Gateway Protocol Translation for Cross-Network Device Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Network managers in data centers face challenges in managing network devices across different networks using conventional management protocols like SNMP, requiring significant software or hardware upgrades to support new protocols, which is costly and difficult to implement.
Innovation Solution
A device management method where a first control device uses a first management protocol to manage network devices and simulates their status to a second control device using a second management protocol, such as SNMP, allowing the second control device to manage devices without modifying its hardware or software to support the first protocol.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the network manager uses SNMP to manage network devices, then the management interface is conventional and familiar, but the network manager cannot cross networks to manage devices in data centers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between the SNMP-based network manager and the data center network devices. The gateway translates SNMP requests into the data center's internal management protocol (such as NETCONF or RESTCONF), enabling cross-network management without requiring the network manager to support multiple protocols directly. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining SNMP compatibility while extending management capability across network boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into three distinct components: the existing SNMP network manager, the translation gateway, and the data center network devices. This segmentation allows each component to maintain its own protocol stack independently, with the gateway handling protocol translation. This resolves the contradiction by allowing the network manager to remain simple and SNMP-based while still achieving versatile cross-network management through the segmented architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the network manager is upgraded to support new management protocols, then cross-network management capability is improved, but software or hardware upgrading is required which is costly and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than upgrading the network manager to support new protocols, the patent places a translation gateway in between the existing SNMP manager and the data center devices. The gateway handles protocol conversion, allowing the network manager to maintain its original SNMP-only implementation while still achieving protocol compatibility. This resolves the contradiction by avoiding costly upgrades to the network manager while still providing multi-protocol capability through the intermediary gateway.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway effectively creates a virtual representation of the data center devices that speaks SNMP, allowing the existing network manager to interact with them as if they were native SNMP devices. This copying approach enables protocol compatibility without requiring the actual network manager software or hardware to be upgraded, resolving the implementation difficulty while maintaining protocol support versatility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the network manager manages devices directly across networks, then management capability is extended, but the network manager requires modification to support new protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The translation gateway acts as an intermediary that handles all protocol conversion transparently. The network manager continues to operate using familiar SNMP commands and interfaces, while the gateway translates these into the appropriate protocol for the data center devices. This resolves the contradiction by extending cross-network management capability while maintaining operational simplicity, as the network manager requires no modification and operators continue to use standard SNMP procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A first control device obtains status indications of managed devices by using a first management protocol; the first control device stores the status indications and original device identifiers, of the managed devices, corresponding to the status indications; the first control device receives a request message sent by a second control device by using a second management protocol; the first control device extracts a status indication, where the extracted status indication is a status indication of a managed device identified by a virtual device identifier in the request message; and the first control device sends the extracted status indication to the second control device by using the second management protocol. The second control device manages the managed devices via the first control device.