Patent ID: 8010661

Claim:
A method implemented on a computer for managing a plurality of devices, the computer being connected to the devices via a network, the method comprising: (a) evaluating a first time counter; (b) if the first time counter is a first target value, executing a first subroutine and resetting the first time counter to a first reset value, the first subroutine including making SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) calls onto the network and receiving responses from one or more of the devices to gather a first type of information; (c) if the first time counter is one of a first plurality of non-target values, skipping the first subroutine and adjusting the first time counter toward the first target value; (d) evaluating a second time counter; (e) if the second time counter is a second target value, executing a second subroutine and resetting the second time counter to a second reset value, the second subroutine including making SNMP calls onto the network and receiving responses from one or more of the devices to gather a second type of information; (f) if the second time counter is one of a second plurality of non-target values, skipping the second subroutine and adjusting the second time counter toward the second target value; (g) sleeping for a pre-defined time period; and (h) repeating steps (a) through (g), wherein each of the first time counter and the second time counter is evaluated once and only once between two consecutive sleeping steps.