Pathnames with Embedded Queries for Network Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network management protocols are limited in providing data to clients as they only support access to information that already exists in the data tree, failing to support requests that require calculations or manipulations on data within the tree.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method that allows queries to be embedded in pathnames, enabling operations such as calculations, manipulations, or aggregations on data within the data tree, with the results being processed and returned to clients through a query processing service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network management protocols only support access to existing data in the data tree, then the protocol simplicity is maintained, but the system cannot support requests requiring calculations or manipulations on data
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the network management functionality by separating query processing from data access. The data tree structure remains intact for storing network element data, while a separate query processing service handles computational requests. This segmentation allows the protocol to maintain simplicity for basic data access while adding query capabilities without fundamentally changing the core data access mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
A query processing service acts as an intermediary between clients and the data tree. Instead of modifying the protocol to handle complex queries directly, the system introduces this intermediary layer that receives query requests, processes them against the data tree, and returns results. This mediator approach enables enhanced functionality while preserving the original protocol's simplicity for basic operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If queries are embedded in pathnames to enable operations on data, then the system can retrieve computed results, but the pathname structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The query functionality is nested within the existing pathname structure. Rather than creating a completely separate query language or protocol, the system embeds query parameters within the pathname elements themselves. This nested approach allows queries to be expressed using the familiar pathname syntax while adding computational capabilities, maintaining backward compatibility and reducing the perceived complexity.
3Ease of operation
If a single protocol supports both retrieval and querying operations, then protocol uniformity is achieved, but the processing logic becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The data tree transport protocol is designed to be universal, handling both simple data retrieval and complex query operations through a single unified protocol. This multi-functionality is achieved by making the protocol flexible enough to accommodate different operation types while maintaining a consistent message structure. The processing logic complexity is managed by routing different operation types to appropriate handlers rather than creating separate protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a network management system (NMS) from a client, a message having an object reference embedding a query, the query requesting an operation to be performed on data stored in a data tree maintained by the NMS. The method provides for generating, by the NMS, a result of the query by performing the operation on the data. In this embodiment, the method further provides for sending, by the NMS to the client, the result of the query. In some embodiments, the object reference may include a pathname.