Patent ID: 7380249

Claim:
In a computer network having a management application that manages network devices, a system comprising, a database having information therein that relates network devices to information providers; a set of information providers including at least one information provider connected to a managed network device; and an object manager being configured to receive a request from a management application requesting management information that corresponds to dynamic data of the managed network device, and in response to the request, the object manager being further configured to: query the database and receive data therefrom indicative of which information provider or providers correspond to the managed device; communicate the request to a corresponding provider for the managed device to request the dynamic data therefrom, the corresponding provider connected to the managed network device to obtain dynamic data therefrom; determine a capability level of the corresponding provider by evaluating a response from the provider; upon determining that, based on the response, the provider cannot handle the request, simplify the request; communicate the simplified request to the corresponding provider; receive from the corresponding provider the dynamic data obtained from the selected device; and return the management information including the dynamic data in response to the request from the management application.