Abstract: A method in a computing network environment for host partition computers to share a multicast communication adapter connected to a local area network. Each host partition sends information identifying the host application as well as a multicast addressing protocol to the shared multicast communication adapter. The communication adapter registers the information and directs inbound multicast packets from the LAN to the appropriate host partition application. In a preferred embodiment, the communication adapter registers the information according to the IP multicast address. In a preferred embodiment, a counter is employed in the communication adapter to maintain a count of the number of host applications that are registered. The invention further provides a method for un-registering a host partition application.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for collecting, storing, processing and using data, such a RMON2 network traffic data, are described. Network traffic probes are identified and attempts are made to configure the identified probes to generate network traffic data sets which are as close to a preselected common data format as possible. Application layer traffic data is collected in addition to network layer traffic data when possible. In an RMON2 embodiment, the common data format includes the use of delta count values as opposed to absolute count values. The common data format of the present invention utilizes terminal count mode format as opposed to all count mode format for the presentation of RMON2 application layer information. To minimize the amount of data processing required to put a probe's network traffic data into the desired common format and to maximize the amount of information collected, network data is obtained from a probe using one of the available RMON2 table formats.

Abstract: A method and system to provide management information of network devices by mapping between SNMP MIB module schema and Common Information Model (CIM) schema. MIB modules are tree-structured lists of objects for describing SNMP network device information, whereas CIM schema employs user-intuitive, object-oriented classes to model such information. A mapping process enumerates the MIB objects and then maps the objects into CIM Managed Object Format (MOF) classes using defined mapping tables. A correlation mechanism is further provided to efficiently determine in real time which MIBs (or portions thereof) and corresponding CIM classes a network device supports.

Abstract: A cluster administration system that is capable of handling a cluster having one or more computing devices. The number of computing devices that may be included in a cluster is limited only by practical considerations rather than software or hardware limitations. A cluster administration system may include a cluster of computing devices, one of the computing devices being an owner. The cluster further includes a resource. Direct access to the resource by the computing devices is controlled by the owner of the cluster. The cluster administration system also includes an arbiter. The arbiter and the cluster are in communication with each other and a network, the cluster providing the network with access to the storage device. The arbiter controls the admission of new computing devices to the cluster when the owner of the cluster is incapable of admitting the new computing device. Having the arbiter outside the cluster provides greater reliability. The arbiter is not affected by failures within the cluster.

Abstract: To overcome the incompatibility between network-generated and customer premises equipment-generated monitoring signals, a translator device (26) intercepts and strips off a network-generated monitoring signal received from the network (10) on a communication channel (12). In place of the network-generated monitoring signal, the translator provides a first alternate monitoring signal derived (translated) from the network-generated monitoring signal but of a format compatible with the customer premises equipment. The translator device also intercepts the customer premises equipment-generated monitoring signal and substitutes a second alternate monitoring signal derived (translated) from the customer premises equipment-generated monitoring signal but of a format compatible with the network.

Abstract: A method of designing a computer network makes use of an object-based model enabling elements of the network to be displayed on screen, and manipulated by way of on-screen icons. A predefined rule list, acting directly on the objects, automatically updates the attributes of the objects to complete the network configuration. The rules are preferably Lisp-based, allowing users access to the standard Lisp functions in defining the rules.

Abstract: A serial port is shared by a microcontroller and a host application. The microcontroller initially responds to a remote user making connection to the serial port. Upon the remote user requesting connection to the host application, a hardware switch connects a serial port connector to serial port hardware utilized by the host application. The connection between the remote user and the host application is monitored, so that when the connection between the remote user and the host application is discontinued, the serial port connector is reconnected to the microcontroller.

Abstract: A network management system, in a network having a plurality of agents and a manager for controlling management objects of the plurality of agents which are respectively connected by a logical communication channel, wherein the plurality of agents are respectively provided with a function of an acting manager receiving the management objects of the other agents as well as sending them to the manager, and the manager is provided with a function of controlling the management objects of an agent incapable of communication, through the mediation of the other agent working as the acting manager, when the manager fails to communicate with the agent because a fault has occurred on the logical communication channel and destroyed the communication.