Abstract: A method provides for merging lists of newly found and old network elements. The method comprises receiving the list of newly found elements and deriving a potential key value for a portion of the newly found elements from configuration data associated therewith and a key format. The method also updates one of the old elements with the configuration data of a newly found keyed element having the same key. The method compares attributes of newly found elements for components to attributes of old network elements for attribute matches and reports matches. The report lists matching old elements and newly found elements as unresolved if either one does not have a unique key.

Abstract: A method of monitoring an element in a computer network including monitoring a preselected variable relating to that element; defining a threshold for the monitored preselected variable; establishing a sliding window in time; repeatedly generating a time above threshold value, the time above threshold value being a measure of an amount of time during which the monitored variable exceeded the threshold during the sliding window of time; detecting when the time above threshold value exceeds a condition window value; and in response to detecting when the time above threshold value exceeds the condition window, generating an alarm.

Abstract: A method for collecting and reporting monitored data for network traffic, which has been accumulated by a plurality of remote probes. The method includes making a series of polling requests for lists of monitoring data to each probe and receiving the requested lists. Each list has traffic count values that are identified by at least a sampling time, a source address, a destination address and a probe identifier. The method also includes calculating the traffic observed by each probe between successive sampling times and apportioning the calculated traffic data among a single set of consecutive temporal intervals and selecting best counts to avoid overcounting.