Fast Network Discovery Using Snmp Multi-Cast

1. A method of operating a network management device comprising: in a network interface of the network management device, receiving a command from a Network Management System to discover network devices on a network of the network management device, wherein the Network Management System is located on another side of a firewall from the network; sending from the network interface a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) multi-cast GET on the network; receiving at the network interface one or more responses to the SNMP multi-cast GET, wherein the one or more responses to the SNMP multi-cast GET are associated with a different network device on the network; building or updating in a Management Information Base (MIB) manager of the network management device, a MIB database based on the one or more responses to the SNMP multi-cast GET; and sending from the network interface at least a portion of the MIB database to the Network Management System in response to the command.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more responses are a plurality of responses, each from a plurality of different network devices, and wherein building the MIB database comprises building an instance for each of the plurality of different network devices in the MIB database.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of receiving in the plurality of different network devices the SNMP multi-cast GET and in response to receiving the SNMP multi-cast GET, sending from the plurality of different network devices the plurality of responses.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising receiving at the network interface a command to get the MIB database from the Network Management System and responsive to receiving the command to get the MIB database, sending at least a portion of the MIB database.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising receiving a command at the network interface to set a parameter to a value in each of the plurality of different network devices and in response to receiving the command to set the parameter to the value, sending an SNMP multi-cast SET to the plurality of different network devices on the network.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising receiving at the network interface a command to set a different parameter in each of the plurality of different network devices and in response to receiving the command to set the different parameter in each of the plurality of different network devices, sending a separate SNMP SET to each of the plurality of different network devices, wherein each separate SNMP SET sets a different parameter.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the Network Management System sends a plurality of commands to get the MIB database to a plurality of network interfaces and receives a plurality of responses to the commands to get the MIB database.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of sending the command from the Network Management System.

9. A system comprising: a network interface operable to receive a command from a Network Management System to discover network devices on a network of the network management device, wherein the Network Management System is located on another side of a firewall from the network, send a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) multi-cast GET on the network, receive one or more responses to the SNMP multi-cast GET, wherein the one or more responses to the SNMP multi-cast GET are associated with a different network device on the network, and send at least a portion of a MIB database to the Network Management System in response to the command; and a Management Information Base (MIB) manager operable to build or update the MIB database based on the one or more responses to the SNMP multi-cast GET.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more responses are a plurality of responses, each from a plurality of different network devices, and wherein building the SNMP database comprises building an instance for each of the plurality of different network devices in the SNMP database.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of different network devices are operable to receive the SNMP multi-cast GET and in response to receiving the SNMP multi-cast GET, send the plurality of responses.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the network interface is further operable to receive a command to get the MIB database from the Network Management System (NMS).

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network interface is further operable to receive a command to set a parameter to a value in each of the plurality of different network devices and in response to receiving the command to set the parameter to the value, sending an SNMP multi-cast SET to the plurality of different network devices on the network.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of different network devices are operable to receive a command to set a different parameter in each of the plurality of different network devices and in response to receiving the command to set the different parameter in each of the plurality of different network devices, send a separate SNMP SET to each of the plurality of different network devices, wherein each separate SNMP SET sets a different parameter.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the Network Management System sends a plurality of commands to get the MIB database to a plurality of network interfaces and receives a plurality of responses to the commands to get the MIB database.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the Network Management System is further operable to send the command.