Synchronization scheme

Abstract

A synchronization scheme is provided that includes querying a managed device to obtain an initial device state, synchronizing the device state in a plurality of management processes, detecting a change in the initial device state, and maintaining a synchronized current device state between the managed device and the plurality of management processes.

What is claimed is  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 querying a managed device to obtain an initial device state;    synchronizing the device state in a plurality of management processes;    detecting a change in a device state; and    maintaining a synchronized current device state between the managed device and the plurality of management processes.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the plurality of management processes reside in remote systems.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which maintaining comprises: 
 for each management process, storing a current device state in the management processes.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  in which storing comprises: 
 integrating an incremental device state change into information stored in a management process.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  in which synchronizing comprises: 
 determining whether synchronization already exists between a managed device and a management process; and  
 establishing a synchronization if synchronization does not already exist.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  in which determining comprises: 
 comparing a sequence number identifying a current device state with a previously stored sequence number.  
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  in which establishing comprises a device-dominant process.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  in which the device-dominant process comprises: 
 modifying information stored in a management process to match a current state of the managed device.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  in which establishing comprises: 
 a management process-dominant process.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  in which the management process-dominant process comprises: 
 modifying a current state of the managed device to match information stored in one of the management processes.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  in which detecting comprises: 
 receiving a device state change message from a managed device.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  in which the change is responsive to a remote user command.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  in which the change is responsive to a local user command.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  in which the change is responsive to a command from one of the management processes.  
     
     
         15 . A computer program product, stored in a computer readable medium comprising instructions to cause a computer to: 
 query a managed device to obtain an initial device state;    synchronize the initial device state in a plurality of management processes;    detect a change in a device state; and    maintain a synchronized current device state between the managed device and the plurality of management processes.    
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15  further comprising instructions to cause a computer to: 
 determine whether a device state is already synchronized with stored information.  
 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16  further comprising instructions to cause a computer to: 
 synchronize by modifying stored information in the management process to match a current state of a managed device.  
 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16  further comprising instructions to cause a computer to: 
 synchronize by modifying a current state of a managed device to match stored information in a management processes.