Robert D Clouston, 62259 Crawfords Edge, Roseland, VA 22967

6430595, Aug 6, 2002

May 20, 1999

09/315284

Darin Ferguson - Raleigh NC
Robert Clouston - Cary NC
Anthony Talerico - Wake Forest NC

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

G06F 1516

709200, 709223, 709224, 709227

A technique efficiently creates a database used to correlate information identifying data session traffic exchanged between entities of a computer network with information relating to multi-protocol intermediate devices configured to carry the session traffic throughout the network. The intermediate devices are preferably routers configured to carry System Network Architecture (SNA) session traffic between SNA entities comprising a host network connection and a physical unit (PU) station. The host network connection utilizes a channel-attached router for connectivity with a host computer. The technique allows a network management station (NMS) program to establish a NMS database by obtaining a PU name associated with an active SNA session without requiring a presence on or continual communication with a virtual telecommunication access method on the host.

6490618, Dec 3, 2002

May 20, 1999

09/315551

Darin Ferguson - Raleigh NC
Robert Clouston - Cary NC
Anthony Talerico - Wake Forest NC

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

G06F 15173

709223, 709224, 709227, 709238, 709249, 709258, 370401, 370402, 370362, 370462

A technique efficiently correlates information pertaining to entities of a mixed Advanced Peer to Peer Networking (APPN) and Data Link Switching (DLSW) computer network. The entities comprise System Network Architecture (SNA) host mainframe (âhostâ) and physical unit (PU) entities, along with DLSw and APPN/DLSw devices. The technique involves identifying a SNA session path as using Dependent Logical Unit Requester (DLUR) services of the APPN/DLSw device and thereafter obtaining media access control (MAC)/service access point (SAP) information needed to correlate the SNA session to the DLSw peer devices. The inventive technique then proceeds to efficiently correlate information relating to the DLUR and PU with information relating to the devices to draw the mixed network topology needed to assist in problem isolation.

6532241, Mar 11, 2003

May 20, 1999

09/315441

Darin Ferguson - Raleigh NC
Robert Clouston - Cary NC

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

H04J 322

370469, 370466, 370467, 370465, 709200, 709222, 709223, 709226, 709230, 709239

A technique identifies a data session flowing through entities of a multi-protocol network based on information contained within a service request provided by a user of the network and without requiring knowledge of the protocols used by the session. A translation server translates the service request into session parameters for use by a correlation engine. The correlation engine creates at least one filter containing searching criteria pertaining to the session and passes the filter to at least one protocol server configured to obtain specific protocol-related information pertaining to the session. The protocol server searches a repository for information matching the filter and, if found, returns a list of sessions.

6571272, May 27, 2003

May 20, 1999

09/315550

Darin Ferguson - Raleigh NC
Robert Clouston - Cary NC
Anthony Talerico - Wake Forest NC

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

G06F 1516

709200, 709223, 709224, 370357, 370360

A technique efficiently correlates information pertaining to host and physical unit (PU) entities of a data link switching (DLSW) network comprising multiple source-route-bridge subnetworks interconnected by DLSw routers in a multi-hop peer connection topology. A DLSw peer connection is established between a local DLSw router and its remote âpeerâ DLSw router over each IP cloud; each DLSw peer connection manifests as a DLSw circuit that is identified by, inter alia, a data link identifier comprising attachment addresses of the host and PU entities. The inventive technique efficiently correlates SNA-specific information relating to the host and PU entities with IP-specific information relating to the DLSw routers to draw the multi-hop network topology needed to assist in problem isolation.

5568605, Oct 22, 1996

Jan 13, 1994

8/180725

Robert D. Clouston - Cary NC
John S. Graham - Raleigh NC
John H. Zeiger - Cary NC

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06F 1100

39518202

A topology manager external to a communications network manages the network and in particular resolves conflicting topology information about the network by dividing the management of the topology data base into two operations--a collection instance and a resolution layer. A collection instance collects all information that its agent node has about the topology of the network. This topology information is processed by the collection instance to determine for each resource in the network whether the resource is new, reachable or has experienced a reachability change. The resolution layer receives the topology resource information from each collection instance. When a resource is indicated as reachable by a collection instance, that resource is placed on a Reach list as an entry from that collection instance. If the collection instance indicates the resource from that collection instance is no longer reachable, the resolution layer will remove that resource entry from the Reach list, and look for another Best Reach entry for the resource. If the network fragments and nodes go down and come back up, the resolution layer can resolve conflicts in resource information from separate collection instances to select the most current information for a resource.

5321815, Jun 14, 1994

Oct 16, 1992

7/962626

Leo J. Bartolanzo - Durham NC
Robert D. Clouston - Cary NC
John E. McGinn - Rochester MN
William E. Siddall - Chapel Hill NC

International Business Machines Corp. - Armonk NY

G06F 1314

395200

A process for selecting a least weight path between two nodes in a data communication network uses partial trees created and cached in prior route selection operations. All root nodes on possible paths between the two nodes are identified. Any cached tree having a root matching one of the identified root nodes is retrieved from storage. If necessary, each retrieved tree is extended until it includes all possible destination nodes. The extended and/or retrieved trees are used to select the least weight path between the two nodes. The extended tree is then cached for possible use in future route selection operations.