Abstract: A technique for automatically identifying and assigning devices to device proxies in a policy based network management system is described. Each device proxy registers a filter with the device discovery. The filter may identify one or more characteristics of devices and may also include a communications protocol to be used by the device discovery to communicate with devices. The device discovery, preferably using the specified protocol, obtains device specific information and then identifies devices in the network that match the filters. The device discovery notifies each device proxy of which devices match the proxy's filter. Each device proxy updates its list of devices that it can policy manage based on the notification from the device discovery. Control policies are distributed from a policy server to each of the device proxies. Each device proxy then sends a policy to one or more devices to be policy managed.

Abstract: A technique for sending a legacy message over a channel architecture network to a remote legacy device is provided. A host node identifies address information for a legacy object that is located on or within a subnetwork that is beyond the channel architecture network. The address information may include a subnetwork ID to identify the subnetwork and a MAC address of the object within the subnetwork, for example. The host node segments a legacy message (such as management message or SNMP message) into one or more message segments. Each segment is encapsulated in a cell including the address information for the legacy object. A channel adapter in the host node transmits each cell to a channel adapter at a remote I/O node. The I/O node includes a proxy agent that reassembles the legacy message and the sends the reassembled message to the legacy object over a legacy transport (e.g., using protocols and cell formats native to or compatible with the second network).