to-end link has had a fault, thereby improving device management efficiency.

Description

Equipment management methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410704690.2, filed on May 31, 2024, entitled "Equipment Management Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a device management method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] To meet diverse network needs and functions, enterprise or campus network systems may include a wide variety of network devices (e.g., switches, routers, servers, etc.). Different types of network devices may belong to different vendors and be managed by multiple, often isolated, management devices, potentially leading to low efficiency in network device management. For example, multiple systems may coexist in a fragmented manner, resulting in lengthy fault localization processes. Taking security operations as an example, routine troubleshooting of common security faults (such as offline cameras, inaccessible access control systems, etc.) requires traversing the network, terminals, applications, and platforms, resulting in a long fault localization chain and a lack of end-to-end fault localization capabilities.

[0004] As the number of devices in a network system increases, the management process for these devices becomes increasingly complex. How to effectively manage these devices is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an equipment management method and apparatus that can improve the efficiency of equipment management.

[0006] In a first aspect, a device management method is provided, which can be applied to a first network management device or a component (e.g., a circuit, a chip, or a chip system) in the first network management device.

[0007] The method includes: receiving a first request message from a first device management device, the first request message being used to request querying link fault information of a first link, the first link being an end-to-end link between a first device and a second device; and sending a second request message to a second network management device, the second request message being used to request querying the link status of a second link, the second link being a part of the first link, the second link being a link managed by the second network management device.

[0008] Based on the above scheme, after receiving a request message to query link fault information of an end-to-end link, the network management device can query the link status of a portion of the links from the network management device that manages a portion of the links, thereby determining whether an end-to-end link has failed, which can improve the efficiency of device management.

[0009] In some implementations of the first aspect, before the first network management device sends a second request message to the second network management device, the second network management device is determined based on the first request message and first information, wherein the first information includes information on network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, and the second network management device is one of the at least one network management device.

[0010] Based on the above scheme, the first network management device can know the network devices managing some links in the first link based on the information of network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, thereby querying whether some links managed by the network devices have failed, and then determining whether the end-to-end link has failed, thus improving the efficiency of device management.

[0011] In some implementations of the first aspect, the first request message includes at least one of the following: first identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device and / or relevant information of the second device; wherein the first identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: a custom device identifier, device type, device model, identifier of the manufacturer to which the device belongs, device owner, and transmission protocol used by the device.

[0012] Based on the above scheme, by sending the first request message to the first network management device, the first network management device can determine the first link according to the first request message, and assist the first network device in querying whether the first link has failed, thereby improving the efficiency of device management.

[0013] In some implementations of the first aspect, the second request message includes at least one of the following: identification information of the first network device, routing information corresponding to the first network device; wherein the first network device is managed by the second network management device, and the routing information is used to determine the path between the first network device and the destination device, the destination device being either the first device or the second device.

[0014] Based on the above scheme, by sending the second request message to the second network management device, the second network management device can query whether some of the links it manages have failed, thereby improving the efficiency of device management.

[0015] In some implementations of the first aspect, the second request message includes at least one of the following: second identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device and / or relevant information of the second device; wherein the second identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: a custom device identifier, device type, device model, identifier of the manufacturer to which the device belongs, and the transmission protocol used by the device.

[0016] Based on the above scheme, by sending the second request message to the second network management device, the second network management device can query whether some of the links it manages have failed, thereby improving the efficiency of device management.

[0017] In some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: receiving a first response message from the second network management device, the first response message including first indication information indicating the link status of the second link; and sending a second response message to the first device management device, the second response message including status information indicating whether the first link has a link failure.

[0018] In some implementations of the first aspect, the first response message includes at least one of the following: a type of network fault or a fault-free identifier, an identifier of a second network device, an identifier of the second network management device, a description of the network fault, a status information of the second link, and second time information; wherein the type of network fault is used to identify a network fault in the second link, the second network device includes at least one of the first network devices, the second network device is a network device associated with the network fault, the status information of the second link indicates whether a link fault exists in the second link, and the second time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network fault.

[0019] In some implementations of the first aspect, the second response message includes at least one of the following: a type of network fault or a fault-free identifier, an identifier of a second network device, an identifier of the second network management device, and second time information; wherein the type of network fault is used to identify a network fault in the second link, the second network device includes at least one of the first network devices, the second network device is a network device associated with the network fault, and the second time information indicates the time or period associated with the network fault.

[0020] Secondly, a device management method is provided, which can be applied to a first network management device or a component (e.g., a circuit, a chip, or a chip system) in the first network management device.

[0021] The method includes: sending a first request message to a second network management device, the first request message being used to request a query of the link status of a first link, the first link being part of a second link, the second link being an end-to-end link between the first device and the second device, the first link being a link managed by the second network management device; and receiving a first response message from the second network management device, the first response message including first indication information, the first indication information indicating the link status of the first link.

[0022] Based on the above scheme, the first network management device can query the link status of some links from the network management device of some links in the end-to-end link, thereby determining whether the end-to-end link has a fault and improving the efficiency of device management.

[0023] In some implementations of the second aspect, a second request message is received from the first device management device before sending the first request message to the second network management device. The second request message is used to request a query for link fault information of the second link.

[0024] In some implementations of the second aspect, before the first network management device sends a first request message to the second network management device, the second network management device is determined based on the second request message and first information, wherein the first information includes information on network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, and the second network management device is one of the at least one network management device.

[0025] Based on the above scheme, the first network management device can know the network devices managing some links in the first link based on the information of network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, thereby querying whether some links managed by the network devices have failed, and then determining whether the end-to-end link has failed, thus improving the efficiency of device management.

[0026] In some implementations of the second aspect, the second request message includes at least one of the following: first identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device and / or relevant information of the second device; wherein the first identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: a custom device identifier, device type, device model, identifier of the manufacturer to which the device belongs, device owner, and transmission protocol used by the device.

[0027] Based on the above scheme, by sending the second request message to the first network management device, the first network management device can determine the second link according to the second request message, and assist the first network device in querying whether the second link has failed, thereby improving the efficiency of device management.

[0028] In some implementations of the second aspect, the first request message includes at least one of the following: identification information of a first network device, routing information corresponding to the first network device; wherein the first network device is managed by the second network management device, and the routing information is used to determine the path between the first network device and the destination device, the destination device being either the first device or the second device.

[0029] Based on the above scheme, by sending the first request message to the second network management device, the second network management device can query whether some of the links it manages have failed, thereby improving the efficiency of device management.

[0030] In some implementations of the second aspect, the first request message includes at least one of the following: second identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device and / or relevant information of the second device; wherein the second identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: a custom device identifier, device type, device model, identifier of the manufacturer to which the device belongs, and the transmission protocol used by the device.

[0031] Based on the above scheme, by sending the first request message to the second network management device, the second network management device can query whether some of the links it manages have failed, thereby improving the efficiency of device management.

[0032] In some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes sending a second response message to the first device management device, the second response message including status information indicating whether there is a link failure in the first link.

[0033] In some implementations of the second aspect, the second response message includes at least one of the following: the type of network fault or fault-free identifier, the identifier of the second network device, the identifier of the second network management device, and second time information; wherein the type of network fault is used to identify a network fault in the second link, the second network device includes at least one of the first network devices, the second network device is a network device associated with the network fault, and the second time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network fault.

[0034] In some implementations of the second aspect, the first response message includes at least one of the following: the type of network fault or fault-free identifier, the identifier of the second network device, the identifier of the second network management device, the description information of the network fault, the status information of the second link, and the second time information; wherein the type of network fault is used to identify a network fault in the second link, the second network device includes at least one of the first network devices, the second network device is a network device related to the network fault, the status information of the second link indicates whether a link fault exists in the second link, and the second time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network fault.

[0035] Thirdly, a device management apparatus is provided, the apparatus including a transceiver unit, the transceiver unit being configured to: receive a first request message from a first device management device, the first request message being configured to request querying link fault information of a first link, the first link being an end-to-end link between a first device and a second device; and send a second request message to a second network management device, the second request message being configured to request querying the link status of a second link, the second link being a part of the first link, the second link being a link managed by the second network management device.

[0036] In some implementations of the third aspect, the apparatus further includes a processing unit configured to determine the second network management device based on a first request message and first information, wherein the first information includes information on network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, and the second network management device is one of the at least one network management devices.

[0037] In some implementations of the third aspect, the first request message and the second request message may refer to the description in the first aspect.

[0038] In some implementations of the third aspect, the transceiver unit is further configured to: receive a first response message from the second network management device, the first response message including first indication information indicating the link status of the second link; and send a second response message to the first device management device, the second response message including status information indicating whether the first link has a link failure.

[0039] In some implementations of the third aspect, the first response message and the second response message may refer to the description in the first aspect.

[0040] Fourthly, a device management apparatus is provided, the apparatus including a transceiver unit, the transceiver unit being configured to: send a first request message to a second network management device, the first request message being used to request a query of the link status of a first link, the first link being part of a second link, the second link being an end-to-end link between the first device and the second device, the first link being a link managed by the second network management device; and receive a first response message from the second network management device, the first response message including first indication information, the first indication information indicating the link status of the first link.

[0041] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the transceiver unit is further configured to receive a second request message from the first device management device, the second request message being used to request a query for link fault information of the second link.

[0042] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the apparatus further includes a processing unit for determining the second network management device based on the second request message and the first information, wherein the first information includes information on network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, and the second network management device is one of the at least one network management device.

[0043] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the second request message may refer to the description in the second aspect.

[0044] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first request message may refer to the description in the second aspect.

[0045] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the transceiver unit is further configured to send a second response message to the first device management device, the second response message including status information indicating whether there is a link failure in the first link.

[0046] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the second response message and the first response message may refer to the description in the second aspect.

[0047] Fifthly, a communication apparatus is provided for performing the method provided by any of the above aspects or their implementations. Specifically, the apparatus may include units and / or modules for performing the method provided by any of the above aspects or their implementations, such as processing units and / or transceiver units.

[0048] In one implementation, the device is a network device management device / network management device. When the device is a network device management device / network management device, the transceiver unit can be a transceiver, or an input / output interface, or a communication interface; the processing unit can be at least one processor. Optionally, the transceiver is a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface is an input / output circuit.

[0049] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a memory for storing a program; and at least one processor for executing the computer program or instructions stored in the memory to perform the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0050] In one implementation, the device is a network device management device / network management device.

[0051] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: at least one processor and a communication interface, wherein the at least one processor is configured to obtain a computer program or instructions stored in a memory via the communication interface to execute the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations. The communication interface may be implemented in hardware or software.

[0052] In one implementation, the device further includes the memory.

[0053] Eighthly, a processor is provided for executing the methods provided in the above aspects.

[0054] Unless otherwise specified, or if it does not contradict its actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved in the processor can be understood as processor output and reception, input and other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0055] Ninthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores program code for execution by a device, the program code including methods for performing any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0056] In a tenth aspect, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0057] Eleventhly, a chip is provided, including a circuit and a communication interface, the communication interface being configured to receive information and / or data to be processed and to send the information and / or data to be processed to the circuit; the circuit being configured to process the received information and / or data such that the method of the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof is implemented; or, the method of any one of the second to fourth aspects or any possible implementation thereof is implemented.

[0058] In a twelfth aspect, a computer program is provided that, when run on a computer, causes the methods provided by any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations to be executed.

[0059] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of aspects five through twelfth and any of their implementations can be referenced to aspects one through two or any of their implementations. Attached Figure Description

[0060] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 100 to which this application applies.

[0061] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 200 to which this application applies.

[0062] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of an equipment management method 300 provided in this application.

[0063] Figures 4 and 5 are schematic block diagrams of the communication device provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0064] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) system, 5th Generation (5G) system, Future Radio (NR) system, or future communication system, etc.

[0066] The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to machine-type communication (MTC), long-term evolution-machine (LTE-M) technology, device-to-device (D2D) networks, machine-to-machine (M2M) networks, Internet of Things (IoT) networks, or other networks. Among these, IoT networks may include, for example, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks. The communication methods in V2X systems are collectively referred to as vehicle-to-other-device (V2X), where X can represent anything. For example, V2X may include vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication, or vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication, etc.

[0067] As an example, this application can be applied to industrial scenarios.

[0068] Among them, industrial scenarios broadly refer to industries such as industrial manufacturing, petrochemicals, water conservancy and hydropower, and municipal construction, especially scenarios involving discrete manufacturing or process manufacturing, such as scenarios involving automated manufacturing and equipment cluster management.

[0069] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 100 to which this application applies. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 100 may include industrial terminal equipment, such as the industrial terminal 111 shown in Figure 1. This industrial terminal equipment can refer to a general term for equipment in an industrial field network that monitors, detects, and controls the production process and its electromechanical equipment and technological equipment. Common industrial terminal equipment includes programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial input / output devices, sensors, cameras, access control controllers, etc. The communication system 100 may also include access network equipment, such as the access network equipment 121 shown in Figure 1. The access network equipment 121 can forward data packets from the industrial terminal 111 to the data network through user plane function (UPF) elements. During downlink data packet transmission, the access network equipment 121 forwards data to the industrial terminal 111.

[0070] As another example, this application can be applied to security application scenarios.

[0071] In security application scenarios, security application systems can be deployed to effectively prevent and respond to various emergencies. For example, by installing cameras or monitors, the flow of people in public places such as parks, shopping malls, and train stations can be monitored in real time to promptly detect abnormalities. Furthermore, in factories and industrial parks, security application systems can be used to ensure production safety and monitor the surrounding environment. This can be achieved by deploying cameras, sensors, access control systems, turnstiles, and other equipment to monitor the operation of production lines and the surrounding environment in real time.

[0072] Figure 2 is a schematic architecture diagram of a communication system 200 to which this application applies. As shown in Figure 2, the communication system 200 may include non-network management devices and network management devices, such as network management device A and network management device B shown in Figure 2. The non-network management devices can be used to manage terminal devices, such as monitoring devices in security application systems, such as cameras, monitors, access controllers, turnstiles, etc., and application servers, as shown in the security application in Figure 2. The network management devices can be used to manage network devices, such as access switch 211, core switch 212, and access switch 213 shown in Figure 2. Different network devices can be managed by different network management devices; for example, network management device B can manage access switch 211; network management device A can manage core switch 212 and access switch 213. It is understood that the communication system 200 may also include other network devices, such as access network devices, core network devices, etc., without limitation.

[0073] For example, a security application system may include monitoring equipment, such as cameras, monitors, access controllers, turnstiles, etc. Monitoring equipment can be connected to the network via access devices such as access switches and aggregation switches.

[0074] It should be understood that the above application scenarios are merely examples, and this application can also be applied to other scenarios that require device management.

[0075] It should also be understood that in this application, the terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from a base station. The terminal can also be referred to as a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. The terminal can be industrial terminal equipment, mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, aircraft, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal.

[0076] For ease of understanding, some terms in the embodiments of this application are explained below.

[0077] 1. Equipment Management

[0078] Management devices can refer to hardware and software devices used to manage specific devices. Management devices can perform management operations on specified devices, including but not limited to monitoring, controlling, and recording device performance indicators such as network status and fault conditions, and issuing actions to devices (such as devices in a network) based on the detected performance indicators to ensure the effective operation of the managed devices. For example, management devices can include network management devices, IoT management devices, industrial management devices, medical management devices, etc. Specifically, network management devices can manage several network devices, IoT management devices can manage several IoT devices, industrial management devices can manage several industrial devices, and medical management devices can manage several medical devices, etc.

[0079] 2. Equipment

[0080] Equipment can refer to hardware and software devices used to perform a certain type of task. For example, equipment can include network devices, IoT devices, industrial equipment, and medical equipment. For instance, network devices can provide the functions required for network communication, while industrial equipment can provide the functions required for industrial production. Equipment is typically managed by corresponding management equipment; for example, network devices are managed by network management equipment, and industrial equipment is managed by industrial management equipment.

[0081] 3. Link

[0082] A link can refer to a path for network communication between devices. For example, a link can include physical links and logical links. A link from one communication device to another is called an end-to-end link. An end-to-end link can refer to a logical connection established between two communication devices (source and destination). This connection may not rely on a direct physical link connection, but can span a series of devices and links to form a communication path from the source to the destination.

[0083] 4. Network issues

[0084] Network problems can refer to abnormal situations that occur in the network from the perspective of results. For example, network problems can be roughly judged by observing the data packet transmission and reception on the link from the perspective of communication equipment. Network problems can be described by information such as signal quality and packet loss rate; for example, network problems include no signal and high packet loss rate.

[0085] 5. Network failure

[0086] Network failure can refer to an abnormal situation in the network from the perspective of its cause. Observing the link status from the perspective of network devices or network management devices can lead to a specific judgment on the link status, thereby locating the network failure. Information used to describe network failures includes, but is not limited to, the location of the failure, the type of failure, the description of the failure, the symptoms of the failure, and the possible causes of the failure.

[0087] To meet diverse network needs and functions, enterprise or campus network systems may include a wide variety of network devices (e.g., switches, routers, servers, etc.). Different types of network devices may belong to different vendors and be managed by multiple, often isolated, management devices, potentially leading to low efficiency in device management within the network system. For example, the following situations may occur:

[0088] 1. Multiple systems coexist in a fragmented manner, resulting in a long fault localization process. Taking security business as an example, routine troubleshooting of common security faults (such as camera offline, access control not opening, etc.) requires going through the network, terminals, applications, and platforms. The fault localization chain is long and lacks end-to-end fault localization capabilities.

[0089] 2. Low level of automation, with troubleshooting relying on manual labor. For example, some companies require dedicated personnel to check the online status of equipment, and if equipment is taken offline, specialized service personnel need to be notified to determine the cause of the shutdown. This places high demands on labor costs and the troubleshooting capabilities of personnel.

[0090] As the number of devices in a network system increases, the management process for these devices becomes increasingly complex. How to effectively manage these devices is an urgent problem to be solved.

[0091] In view of this, this application provides a method and apparatus for device management to effectively manage devices in a network system, thereby improving the performance of the network system.

[0092] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the following points are explained before introducing the embodiments of this application.

[0093] First, the various numerical designations used in this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the process numbers does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0094] Second, in this application, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations are used for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. For example, they are used to distinguish different indication information.

[0095] Third, in this application, descriptions such as "when," "under what circumstances," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to make a judgment action when implementing it, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0096] Fourth, in this application, “of”, “corresponding (relevant)” and “corresponding” can sometimes be used interchangeably, and when the distinction is not emphasized, they have the same meaning.

[0097] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of a device management method 300 provided in this application. The method 300 will be described below using device interaction as an example. It should be understood that, unless otherwise specified, "device" can refer to the device itself or a device that enables the device to perform its function.

[0098] As shown in Figure 3, the method may include the following steps.

[0099] S310, the first device management device sends a first request message to the first network management device. Accordingly, the first network management device receives the first request message.

[0100] The first request message can be used to request and query link failure information of the first link, which is an end-to-end link between the first device and the second device; or the first request message can be used to request and query whether there is a link failure in the first link.

[0101] For simplicity, the first equipment management device will be referred to as management device A below.

[0102] The first and second devices can be devices managed by management device A. For example, management device A can manage at least one device, which can include managed devices and non-managed devices. In other words, management device A can directly manage one or more devices, or it can manage one or more managed devices (denoted as management device B). Management device B can also manage at least one device.

[0103] For example, management device A can be an IoT management device; the first device and the second device can be IoT devices. The IoT management device can manage management device B, for example, management device B is another IoT management device, and the devices managed by management device B can include one of the first device and the second device, and management device A can manage the other of the first device and the second device.

[0104] For example, management device A can directly manage the first device and the second device.

[0105] For example, upon receiving indication information #1 from the first device and / or the second device, management device A sends the first request message to the first network management device (referred to as management device #1). Indication information #1 may indicate that the first device and / or the second device has a network problem, or in other words, indication information #1 indicates that the first device and / or the second device has determined that a network problem has occurred.

[0106] For example, media stream transmission occurs between device #1 (an example of the first device) and device #2 (an example of the second device). If the media stream received by device #1 or device #2 does not meet the requirements, or if a media stream that meets the requirements is not received, device #1 or device #2 sends an indication message #1 to management device A. The indication message #1 can indicate that the media stream reception is abnormal. After receiving the indication message #1, management device A sends the request message #1 to management device #1 (an example of the first network management device).

[0107] The first request message includes at least one of the following:

[0108] First identification information, type of network problem, first time information, and relevant information of the first device and / or the second device.

[0109] The first identification information can be used to identify the first device and / or the second device. For example, the first identification includes the identifier (ID) of the first device and / or the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first device, and the ID and / or the IP address of the second device. As another example, the first identification information can be an IP 5-tuple, which consists of the IP address of the source device (one of the first and second devices), the port number of the source device, the IP address of the destination device (the other of the first and second devices), the port number of the destination device, and the transport layer protocol. That is, by carrying the first identification information in the first request message, the management device #1 can learn about the link between the first device and the second device.

[0110] The type of network problem can be used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, such as the network problem indicated by indication information #1. For example, network problem types include high packet loss rate, poor signal quality, etc.

[0111] First-time information can indicate the moment or time period associated with the network problem. For example, if the first-time information indicates time period #1, it means that a network problem occurred within time period #1. That is, the first request message requests a query for the link status information of the first link within time period #1. As another example, if the first-time information indicates time #1, it means that the network problem started at time #1. That is, the first request message requests a query for the link status information of the first link at time #1, or the link status information of the first link starting from time #1.

[0112] The relevant information about the equipment (the first equipment and / or the second equipment) may include at least one of the following:

[0113] Customizable device identifiers, device type, device model, manufacturer identifier, owner, and transmission protocol used by the device.

[0114] Sending time information and / or device-related information to the network management device can assist the management device #1 in locating network faults. For example, in the process of locating network faults, the corresponding network fault can be located for a certain type of device using a certain protocol.

[0115] S320, the first network management device sends a second request message to the second network management device. Correspondingly, the first network management device receives the second request message.

[0116] The second network management device (referred to as management device #2) can be one of one or more network management devices. These one or more network management devices are used to manage devices on the first link, or the second management device is used to manage all or part of the links in the first link. That is, upon receiving a request message querying the link status information of the first link, the management device can send the second request message to one or more management devices that manage the devices and / or links on the first link.

[0117] The second request message can be used to request a query about the link status of a second link. This second link is part of the first link and is managed by management device #2.

[0118] In one example, the second request message includes at least one of the following:

[0119] The identification information of the first network device, and the routing information corresponding to the first network device.

[0120] The first network device can be managed by the second network management device, or in other words, the devices managed by the second network management device include the first network device. By sending the identifier of the first network device—that is, the identifier of the devices managed by the second network management device—to the second network management device, the overhead of the second network management device can be saved; that is, the second network management device does not need to query or analyze the devices it manages. The identifier information of the network device may include the network device's ID or address information, such as the network device's IP address, medium access control (MAC) address, or hostname.

[0121] This routing information can be used to determine the path from a source device (e.g., a first network device) to a destination device (either a first device or a second device). For example, the routing information may include the destination device's IP address, next-hop IP address, network mask, and the priority of the path from the first network device to the destination network device.

[0122] That is, by sending the second request message to the management device #2, the management device #2 can determine the second link based on the second request message, that is, determine the link managed by the management device #2 in the first link, and thus determine whether there is a network fault in the link managed by the management device #2.

[0123] In another example, the second request message includes at least one of the following:

[0124] The second identification information includes the type of network problem, the first time information, the relevant information of the first device, and / or the relevant information of the second device.

[0125] The second identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device. This second identification information can be associated with the management device #2. The second identification information can be determined based on the first identification information. For example, if the first identification information includes a network address and a server address, the second identification information can include a portion of the network address and the server address.

[0126] The type of network problem, immediate information, and relevant information about the devices (including the first device and / or the second device) can be found in the description of the corresponding information included in the first request message.

[0127] For example, if management device #1 cannot know the network devices managed by management device #2, the second request message may include the information shown in this example.

[0128] Optionally, before management device #1 sends the second request message to management device #2, the method further includes: management device #1 determining management device #2 based on the first request message and the first information. Alternatively, after receiving the first request message, management device #1 determines which management devices(s) to send the second request message to based on the information included in the first request message and the first information.

[0129] The first information may include information about network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device. Specifically, management device #1 knows the information of management devices in the network; optionally, management device #1 knows the information of management devices in the network as well as the information of devices and / or links managed by the management device.

[0130] For example, management device #1 can determine the network device on the first link based on the first identifier included in the first request message, and determine the management device that manages the network device on the first link based on the first information. Further, management device #1 sends the second request message to management device #2, wherein management device #2 is an example of a management device that manages the network device on the first link.

[0131] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0132] S330, the second network management device sends a first response message to the first network management device. Correspondingly, the first network management device receives the first response message from the second network management device.

[0133] The first response message may include first indication information, which indicates the link status of the second link.

[0134] For example, in response to the second request message, management device #2 determines the second link and its link status. For instance, the link status includes whether the second link is connected, the packet loss rate, error rate, transmission rate, and transmission delay of data transmitted on the second link, and the congestion status of the second link. After determining the link status, management device #2 can send the first response message to management device #1.

[0135] For example, the first response message includes at least one of the following:

[0136] The type of network fault or fault-free identifier, description of the network fault, identifier of the second network device, identifier of the second network management device, status information of the second link, and second time information.

[0137] The type of network fault is used to identify a network fault in the second link. For example, the types of network faults are shown in the first column of Table 1. Exemplarily, if a link fault is determined to exist in the second link based on its link status, the first response message includes the type of network fault.

[0138] Optionally, if there is no fault in the second link, the first response message may include a fault-free identifier.

[0139] Table 1

[0140] It should be understood that the types of network faults in Table 1 are merely examples. Network fault types can be categorized based on actual applications.

[0141] Optionally, the first response message includes a description of the network fault, as shown in the second column of Table 1. The network fault description may also include the name of the fault, possible causes, etc., without limitation. By carrying the network fault description information in the first response message, management device #1 can further locate the network fault in the second link.

[0142] The second network device includes at least one of the first network devices, and the second network device is a network device related to the network failure.

[0143] Here, "network devices related to network failures" can be understood as network devices that have failed, or network devices corresponding to the failed links. For example, if there is congestion at network device #1, then the second network device can include network device #1. As another example, if it is determined that link #1 is interrupted, and link #1 is a link between network devices #2 and #3, or link #1 passes through network devices #2 and / or network devices #3, then the second network device can include network devices #2 and / or network devices #3.

[0144] The status information of the second link can indicate whether there is a link failure in the second link. For example, if the second link is working normally, it simply means that there is no link failure in the second link; or, if the second link experiences the network failure described in Table 1, it indicates that there is a failure in the second link.

[0145] The second time information can indicate the moment or time period associated with the network failure. For example, the second time information indicating moment #1 can represent the moment when the network failure occurred, or it can indicate the moment when the network failure was located. Similarly, the second time information indicates the time period during which the network failure occurred or was located.

[0146] In other words, through the above scheme, management device #1 can receive a response message (i.e., the first response message) from a management device (i.e., management device #2) that manages the devices on the first link, thereby management device #1 can determine whether there is a network fault in the devices and / or links managed by management device #2.

[0147] Similarly, management device #1 can also send request messages (similar to the second request message) to other management devices (i.e., other management devices that manage devices on the first link), and receive response messages from other management devices (similar to the first response message), and determine whether there is a network fault in the devices and / or links managed by the other management devices based on the response messages.

[0148] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0149] S340, the first network management device sends a second response message to the first device management device. Correspondingly, the first device management device receives the second response message.

[0150] The second response message may be a response to the first request message. The second response message may include status information indicating whether a link failure exists on the first link.

[0151] For example, the second response message includes at least one of the following:

[0152] The type of network fault or no fault indication, the identifier of the second network device, the identifier of the second network management device, and the second time information.

[0153] The network fault type is used to identify network faults in the second link. The specific network fault types are described in section S330 above. Here, the network fault type or fault-free indicator can be understood as the type of network fault in the second link determined by management device #2, or a fault-free indicator indicating that the second link does not have a fault. In other words, management device #1 determines whether the second link has a fault based on the received first response message, and if the second link has a fault, sends the network fault type included in the first response message to management device A; or if the second link does not have a fault, it sends a fault-free indicator to management device A.

[0154] The second network device and the second time information can be found in the description in S330 above.

[0155] That is, through the above scheme, management device #1 can send the link status information of the second link managed by management device #2 to management device A. For example, the link status information includes whether there is a network fault in the second link, the type of network fault, the network device related to the network fault, and the identifier of management device #2.

[0156] It should be understood that the information included in the second response message is determined based on the first response message. Optionally, the second response message may also include information determined based on response messages sent by other management devices.

[0157] For example, the other management device includes management device #3, which can report the link status information of the third link (the link managed by management device #3, which may be part of the first link), such as the type of network fault or fault-free indicator, the identifier of the third network device, the identifier of the third network management device, and the third time information. Then the second response message may include the information included in the response message sent by management device #3.

[0158] Management device #1 summarizes the link status information reported by the management devices managing the network devices on the first link and sends the second response message to management device A. Optionally, management device A can further investigate link faults in the end-to-end link, for example, by performing fault analysis on the backup link (in the case of multiple links to ensure communication quality).

[0159] It should be understood that there is no limitation on the way management device #1 sends the link status information of each management device (each management device that manages the devices on the first link) to management device A. For example, it can send them separately or report them together.

[0160] It is understood that the steps in the above figures are merely illustrative and are not intended to be strictly limited. Furthermore, the sequence numbers of the processes described above do not imply a specific order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0161] It is also understood that, in the above-described method embodiments, the methods and operations implemented by the device (e.g., the first device management device, the first network management device, or the second network management device) can also be implemented by components of the device (e.g., chips or circuits), without limitation.

[0162] The method embodiments provided in this application have been described in detail above with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The apparatus embodiments of this application are described below with reference to Figures 4 and 5. It is understood that, in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the apparatuses in Figures 4 and 5 include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. It is understood that the technical features described in the above method embodiments are also applicable to the following apparatus embodiments.

[0163] Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of possible apparatus structures provided in embodiments of this application. These apparatuses can be used to implement the functions of the device management device or network management device in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments.

[0164] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 4, the device 1000 may include a communication unit 1010 and a processing unit 1020. The communication unit 1010 can communicate with the outside world, and the processing unit 1020 is used for data processing. The communication unit 1010 may also be referred to as a communication interface or a transceiver unit.

[0165] In one possible design, the device 1000 can implement the steps or processes performed by the device management device (first device management device) in the above method embodiment, wherein the processing unit 1020 is used to perform processing-related operations of the device management device in the above method embodiment, and the communication unit 1010 is used to perform transmission-related operations of the device management device in the above method embodiment.

[0166] In another possible design, the device 1000 can implement the steps or processes performed by the network management device (first network management device or second network management device) corresponding to the method embodiment above, wherein the communication unit 1010 is used to perform the transmission-related operations of the network management device in the method embodiment above, and the processing unit 1020 is used to perform the processing-related operations of the network management device in the method embodiment above.

[0167] It is understood that the device 1000 here is embodied in the form of a functional unit. The term "unit" here can refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (e.g., a shared processor, a proprietary processor, or a group processor, etc.) and memory for executing one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components supporting the described functions. In an alternative example, those skilled in the art will understand that the device 1000 may specifically be a device management device in the above embodiments, used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the device management device in the above method embodiments; or, the device 1000 may specifically be a network management device in the above embodiments, used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the network management device in the above method embodiments. To avoid repetition, further details are omitted here.

[0168] The apparatus 1000 of each of the above-described schemes has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the device management device in the above-described method, or the apparatus 1000 of each of the above-described schemes has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the network management device in the above-described method. The function can be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions; for example, a communication unit can be replaced by a transceiver (e.g., the sending unit in the communication unit can be replaced by a transmitter, and the receiving unit in the communication unit can be replaced by a receiver), and other units, such as processing units, can be replaced by a processor, respectively executing the transmission and reception operations and related processing operations in each method embodiment.

[0169] Furthermore, the aforementioned communication unit can also be a transceiver circuit (e.g., it may include a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit), and the processing unit can be a processing circuit. In the embodiments of this application, the device in FIG4 can be the device management device or network management device in the foregoing embodiments, or it can be a chip or a chip system, such as a system on chip (SoC). The communication unit can be an input / output circuit or a communication interface; the processing unit is a processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit integrated on the chip. No limitation is made here.

[0170] Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 1100 provided in an embodiment of this application. The device 1100 includes a processor 1110 and a transceiver 1120. The processor 1110 and the transceiver 1120 communicate with each other through an internal connection path. The processor 1110 is used to execute instructions to control the transceiver 1120 to send and / or receive signals.

[0171] Optionally, the device 1100 may further include a memory 1130, which communicates with the processor 1110 and the transceiver 1120 via internal interconnection paths. The memory 1130 is used to store instructions, and the processor 1110 can execute the instructions stored in the memory 1130.

[0172] In one possible implementation, the apparatus 1100 is used to implement the various processes and steps corresponding to the device management device (first device management device) in the above method embodiments.

[0173] In another possible implementation, the apparatus 1100 is used to implement the various processes and steps corresponding to the network management device (first network management device or second network management device) in the above method embodiments.

[0174] Optionally, the memory 1130 may be integrated into the processor 1110.

[0175] In one possible scenario, device 1100 includes at least one processor with integrated memory, and other memory besides the memory integrated on the processor.

[0176] It is understood that the device 1100 can specifically be a device management device or a network management device in the above embodiments, or it can be a chip or a chip system. Correspondingly, the transceiver 1120 can be the transceiver circuit of the chip, which is not limited here. Specifically, the device 1100 can be used to execute the various steps and / or processes corresponding to the device management device or the network management device in the above method embodiments.

[0177] Optionally, the memory 1130 may include read-only memory and random access memory, and provide instructions and data to the processor. The memory may include non-volatile random access memory. For example, the memory may also store device type information. The processor 1110 may be used to execute instructions stored in the memory, and when the processor 1110 executes instructions stored in the memory, the processor 1110 is used to perform the various steps and / or processes of the method embodiments corresponding to the device management device or network management device described above.

[0178] In implementation, each step of the above method can be completed by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software. The steps of the method in conjunction with the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as execution by the hardware processor, or as a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor. The software modules can reside in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads information from the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, detailed descriptions are omitted here.

[0179] It should be noted that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During implementation, each step of the above method embodiments can be completed by the integrated logic circuitry in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The processor can be a general-purpose processor, digital signal processing (DSP), ASIC, field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. The processor in the embodiments of this application can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied as being executed by a hardware decoding processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can be located in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above methods.

[0180] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0181] Optionally, the memory (e.g., 1130) in this embodiment may be integrated into the processor (e.g., 1110).

[0182] In addition, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions, which, when executed on a computer, cause operations and / or processes performed by a device management device or a network management device in the various method embodiments of this application to be executed.

[0183] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer program code or instructions. When the computer program code or instructions are run on a computer, the operations and / or processes performed by the device management device or network management device in the various method embodiments of this application are executed.

[0184] Furthermore, this application also provides a chip including a processor. A memory for storing a computer program is provided independently of the chip, and the processor is used to execute the computer program stored in the memory, such that operations and / or processes performed by a device management device or a network management device in any method embodiment are performed.

[0185] Furthermore, the chip may also include a communication interface. The communication interface may be an input / output interface or an interface circuit, etc. Furthermore, the chip may also include a memory.

[0186] In addition, this application also provides a communication system, including the device management device or network management device in the embodiments of this application.

[0187] It should also be noted that the memory described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0188] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the division of units is merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the displayed or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0189] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0190] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A device management method characterized by, Applied to a first network management device, the method includes: Receive a first request message from the first device management device. The first request message is used to request a query for link fault information of the first link, where the first link is an end-to-end link between the first device and the second device. A second request message is sent to a second network management device. The second request message is used to request a query on the link status of a second link, which is part of the first link and is a link managed by the second network management device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, Before the first network management device sends the second request message to the second network management device, the method further includes: The second network management device is determined based on the first request message and the first information, wherein the first information includes information on network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, and the second network management device is one of the at least one network management devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first request message includes at least one of the following: First identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device, or relevant information of the second device; Wherein, the first identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: Custom device identifier, device type, device model, manufacturer identifier, owner, and transmission protocol used by the device.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The second request message includes at least one of the following: The identification information of the first network device, and the routing information corresponding to the first network device; The first network device is managed by the second network management device, and the routing information is used to determine the path between the first network device and the destination device, wherein the destination device is either the first device or the second device.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The second request message includes at least one of the following: Second identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device, or relevant information of the second device; Wherein, the second identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: Custom device identifiers, device type, device model, manufacturer identifier, and transmission protocol used by the device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a first response message from the second network management device, the first response message including first indication information, the first indication information indicating the link status of the second link; A second response message is sent to the first device management device. The second response message includes status information indicating whether there is a link failure in the first link.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The first response message includes at least one of the following: The type of network fault or fault-free identifier, the identifier of the second network device, the identifier of the second network management device, the description information of the network fault, the status information of the second link, or the second time information; The network fault type is used to identify network faults in the second link. The second network device includes at least one of the first network devices. The second network device is a network device related to the network fault. The status information of the second link indicates whether there is a link fault in the second link. The second time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network fault.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The second response message includes at least one of the following: The type of network fault or no fault indication, the identifier of the second network device, the identifier of the second network management device, or the second time information; The type of network fault is used to identify a network fault in the second link. The second network device includes at least one of the first network devices. The second network device is a network device associated with the network fault. The second time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network fault.

9. An equipment management apparatus characterized by comprising: The device includes a transceiver unit. The transceiver unit is used to receive a first request message from the first device management device. The first request message is used to request to query the link fault information of the first link, where the first link is an end-to-end link between the first device and the second device. The transceiver unit is further configured to send a second request message to the second network management device. The second request message is used to request a query of the link status of the second link, which is part of the first link and is a link managed by the second network management device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The device further includes a processing unit, the processing unit being used for: The second network management device is determined based on the first request message and the first information, wherein the first information includes information on network devices and / or links managed by at least one network management device, and the second network management device is one of the at least one network management devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 or 10, wherein, The first request message includes at least one of the following: First identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device, or relevant information of the second device; Wherein, the first identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: Custom device identifier, device type, device model, manufacturer identifier, owner, and transmission protocol used by the device.

12. The apparatus of any one of claims 9-11, wherein, The second request message includes at least one of the following: The identification information of the first network device, and the routing information corresponding to the first network device; The first network device is managed by the second network management device, and the routing information is used to determine the path between the first network device and the destination device, wherein the destination device is either the first device or the second device.

13. The apparatus of any one of claims 9-11, wherein, The second request message includes at least one of the following: Second identification information, type of network problem, first time information, relevant information of the first device, or relevant information of the second device; Wherein, the second identification information is used to identify the first device and / or the second device, the type of network problem is used to identify the network problem reported by the first device and / or the second device, the first time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network problem, and the relevant information includes at least one of the following: Custom device identifiers, device type, device model, manufacturer identifier, and transmission protocol used by the device.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that, The transceiver unit is also used for: Receive a first response message from the second network management device, the first response message including first indication information, the first indication information indicating the link status of the second link; A second response message is sent to the first device management device. The second response message includes status information indicating whether there is a link failure in the first link.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that, The first response message includes at least one of the following: The type of network fault or fault-free identifier, the identifier of the second network device, the identifier of the second network management device, the description information of the network fault, the status information of the second link, or the second time information; The network fault type is used to identify network faults in the second link. The second network device includes at least one of the first network devices. The second network device is a network device related to the network fault. The status information of the second link indicates whether there is a link fault in the second link. The second time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network fault.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The second response message includes at least one of the following: The type of network fault or no fault indication, the identifier of the second network device, the identifier of the second network management device, or the second time information; The type of network fault is used to identify a network fault in the second link. The second network device includes at least one of the first network devices. The second network device is a network device associated with the network fault. The second time information indicates the time or time period associated with the network fault.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes modules or units for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

18. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes one or more processors for executing computer programs or instructions stored in a memory, causing the device to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 8.

19. A chip or chip system, characterized in that, The device includes a circuit and a communication interface, the communication interface being used to receive information and / or data to be processed and to send the information and / or data to be processed to the circuit, the circuit being used to process the received information and / or data so that the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 is executed.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

21. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when run, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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