Patent Application
20050097192
The present invention relates generally to configuration data and in particular a system of retrieving large amounts of configuration data.
One method electronic devices use to communicate with each other is with the use of configuration data. Configuration data of an electronic device includes protocols of the device which are used by other devices to establish communications. That is, configuration data of a first device is read and used by other devices to set up communication links between the first device and the other devices. For example, in a telecommunication system including a cable operator and a plurality of cable modems the configuration data of the cable modems can include cable modem cable status, static route, routing information protocol (RIP) and the like. This configuration data is used to establish communication between the cable operator and the plurality of cable modems. This configuration data is critical for the cable operator in monitoring, troubleshooting and managing their subscriber base. Traditionally, simple network management protocol (SNMP) has been used to configure devices (equipment) and retrieve the configuration data using a user interface. SNMP is the most common method by which network management applications can query a device (data source) using a supported management information base. However, a limitation of SNMP is that when the quantity of configuration data is very large, the interface software using the SNMP mechanism can be relatively slow since the format of the data isn't fully optimized for use by the interface software.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below that will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for method of retrieving configuration data from a large number of devices in a fast and efficient manner.
The above-mentioned problems and other problems are resolved by the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.
In one embodiment, a method of communicating between electronic devices is disclosed. The method comprises initiating a request for configuration data from a user interface. Sending the configuration request to a data source. Placing the configuration data into a data file in a user interface format at the data source and sending the data file to the user interface.
In another embodiment, a method of retrieving a large amount of configuration data in a telecommunication system having one or more command line interfaces, a management module and one or more head-ends is disclosed. The method comprises generating a configuration request from one of the command line interfaces. Receiving the configuration request in an associated local access module. Outputting configuration data in a data file that is in a command line interface friendly format to a management module and passing the data file to the command line interface that requested the configuration data.
In yet another embodiment, a communication system is disclosed. The communication system includes a plurality of command line interfaces, a plurality of local access modules and a management module. The plurality of local access modules are adapted to provide configuration data to select command line interfaces in a command line interface friendly format. The management module is adapted to dispatch interface configuration data between the plurality of command line interfaces and plurality of local access modules.
In further another embodiment, a head-end for a cable modem system is disclosed. The head-end includes an input, a cache and an output. The input is adapted to receive configuration requests from one or more user interfaces. The cache is adapted to store configuration data of select subscriber modems in a user interface friendly format and the output is adapted to output the configuration data in the cache.
The present invention can be more easily understood and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the description of the preferred embodiments and the following figures in which:
In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters denote like elements throughout Figures and text.
In the following detailed description of the present embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, electrical or mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism to handle large quantity data retrieval. In one embodiment, a requesting entity sends a data file request directly to a data source (such as a head-end, local access module or the like). Once the data source receives the message, the data source dumps the desired configuration data into a data file in a user interface friendly format. The data source then sends the data file to a user interface of the requesting entity. In another embodiment, a grouping mechanism is used to group the same data file requests from multiple user interface entities. Once grouped, only a single request is sent to the data source and the data file received in response to the data source request is shared between the user interface entities. The messaging approach of the embodiments of the present invention dispatch requests to data sources much faster than interface software of a SNMP mechanism. Moreover, the data source can efficiently package and transport the data. In addition, since data is already packaged in a user interface friendly format, said data can be displayed faster and more efficiently. The embodiment that groups the data file requests saves system resources for entities which host the data sources.
Referring to
As stated above, the data format stored in the cache of a head-end is user interface friendly. In one embodiment, the data is stored in a host order (p6 processor). For example, Table 1 illustrates user friendly bytes used in one embodiment of the present invention. Moreover, in one embodiment, a cache 107 also includes a header that indicates the version of information and the modem count. En example of header information is illustrated in Table 2.
In one embodiment of the present invention, cache 107 only stores the modem information upon receiving a request from one or more user interfaces 102(1-N). Since this embodiment of the present invention limits the simultaneous user interface requests to only one request at a time, the head-end 106 only has to process one request at a time. Therefore, a large amount of memory 110 in the head-end 106 does not have to be allocated for this process. The single request requirement, the limited amount of memory used in this process and use of user friendly interface data produces a relatively fast method of obtaining configuration data. In addition, in one embodiment, the head-end 106 allocates memory based on modem numbers in the network instead of a fixed number (such as, 3000 maximum modem number per cable modem termination system).
The messaging mechanism of the embodiment of
Referring to
If there is no dispatched request, the JAVA server 210 will send a request to the select CMTS head-end 204(1-N) (309). The JAVA server 210 listens to the switched socket for notification packets from the select head-end 204(1-N) (310). Once the select head-end 204(1-N) receives the request, the head-end 204(1-N) retrieves the data in an associated cable modem cache. The select head-end 204(1-N) transfers the cable modem data from the associated cable modem cache via TFTP to the BCM 208 (312). The select head-end 204(1-N) notifies the JAVA server 210 of the retrieval results via switch socket (313). The notification comes with command ID, head-end 204(1-N) ID and status data. The JAVA server 210 then correlates the notification to all interested CLI 202(1-N) call back references (314). The JAVA server 210 also sends notification to the waiting select CLI clients 202(1-N) via CLI's callback reference object (315). The respective CLI 202(1-N) reads, parses and displays the file (316). The select CLI 202(1-N) notifies the JAVA sever 210 that parsing is done or the command is canceled by the user (317). The JAVA server 210 then cleans up the CLI reference (318). If there is no more CLI callback reference objects waiting to consume the file, the java server 210 deletes the file (319). Finally, the select CLI 202(1-N) checks its list of expecting files, if all the files are back, the select CLI 202(1-N) completes the command operation. Otherwise, if not all the files are back the select CLI 202(1-N) goes back to step (306) to wait for the rest of the files. (320).
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. Many adaptations of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this application is intended to cover any such adaptations or variations of the invention. It is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.
