Dynamic Timeout Adjustment for Network Management Queries
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computer networks, the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) management systems face inefficiencies due to uniform timeout settings across all management agents and object identifiers, leading to increased delays and resource usage when response packets are dropped, as they wait for responses that may never come or are delayed.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a device management system that dynamically adjusts timeout thresholds and generates request messages based on the predicted processing time of each management agent and object identifier, allowing for unique timeouts and optimizing the number of commands sent to avoid timeouts unless packet loss occurs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a uniform maximum timeout is used for all management agents and object identifiers, then the system is simple to configure and operate, but it causes increased delays and resource usage when response packets are dropped or agents are slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements per-agent and per-OID timeout values instead of a uniform timeout. Each management agent and object identifier can have its own customized timeout threshold based on its specific processing characteristics, allowing the system to adapt to local variations in agent performance and query complexity without requiring manual configuration of each individual timeout.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically determines timeout values based on actual agent response characteristics and query types. The system monitors and adjusts timeout thresholds adaptively, transitioning from static uniform timeouts to dynamic personalized timeouts that automatically optimize for each specific agent-OID combination.
2Reliability
If the maximum timeout is increased to accommodate slow agents, then slow agents can respond, but packet drops cause additional delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different timeout values for different agents and OIDs rather than using a single increased timeout for all. This allows the system to set appropriate timeouts for slow agents without unnecessarily increasing timeouts for fast agents, thereby reducing the impact of packet drops on overall system performance.
3Reliability
If the SNMP management system resends commands when timeout occurs, then it ensures response receipt, but it increases command retransmission frequency and network bandwidth usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the timeout parameter values based on agent-specific and query-specific characteristics. By optimizing timeout thresholds to match actual agent response times and query complexities, the system reduces false timeout occurrences and unnecessary command retransmissions, thereby conserving network bandwidth while maintaining reliable response receipt.
Data Source
AI summary
An example device includes a control unit that provides an execution environment for a network management application and a network interface. The network management application generates a request message based at least in part on a predicted amount of time required for the device to receive a response to a request message, wherein the predicted amount of time is based at least in part on object identifier processing time information, and wherein the predicted amount of time satisfies a timeout threshold. The network interface sends the request message and receives the response message. The network management application determines an amount of time that elapsed between when the device sent the request message and received the response message, and, responsive to determining that the amount of time that elapsed does not satisfy the timeout threshold, updates at least one of the object identifier processing time information and the timeout.