A system and method for managing a telecommunications network. The system and method employs a network management architecture that provides an overlay in which network management functions are performed. The network management architecture includes a workstation function that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for a user to interact with an object model of the physical telecommunications network, a telecommunications network management subsystem that provides an object model of the network including object models of network equipment and connectivity between the equipment, a database subsystem that stores "current" and "future" views of the network, and an object request broker that translates objects from a first object-oriented paradigm to a second object-oriented paradigm for use by the GUI. The network management architecture facilitates network design by determining network performance metrics. The network architecture can also be used to assess the performance of a given network configuration by virtue of simulation. The network architecture can also be used to initialize switchover logic for network restoration.

Network management system

Intelligent monitoring systems and methods for virtual environments are disclosed that understand various components of a virtual infrastructure and how the components interact to provide improved performance analysis to users. In certain examples, a monitoring system assesses the performance of virtual machine(s) in the context of the overall performance of the physical server(s) and the environment in which the virtual machine(s) are running. For instance, the monitoring system can track performance metrics over a determined period of time to view changes to the allocation of resources to virtual machines and their location(s) on physical platforms. Moreover, monitoring systems can utilize past performance information from separate virtual environments to project a performance impact resulting from the migration of a virtual machine from one physical platform to another.

Systems and methods for analyzing performance of virtual environments

A system for monitoring traffic on a network first discovers the network so as to map the various devices and links in the network. Statistics are then gathered from various points in the network relating to quality of service, and especially loads on the network devices. Synthetic calls are generated at selected points of the network while monitoring the network. This data is then stored and displayed in a manner that is easy for the operator to analyze, with more detailed displays being available through the use of a mouse or keystrokes.

Network traffic generation and monitoring systems and methods for their use in testing frameworks for determining suitability of a network for target applications

Methods, systems and computer program products are provided which test network performance by defining test schedules including test protocols to be implemented and when the protocols should be executed for a plurality of defined connections on a network. A connection may be defined between two endpoint nodes on the network. At times specified in the test schedule, the endpoint node pair executes the test protocol and measures the performance of the network connection between the two nodes without requiring any involvement of application software which may or may not be installed on the computer hardware supporting the endpoint node. The test protocol may define the type of network layer protocol to utilize (for example, TCP), and the test script or scripts to be communicated using the appropriate stack on the computer hardware supporting the endpoint node. The schedule may be provided with an expiration date and a console node is provided for distribution of test schedules, monitoring of availability of endpoint nodes and receipt of measured performance measurements for reporting to a network manager. In further aspects of the present invention, auto-thresholding and coordination of interrelated but asynchronous tasks executing at the console node are provided.

Methods, systems and computer program products for scheduled network performance testing

A system for providing a configurable graphical user interface useful in managing network devices (16-22) connected to a network, the system using one or more servers (14) and one or more clients(12), each server receiving messages from and sending messages to a set of the network devices (16-22) via a standard server/device protocol, each client communicating with at least one server via a client/server protocol and providing a graphical user interface (32) for receiving requests from a user and displaying information to the user relating to the network devices (16-22), the client (12) initiating a graphical user interface in response to a user input by sending an initiation message to the server (14), and the server then sending resource information and a data stream relating to the current state of the network devices.

Configurable graphical user interface useful in managing devices connected to a network

Discovery/layout software (101) configures a general purpose computer system to act as a management station (100') using the industry standard SNMP protocol. The discovery/layout software (101) has a discovery mechanism (302) and a layout mechanism (304) which, in combination, permit the discovery/layout software (101) to provide various submaps (202-210) on demand to a display (108). The submaps (202-210) are directed to various hierarchical views of the network (118). The discovery mechanism (302) monitors and discovers the device configuration on the network (118) and maintains a topology data base (314) indicative thereof. A layout mechanism (304) has a translator (318) which converts the topology data from the topology data base (314) to map data, which is maintained in a map data base (326). Significantly, topology data is received by the translator (318) in a batch and, in addition, map data is transferred from the translator (318) in a batch so that context switching involving the change of control over the processor (102) and operating system (122) is minimized and the performance of the management station (100') is significantly enhanced.

Robrt Dwight Schettler

Papers

Batch transfer system and method for high performance graphic display of network topology

Stapelübertragungssystem und -verfahren für graphische Hochleistungsdarstellung von Netztopologie