Abstract: A method of selectively obtaining formatted dump data from a remote software product employs an open Manager-Agent concept, where the Agent is represented by the remote software product and the Manager is represented by the local customer/vendor management station. A dump object is defined; this object exists at the Agent and is exposed to Manager for modification, e.g., specification of a value. Modification of the dump object by the Manager will cause the Agent to selectively create/store a formatted storage dump for one or more of software products components. The Manager retrieves the formatted dump data from the Agent using a standard/open file transfer mechanism; since the dump data is formatted at the Agent (rather than by the receiver, i.e., manager) the problem of transmitting large amounts of data across a network is minimized or eliminated.

Abstract: A new system and method allows a Manager in a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) environment to gather updates from its Agents. The system and method comprise the unique provision of an index which is used in each of the Agent's tables for indicating the various revisions thereof. The index lexicographically increases with each revision to the table. The Manager maintains a record of the index of the data which it has received from its Agents, requesting only that data having a lexicographically larger indexing. Further, the index is used in related tables so that the tables will be kept in "sync" in that the Manager will know whether it has the latest updates so that an accurate picture may be portrayed.

Abstract: A new system and method allow one or more Managers in a network to retrieve from an Agent problem determination data relating to the Agent's Components. The system and method of the present invention allow the Manager to use standard mechanisms to retrieve and display the Agent's problem determination data. A generic collection subsystem created by the Agent acts as an interface for the Agent to the Components for collecting and organizing the problem determination data received from the Components. The collection subsystem receives and stores problem determination data from each of the components in tables which are organized based upon the type of problem determination data. Within each table, the data objects may be stored chronologically, for example. The collection subsystem responds to all requests from the Agent for stored problem determination data. The requests may specify particular parameters such as the type of problem and time it occurred.

Abstract: A new system and method allow a Manager in a network to control, monitor and receive accounting from its Agents. The system and method comprise the unique provision and use of an accounting file which is used by each Agent for maintaining the accounting information database for the Manager. The agent collects the accounting data specified by the Manager and stores it in the accounting data file. The Agent further maintains a status record based upon the status of the accounting data collection activity. If the Agent has completed collecting the accounting data as specified by the Manager, the status record indicates that the file is in a full state, or COMPLETE. Alternatively, if the Agent is still in the process of collecting and storing the accounting data, the status record will indicate that the accounting file is in an active state, or ACTIVE. In operation, the Manager first issues a command to each of its Agents to begin collecting and storing a particular type and amount of accounting data.

Abstract: A system and method for recording accounting times by an Agent in a network and retrieving the accounting times by the network Manager. Three types of data objects in each of the Agent's stored records are provided. Record Number is the sequence number of the record in the file. Recording time is an indication of the time the record was stored in the file since a certain point in time, such as after the Agent's clock began running. Record Type is the particular type of record stored. The Record Type can either be DATA representing normal accounting data or TIME representing time data used for correlating the Manager's and the Agent's time-keeping. Upon receipt of an accounting data record of type DATA, the manager uses the record's Recording time to help determine the point of time accorded to that event. The Manager then uses the previous record of type TIME to adjust the Recording time of the received accounting data record relative to the Manager's precise calendar time.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for monitoring network performance in a network controlled by a communication access method. The communication access method is modified to communicate with a network performance monitor so that the communication access method will monitor its internal processing for information units for a predetermined resource upon request of the network performance monitor. The communication access method time stamps each inbound and outbound information unit for the predetermined resource and sends formatted data regarding each information unit, including the time stamp data, to a predetermined exit from the communication access method. The network performance monitor obtains the formatted data from the performance exit and processes the formatted data to determine network performance in relation to the predetermined resource.

Abstract: A system and method for performance monitoring of transactions which involve an application which normally operates in exception response mode. A network performance monitor sets information in memory regarding applications and resources for which performance data is sought. The applications are modified so that they check the appropriate locations in memory during the processing for each transaction to check whether the mode should be switched to definite response mode for that transaction. If so, the application switches to definite response mode, thereby causing a definite response path information unit to be sent by the resource following the resource's reception of the outbound path information unit from the application. The network performance monitor monitors the passage of these messages through a communication access means which operates the network.