Abstract: The invention includes method and apparatus for generating a protocol agent adapted to facilitate communications between a managed system and at least one management system. The method includes generating an implementation of a unified information model from an information model specification and generating the protocol agent from a protocol specification. The protocol specification includes first mappings to the information model specification and the protocol agent includes second mappings to the implementation of the unified information model. The second mappings are formed using the first mappings. The information model specification includes a model of hardware of the managed system. The implementation of the unified information model includes a plurality of logical entities, wherein the logical entities represent a plurality of physical entities of the managed system. The protocol specification includes a model of a protocol. The protocol agent includes a plurality of protocol entities.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus and associated methods for facilitating communication between a managed system and management systems. The apparatus includes at least one protocol agent and a management layer. A protocol agent is adapted for communicating with at least one management system using a protocol. The protocol agent includes at least one protocol entity. The management layer is adapted for facilitating communication between the at least one protocol entity and system hardware including a plurality of physical system entities. The management layer includes a plurality of logical system entities associated with the physical system entities. The management layer supports at least one mapping between the logical system entities of the management layer and the protocol entities of the protocol agent. The apparatus facilitates downstream communications from one or more management systems to the managed system, and upstream communications from the managed system to one or more management systems.

Abstract: The invention includes method and apparatus for generating a protocol agent adapted to facilitate communications between a managed system and at least one management system. The method includes generating an implementation of a unified information model from an information model specification and generating the protocol agent from a protocol specification. The protocol specification includes first mappings to the information model specification and the protocol agent includes second mappings to the implementation of the unified information model. The second mappings are formed using the first mappings. The information model specification includes a model of hardware of the managed system. The implementation of the unified information model includes a plurality of logical entities, wherein the logical entities represent a plurality of physical entities of the managed system. The protocol specification includes a model of a protocol. The protocol agent includes a plurality of protocol entities.