Abstract: The topology of a computer network may be by the process of discovery in which each of the devices of the network is interrogated to thereby produce details of the network and its operation, preferably in the form of a network map which may be displayed on a visual display unit showing the devices and links between the devices. At its simplest, and where the device is a “managed” device, this information is usually provided by interrogation using a known protocol, such as the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), of the so-called ‘agent’ of each device which stores the device's unique MAC address, the type of device and the MAC addresses embedded in the data passing into a particular port which thereby gives the MAC addresses of the origin of the data and hence the MAC address of the devices which are connected to the ports directly or indirectly.

Abstract: The topology of a computer network may be by the process of discovery in which each of the devices of the network is interrogated to thereby produce details of the network and its operation, preferably in the form of a network map which may be displayed on a visual display unit showing the devices and links between the devices. At its simplest, and where the device is a “managed” device, this information is usually provided by interrogation using a known protocol, such as the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), of the so-called ‘agent’ of each device which stores the device's unique MAC address, the type of device and the MAC addresses embedded in the data passing into a particular port which thereby gives the MAC addresses of the origin of the data and hence the MAC address of the devices which are connected to the ports directly or indirectly.

Abstract: A computer manages a remote device via a remote monitoring system and a network. The computer employs a mimic that periodically displays status information transmitted from the monitoring system. Initially, the monitoring system transmits data that gives a complete description of the mimic, including information for variable and fixed images. When updating the mimic, the computer browses the monitoring system, which returns update data for updating the variable images only. The computer processes the received update data to determine which of the variable images needs to be updated. The computer retrieves new images only for those images that need to be updated. The new images are displayed while the remainder of the mimic is kept in its current state.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficiently generating and updating screens representing device-status information. A management system that includes a Web browser is used to display device-status information transmitted to the management station in the form of an HTML file. An initial HTML file includes a complete description of the status screen to be displayed. Rather than generate and transmit a complete description of the status screen to the management station each time device status changes, a set of device state information in the form of an HTML file is transmitted, e.g., from a remotely located device monitor, to the management system. A JavaScript routine is used to update the displayed status information based on the received device state information. Use of a JavaScript routine allows portions of the displayed screen, e.g.

Abstract: A data structure for storing file header and body information and a polyalgorithm for locating a file in an embedded file system. File headers are stored consecutively and together in an evenly spaced sequence and contain pointers to their respective variable length bodies that are stored separately. The files are located by selecting a file header that is at the mid point of the header index, comparing whether the required file index position is higher or lower than the mid point header and confining the search range to the half of the index in which the required file is located. The procedure is then repeated, several times if necessary, each time looking at the mid point header of the range of headers currently in the search, confining the range and so on until either the file is located or the search space becomes zero. Usefully, the search may switch to a linear search when the range has been substantially reduced.