Network element connection management within a network management system

Abstract

Preferred embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods to receive a logical command, the logical command being associated with a target identifier of a network element, determine connection parameters of the network element based on the target identifier, define a work flow based on the logical command, the work flow including a connection manager work unit, and execute the connection manager work unit to retrieve a connection from a connection pool based on the connection parameters.

1 . A method, comprising:
 maintaining a connection to a network element;   testing the connection to determine a status of the connection;   determining whether to evict the connection based on the status of the connection; and   evicting the connection based on a determination to evict the connection.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection is an idle connection. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that the connection has been idle for a period of time that exceeds an acceptable period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that the connection is associated with a low-priority user. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that physical connections to the network elements are exhausted. 
     
     
         6 . A method, comprising:
 maintaining a connection to a network element;   testing the connection to determine a status of the connection;   determining whether to share the connection based on the status of the connection; and   sharing the connection based on a determination to share the connection.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the sharing the connection comprises interleaving multiple sessions on a physical connection. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that an idle connection is unavailable. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that physical connections to the network elements are exhausted. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the determining comprises examining physical connection associated with the network. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code which when executed causes a computer to perform a method comprising:
 maintaining a connection to a network element;   testing the connection to determine a status of the connection;   determining whether to evict the connection based on the status of the connection; and   evicting the connection based on a determination to evict the connection.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the connection is an idle connection. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that the connection has been idle for a period of time that exceeds an acceptable period of time. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that the connection is associated with a low-priority user. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that physical connections to the network elements are exhausted. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code which when executed causes a computer to perform a method comprising:
 maintaining a connection to a network element;   testing the connection to determine a status of the connection;   determining whether to share the connection based on the status of the connection; and   sharing the connection based on a determination to share the connection.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the sharing the connection comprises interleaving multiple sessions on a physical connection. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that an idle connection is unavailable. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the status of the connection indicates that physical connections to the network elements are exhausted. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the determining comprises examining physical connection associated with the network.