Network database control device and method thereof

Abstract

A network device control unit and method are provided in which, not all MIB objects under the control of the network management software are simultaneously acquired during startup of the network management software so the almost simultaneous flow of a large volume of SNMP packets in the LAN will not occur and along with a simultaneous reduction in the load on communications lines, the load on devices such as the printer and network board processing their SNMP packets will also become small. To accomplish this, windows allocated to individual network peripheral devices on a one to one basis and controlling the network device are utilized as device windows, and information to be displayed on the initial screen of the device window is acquired as the initial sheet and displayed. Device windows also acquire and display different sheet information on the device window when determined an entry has been made by the user requesting display of a different type of sheet information.

1 . to  33 . (canceled)  
   
   
       34 . A network device control method utilizing SNMP protocol comprising: 
 a step to discriminate between MIB data requiring a write request and MIB data not requiring a write request for the SNMP agent of the network device, from among the MIB data matching the information that was write-specified by a user.    
   
   
       35 . A network device control method comprising: 
 a step to store MIB data obtained from an MIB data read-out process into an MIB data cache; and    a step to compare data stored in MIB data cache in above step with MIB data matching information write-specified by the user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       36 . A network device control method comprising: 
 a step to store MIB data obtained from an MIB data write process into an MIB data cache; and    a step to compare data stored in MIB data cache in above step with MIB data matching information write-specified by the user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       37 . A network device control method comprising: 
 a step to store MIB data obtained from an MIB data read-out process into an MIB data cache;    a step to store MIB data written in an MIB write process into an MIB data cache;    and a step to compare data stored in MIB data cache in either of above steps, with MIB data matching information write-specified by the user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       38 . A network device control unit utilizing SNMP protocol comprising: 
 means to discriminate between MIB data requiring a write request and MIB data not requiring a write request for the SNMP agent of the network device, from among the MIB data matching the information that was write-specified by a user.    
   
   
       39 . A network device control unit comprising: 
 means to store MIB data obtained from an MIB data read-out process into an MIB data cache; and    a means to compare data stored in MIB data cache in above means with MIB data matching the information write-specified by a user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       40 . A network device control unit comprising: 
 means to store MIB data obtained from an MIB data write process into an MIB data cache; and    means to compare data stored in MIB data cache in said means with MIB data matching the information write-specified by a user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       41 . A network device control unit comprising: 
 means to store MIB data obtained from an MIB data read-out process into an MIB data cache;    means to store MIB data written in an MIB write process into an MIB data cache; and    means to compare data stored in MIB data cache by either of said means, with MIB data matching information write-specified by the user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       42 . A network device control method utilizing SNMP protocol comprising: 
 a recording medium capable of being scanned or read by a computer in which a program is stored to discriminate between MIB data requiring a write request and MIB data not requiring a write request for the SNMP agent of a network device, from among the MIB data matching the information that was write-specified by a user.    
   
   
       43 . A recording medium capable of being read by a computer in which programs are stored, said programs including: 
 a step of storing MIB data obtained from an MIB data read-out process into an MIB data cache; and    a step of comparing data stored in MIB data cache in said step with MIB data matching information write-specified by a user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       44 . A recording medium capable of being read by a computer in which programs are stored, said programs including: 
 a step of storing MIB data obtained from an MIB data write process into an MIB data cache; and    a step of comparing data stored in MIB data cache in said step with MIB data matching information write-specified by a user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       45 . A recording medium capable of being read by a computer in which programs are stored, said programs including: 
 a step of storing MIB data obtained from an MIB data read-out process into an MIB data cache;    a step of storing MIB data written in an MIB write process into an MIB data cache; and    a step of comparing data stored in MIB data cache in either of said steps, with MIB data matching information write-specified by a user in an MIB data write process.    
   
   
       46 . A network device control unit for controlling a device connected onto network utilizing SNMP protocol comprising: 
 holding means to hold the latest MIB data when MIB data for said device is read or when this MIB data is written for said device, by storing said MIB data into the specified cache memory;    comparison means to compare the latest MIB data for said device held by said holding means when writing of new MIB data was specified for said device and excluding cases where writing of said MIB data already has sufficient significance; and    control means to update said holding means and also write the applicable MIB data into said device, only when results from the above comparison means show a difference between the newly written MIB data and the held MIB data.    
   
   
       47 . to  56 . (canceled)