Patent ID: 7099932

Claim:
An apparatus for retrieving and storing quality of service policy management information using a directory service, comprising: a processor; a network interface coupled to a managed network that receives network data from one or more network devices that are in the managed network; and one or more sequences of stored instructions accessible to the processor and which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of: receiving a validity period value of one of a plurality of directory information trees that are created and stored in the directory service in association with a directory information tree manager, wherein the validity period value stores information that defines a time period in which a sub-tree of a directory information tree, associated with the validity period value, is valid, and wherein a valid sub-tree cannot be updated or modified; providing, in the directory information tree manager, an active directory information tree value that references a currently active directory information tree, and an old directory information tree value that references a formerly active directory information tree; when quality of service policy management information is needed, determining which one of the directory information trees is a currently active directory information tree as indicated by the active directory information tree value of the directory information tree manager; retrieving the quality of service policy management information from a sub-tree of the currently active directory information tree only during the time period within the validity period value thereof; providing a manager validity period value in the directory information tree manager; and retrieving the quality of service policy management information from the currently active directory information tree only during a time period indicated by the manager validity period value.