Patent Abstract:
A network management system by using network interface cards installed with network management software comprises a main control device in a network; a network main control software being installed to the main control device; and a plurality of information devices connected to the main control device through the network; each of the information device being installed with one of the network interface cards; a driver of the network interface card being installed with a network management software corresponding to the network main control software.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to network management, and particularly to a network management system with network management software installed to network interface card. The network interface card is installed to an information device in the network. The network management software collects data about the information device through the network interface card.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In current network management system, the network management software is installed in an agent and then the agent is installed to a computer. The data for network management is provided by the agent. Then the data is sent to a console for management. However in this prior art, the network management software is installed to the agent manually. Many setting operations must be performed for actuating the network management software. These operations cannot generally be installed by those not skilled in the art. Thereby, it must be performed by skilled workers and thus the installation operation is inconvenient.  
           [0003]    Moreover, current network management software has only finite functions which can not meet current requirements.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a network interface card installed with network management software; the network interface card being installed to an information device; the network management software collecting data about the information device through the network interface card.  
           [0005]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a network management system by using network interface cards installed with network; management software which comprises a main control device in a network; a network main control software being installed to the main control device; and a plurality of information devices connected to the main control device through the network; each of the information device being installed with one of the network interface cards; a driver of the network interface card being installed with a network management software corresponding to the network main control software.  
           [0006]    The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 shows the structure of the network management system of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 shows the software structure of the main control device of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 shows the structure of the information device according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0010]    Referring to FIG. 1, the structure of the network management system of the present invention is illustrated. The present invention includes a main control device  105  and a plurality of information devices  300 . These information devices  106  are connected to the main control device  105  through a network  110 . The main control device  105  includes a monitor  100 , a keyboard  101 , and other computer peripherals. The information devices may be personal computes, notebook computers, servers, handsets with information process ability, etc. The main control device  105  may be any information processing device and at any nodes in the network. It is only necessary that the information devices  300  can send data to the main control device  105 .  
         [0011]    Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the software structure of main control device  105  of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2 and the structure of the information device  300 . The main control device  105  is installed to the network main control software  200  of the present invention. Each information device  300  is installed with the network interface card  301  of the present invention. In the present invention, the network management software  303  is arranged in the network interface card  301 . After installing the network interface card  301 , the network management software  303  will be installed automatically without any setting and installing operation. In the present invention, the information collected in the network management software  303  includes for example data flow, numbers of packets, TCTIP data amount, etc. These traffic can be collected by the network management software of the present invention.  
         [0012]    The data collected by the network management software  303  is sent to a network main control software  200  for further processing.  
         [0013]    The network main control software  200  can monitor the network use state of a plurality of computer in an area network through a standard SNMP(Simple Net-Management Protocol) and sets alarm conditions. When an alarm condition is matched, alarm is emitted by trumpets or email. Moreover, network main control software  200  can monitor the states of computer software so as to prevent non-allowed software being installed.  
         [0014]    The network main control software  200  includes a real time monitor software  220  and a server software  210 . The server software  210  of the network main control software  200  serves for collecting history data about the use of the network. It is installed only at one computer, i.e., the main control device  105 . The main control device  105  collects the history data about use of the networks of all the information devices  300  and the states of software installation. The real-time monitor software  220  serves to collect the information about use of the network real-time. The real-time monitor software  220  can display the use of the network of an information device  300  monitored and emits alarm according to set states. If history information is to be displayed, then it is used with the server software  210  of the network main control software  200 .  
         [0015]    In the same office, the network management console will search network computer terminals with the real-time monitor software  220  and group the terminals according to the system functions for simulating the network structure.  
         [0016]    The network main control software  200  serves for receiving network transfer data and getting statistic information for emitting alarm; monitoring the copyright of the software used in the network; updating and dispatching computer software, window software dispatch in network environment, and managing network management information (SNMP, RMON) about the network management hardware, etc.  
         [0017]    The network main control software  200  provides the following network use information about the monitor computers through SNMP network management protocol.  
         [0018]    SNMP related information: including system related information, for example, edition of CPU, edition of operation system; MAC address of the network card, etc.  
         [0019]    Interface related information: including 8 bit interface input information, 8 bit interface output information, errors about the interface information, deleting of the interface information, and protection of unknown interface information;  
         [0020]    IP related information: including receiving of IP information; transmission of IP information; address error of IP information; hard disk condition of IP information;  
         [0021]    TCP relates information: including sectioning of TCP information; sectioning of TCP output; and TCP information errors;  
         [0022]    UDP related information: including udpInDatagrams udpOutDatagrams, udpInErrors;  
         [0023]    ICMP related information: including icmpInMsgs, icmpInEchos, icmpEchoReps, icmpInErrors;  
         [0024]    RMON related information: including statistic related information; application information; packet related information (including packet propagation and broadcasting); and length of packet.  
         [0025]    Error information: including CRC align packets, length insufficient packets; over length packets; sectioning messages; collision of packets; Jabbers.  
         [0026]    History related information: including application information; packet related information (including packet propagation and broadcasting); CRC align packets, length insufficient packets; over-length packets; sectioning messages; collision of packets; Jabbers.  
         [0027]    Operation of the Server Software  210  of Network Main Control Software  200 :  
         [0028]    The server software  210  of the network main control software  200  can perform the following operations:  
         [0029]    1. Setting a device list for the computers to be monitored: after the server software  210  of the network main control software  200  is actuated, an operation window will display. The user uses a Discover function to set computers to be monitored. The IP address of the area network will be inputted to a dialogue box of the display screen. Then the computers to the monitored is searched. If the program searches the computer to be monitored, then the IP and MAC addresses of this computer will be recorded.  
         [0030]    2. Set a legal software list: the software installed in the computer is listed.  
         [0031]    3. Actuate server software  210  of the network main control software  200 : After complete the setting, a selection of reducing the size of the window is done, then the server software  210  of the network main control software  200  will be installed to the system for collecting history data of the computer monitored.  
         [0032]    4. Retain history data in a time period: in the present invention, the server software  210  of the network main control software  200  retains all the network history data in a set time period.  
         [0033]    Operations About the Real-Time Monitor Software  220  of the Network Main Control Software  200   
         [0034]    The real-time monitor software  220  of the network main control software  200  has the functions of design and start. The computer to be monitored is set under the design mode. The mode of the program can be determined by a to do list in the window. The operation of the real-time monitor software  220  includes the following items:  
         [0035]    1. Set Groups of the Computers Monitored:  
         [0036]    The real-time monitor software  220  of the network main control software  200  can group the computers monitored according to the defaults and perform the group edition function.  
         [0037]    2. Search the Computer Monitored and Started in the Network:  
         [0038]    For the started and monitored computers in the network, the discover function is performed. The searched computers will group according to the setting of group edition.  
         [0039]    3. The Real-Time Monitor Software  220  of the Network Main Control Software  200  Browsers the Traffic of the Network:  
         [0040]    Under start mode, any computer or computer group in the dialogue box is clicked. Then the data items to be monitored is displayed at a lower side of the dialogue box. If any item is selected, the program frame will display the related data of this item.  
         [0041]    4. Set Conditions of Alarming:  
         [0042]    A mouse is used to click an item, then a condition set window is displayed. Thereby, the user can set threshold of alarm for the item.  
         [0043]    5. Acknowledge of an Alarm:  
         [0044]    If abnormal condition occurs, the real-time monitor software  220  of the network main control software  200  will emit alarm to inform the user until the system returns to a normal condition or the user gives an acknowledge.  
         [0045]    6. Alarm List:  
         [0046]    When an alarm emits, an alarm list function is used so as to list all alarms.  
         [0047]    7. Event List:  
         [0048]    The real-time monitor software  220  of the network main control software  200  records all events and an event list serves to list all the events for being checked by the user.  
         [0049]    8. History Data Check:  
         [0050]    If a computer has installed with the real-time monitor software  220  of the network main control software  200 , it is only necessary to perform a history function in the group manage tool. Then a dialogue box about history data inquiry under a selection date and items appears.  
         [0051]    9. Search for Illegal Software;  
         [0052]    If the real-time monitor software  220  of the network main control software  200  has been installed, then the DMI monitor item of the monitored computers is selected. If the computer has any illegal software, then it will be displayed.  
         [0053]    The network main control software of the present invention can be loaded through agencies, or networks or disks.  
         [0054]    The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7