Methods and apparatus for managing devices without network attachments

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring and managing devices on a network. The system and method preferably comprises a proxy server connected to the network and a managed device connected to the proxy server. The system further comprises storage means for storing a device management application program associated with the managed device, and a management station in communication with the managed device via the proxy server and in communication with the storage means. The management station preferably is configured to retrieve the device management application program from the storage means and process the device management application program. As the management station processes the device management application program, the management station is able to monitor and manage the managed device. In particular, the management station can send management commands to a controller of the managed device via the proxy server, and the management station can receive notifications from the managed device, also via the proxy server.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for monitoring and managing devices on a network, comprising: 
 a proxy server connected to said network;    a managed device connected to said proxy server via a communication connection;    storage means for storing a device management application program associated with said managed device; and    a management station in communication with said managed device via said proxy server and in communication with said storage means, said management station configured to retrieve said device management application program from said storage means and process said device management application program;    wherein the processing of said device management application program by said management station allows said management station to monitor and manage said managed device.    
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said managed device is connected to said proxy server by a communication connection selected from the group of communication connections including peripheral component interconnect (PCI), small computer system interface (SCSI), universal serial bus (USB), fibre channel, and firewire.  
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said managed device includes a controller for controlling said managed device, and wherein the processing of said device management application program by said management station allows said management station to send management commands to said controller via said proxy server.  
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said managed device is a storage system.  
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said proxy server comprises routing means for receiving commands from said management station and routing said commands to said controller of said managed device.  
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said device management application program communicates with said proxy server using a first communication protocol, and said proxy server communicates with said managed device using a second communication protocol, and wherein said proxy server comprises a protocol converter for converting communication messages directed from said device management application program to said managed device from said first communication protocol to said second communication protocol, and for converting communication messages directed from said managed device to said device management application program from said second communication protocol to said first communication protocol.  
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said first communication protocol is remote procedure call (RPC) and said second communication protocol is universal transport mechanism (UTM), and wherein said protocol converter comprises an RPC-to-UTM conversion application.  
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said controller comprises a second protocol converter for converting said second communication protocol into a management protocol which said controller of said managed device can process.  
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said proxy server includes a device mapper, which locates devices connected to said proxy server and assigns a TCP\P port to each of said devices.  
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein when said device management application program sends said management commands to said controller of said managed device, said device management application program first sends said management commands to said proxy server and said device mapper in said proxy server routes said management commands to said managed device.  
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said proxy server further comprises a desktop management interface (DMI) interface, which facilitates communication between said managed device and a DMI management station.  
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said proxy server further comprises a simple network management protocol (SNMP) interface, which facilitates communication between said managed device and an SNMP management station.  
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said management station comprises java processing means for processing java applets or applications, and wherein said device management application programs comprise java applets.  
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of managed devices are connected to said proxy server.  
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said managed device may be connected to a plurality of proxy servers.  
     
     
         16 . A system for monitoring and managing storage devices on a network, comprising: 
 a proxy server connected to said network;    a storage device connected to said proxy server, said storage device including a controller;    storage means for storing a device management application program associated with said storage device; and    a management station in communication with said storage device via said proxy server and in communication with said storage means, said management station configured to retrieve said device management application program from said storage means and process said device management application program;    wherein the processing of said device management application program by said management station allows said management station to monitor said storage device and send management commands to said controller of said storage device via said proxy server.    
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said management station comprises java processing means for processing java applets or applications, and wherein said device management application programs comprise java applets.  
     
     
         18 . A method for managing devices connected to a proxy server, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a proxy server connected to a network;    (b) providing a management station for managing one or more managed devices connected to said proxy server;    (c) said management station locating said proxy server on said network;    (d) said management station obtaining from said proxy server a list of said one or more managed devices connected to said proxy server,    (e) displaying said one or more managed devices connected to said proxy server on a display associated with said management station;    (f) selecting one of said one or more managed devices to be managed;    (g) retrieving a management application program associated with said selected one of said one or more managed devices from a storage means;    (h) running said retrieved management application program on said management station; and    (i) sending management commands from said management station to said selected one of said one or more managed devices via said proxy server.    
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said proxy server comprises routing means for receiving said management commands from said proxy server and routing said management commands to said selected one of said one or more managed devices.  
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said management station communicates with said proxy server with a first communication protocol and said proxy server communicates with said selected one of said one or more managed devices with a second communication protocol, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: 
 (j) said proxy server converting said management commands from said management station from said first communication protocol format to said second communication protocol format; and    (k) said proxy server sending said management commands to said selected one of said one or more managed devices in said second communication protocol format.    
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 20  wherein said first communication protocol is remote procedure call (RPC) and said second communication protocol is universal transport mechanism (UTM).  
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (l) said selected one of said one or more managed devices converting said management commands in said second communication protocol format to a management protocol command which a controller of said selected one of said one or more managed devices can process; and    (m) said selected one of said one or more managed devices processing said management protocol command.    
     
     
         23 . A method for monitoring devices connected to a proxy server, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a proxy server connected to a network;    (b) providing a management station for monitoring one or more managed devices connected to said proxy server;    (c) said management station locating said proxy server on said network;    (d) said management station obtaining from said proxy server a list of said one or more managed devices connected to said proxy server,    (e) said management station retrieving from each of said one or more managed devices an object graph, said object graph representing a configuration and a status of said one or more managed devices;    (f) displaying said object graph of said one or more managed devices on a display associated with said management station; and    (g) monitoring said network for event notifications transmitted by any of said one or more managed devices.    
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (h) said management station initiating an event monitoring application on any of said one or more managed devices; and    (i) when an event on said any of said one or more managed devices occurs, said event monitoring application transmitting event notifications to said management station of said event.    
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the step of said management station initiating an event monitoring application comprises the steps of starting a proxy communication thread on said proxy server, which then starts the event monitoring application on said any of said one or more managed devices.  
     
     
         26 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said event comprises a configuration change of said any of said one or more managed devices.  
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said event comprises a status changes of said any of said one or more managed devices.  
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said event comprises an error of said any of said one or more managed devices.  
     
     
         29 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein when said management station receives said event notification from said event monitoring application, said management station updates said object graph for said any of said one or more managed devices on said display.  
     
     
         30 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said event monitoring application comprises a hanging asynchronous event notification (AEN) application.