Patent ID: 6633909
Filing Date: 2003-10-14
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A network, comprising:a network manager; a plurality of agents coupled by connecting links to said network manager each agent being capable of sending a notification trap to said network manager via said connecting links; means for transmitting said notification trap from said agent to said network manager, said means being instantiated by a user of said agent and utilizing said connecting links, wherein the transmission of said notification trap is completed without said network manager issuing a broadcast message on the network to solicit said notification trap, and network bandwidth utilized in a notification process is reduced; means for receiving said notification trap at said network manager; means for said network manager to extract identifying information of said agent from said notification trap, wherein said means includes: means for determining when said notification trap contains sufficient identifying information; and means for sending a query on said network from said network manager directly to said agent to extract an identifying information from said agent when said notification trap fails to include sufficient identifying information; means for comparing said identifying information with a list of previously recorded identifying information to determine when said identifying information has not previously been received; and means, responsive to said comparing means, for adding said identifying information to said list when not previously received, thus recording a discovery of said agent on said network.