SNMP Management Station Tabular Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing SNMP management systems are unable to effectively process and display tabular data, limiting their utility in generating meaningful reports and alerts, as they only display the first value of tabular data without performing meaningful examinations.
Innovation Solution
An SNMP management station with a report generator, result analyzer, and configuration manager that applies functions such as summation, maximum, minimum, averaging, and threshold checks to tabular data, allowing for the generation of reports and alerts based on user-defined configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If SNMP management systems display only the first value of tabular data, then the system complexity is reduced, but the information completeness and analytical value are significantly degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer between the SNMP data collection and the display/analysis functions. This intermediary performs tabular data expansion, row identification, and function application (summation, averaging, threshold checks) to transform raw tabular data into meaningful metrics. This mediator resolves the contradiction by handling the complex data processing internally while presenting simplified results to the user interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automatic tabular data processing where the management station automatically expands tabular data, identifies rows, applies configured functions, and generates alerts without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously performing data analysis and generating meaningful reports from raw SNMP data.
2Loss of information
If SNMP systems perform comprehensive processing of tabular data with multiple functions, then the analytical value and report quality improve, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring functions and thresholds in the configuration manager before data processing occurs. Users define what functions (summation, averaging, minimum, maximum) should be applied and what thresholds should trigger alerts. When data is received, the system simply executes these pre-planned operations, significantly reducing processing time compared to performing complex analysis in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the data processing into distinct modular components: tabular data expansion, row identification, function application, and alert generation. Each component handles a specific aspect of processing independently, allowing for efficient execution and enabling the system to process comprehensive data without excessive computational overhead.
3Quantity of substance
If SNMP management stations access detailed tabular data from multiple instances, then the data coverage and monitoring scope expand, but the data retrieval complexity and network traffic increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple instances of tabular data that share common OIDs into a unified processing framework. The system retrieves data from multiple devices or instances using the same OID structure, combines them into a single tabular data structure, and processes them collectively through row identification and function application. This merging approach expands data coverage while simplifying retrieval by treating multiple instances as a unified dataset.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for generating and managing simple network management protocol (SNMP) reports that support the retrieval and processing of tabular data. An SNMP management station or similar program provides a user with an interface for viewing and managing data and resources through SNMP. The data and resources are identified by object identifiers (OID). However, some data referenced by the OIDs is tabular data. The management station provides an interface and set of functions for the configuration of methods for processing and displaying the tabular data. The SNMP management station provides a set of functions including: summation, maximums, minimums, averaging, threshold checks, value comparisons and similar functions that can be applied to the tabular data and used to generate a result or indicator in a management report.