Abstract: An approach for managing IP telephony devices in a network generally involves associating physical and logical data with an IP telephony device using identification data that identifies the IP telephony device. The physical data specifies one or more attributes of how the IP telephony device is connected to the network, for example, as a switch address, port, or both. The logical data specifies one or more logical attributes of the IP telephony device on the network, for example, an extension number or IP address. Correlating physical and logical data with an IP telephony device using identification data aids in identifying suspect IP telephony devices in a network by identifying IP telephony devices that have physical data, but no logical data and also IP telephony devices that have the same identification data, such as the same media access control layer address.

Abstract: An approach for tracking IP telephony devices in a network generally involves detecting changes in physical connections of IP telephony devices to the network by evaluating address data for the IP telephony devices. Address data for the telephony devices is evaluated over time to detect changes that have occurred in physical connections. Status data is generated and provided to a network manager application that notifies administrative personnel of the changes. Other embodiments include verifying that a physical connection has changed after an initial detection by waiting a specified amount of time and then evaluating additional address data to determine whether the change still exists.

Abstract: Communicating network management information includes registering a network device using a device user agent corresponding to a first protocol. A request message for network management information is received from a network management server. The request message is corresponding to the first protocol, and comprises a request corresponding to a second protocol. The request corresponding to the second protocol is extracted, and the network management information is retrieved using the second protocol. The network management information is placed in a response message corresponding to the first protocol, and the response message is sent to the network management server.