Agent-Based Network Discovery Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer network discovery methods require substantial user intervention and are time-intensive, especially in larger networks, due to the need for manual association of geographical location information with discovered components and the inefficiency of full network scans.
Innovation Solution
The generation of discovery profiles using agent software instances that identify network subnets and gateway addresses, allowing for periodic discovery operations and geographical abstraction to facilitate efficient component discovery and mapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual association of geographical location information with discovered components is performed, then accuracy of network mapping is improved, but user intervention time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery service automatically associates geographical location information with discovered network components by querying location databases using IP addresses or device identifiers, eliminating the need for manual user input while maintaining mapping accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
A location database acts as an intermediary between the discovery service and geographical location information, enabling automatic retrieval and association of location data without direct user intervention
2Measurement precision
If full network scans are performed to discover all components, then completeness of network mapping is improved, but time consumption and resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery service performs discovery operations on selected portions of the network based on discovery profiles rather than conducting exhaustive full network scans, achieving sufficient completeness while reducing time consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The network is divided into manageable segments or scopes defined by discovery profiles, allowing the discovery service to systematically process different network portions over time rather than requiring a single comprehensive scan
3Reliability
If periodic discovery operations are implemented, then network information currency is improved, but system resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery service executes discovery operations periodically according to scheduled intervals defined in discovery profiles, maintaining network information currency while allowing resource consumption to be distributed over time rather than continuous
Data Source
AI summary
Generating discovery profiles for discovering components of a computer network using agent software can include receiving a command from a client device to generate a discovery profile for an agent software instance. A network subnet and at least one network gateway address can be obtained from the agent software instance, which network subnet and at least one network gateway address can be associated with a network interface of the computing device operating the agent software. At least one other network subnet can be obtained from the agent software instance by sending instructions to the agent software instance to identify the at least one other network subnet using the at least one network gateway address. A discovery profile including the network subnet and the at least one other network subnet can then be generated for the agent software instance.