Patent ID: 7143158

Claim:
A method for generating metrics for network devices, comprising: enabling an association of tags with interfaces representing network devices; automating aggregation of metrics for at least one group of network devices, where the group is defined based on at least one interface tag associated with interfaces of devices within the group; collecting timing information indicating the timing with which an interface becomes associated with a group by virtue of the tag associated with the interface; and generating an output based on the aggregation of metrics for the group of network devices, wherein automating the aggregation of metrics includes: identifying network devices within the group automatically based on an association of a common interface tag between the group and the network device interfaces; obtaining metrics for the network devices identified within the group; and aggregating the metrics for the network devices identified within the group, wherein identifying network devices within the group automatically comprises periodically searching the interface tags to identify occurrences of interfaces having associated therewith the interface tags used to define each of several groups.