Correlating Underlay Flow Data with Virtual Network Configuration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Analyzing and troubleshooting networks in data centers with both virtualized and non-virtualized devices is challenging due to the complexity of correlating physical and virtual network data, especially when bare metal devices are involved, as they often lack overlay flow data.
Innovation Solution
Collecting and correlating underlay flow data from bare metal devices with configuration information to identify virtual networks and enrich the data with overlay information, enabling analytics and visualization tools for efficient troubleshooting and network discovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If overlay flow data is collected from virtualized devices, then network analysis accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases and data collection burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts overlay flow data from virtualized devices and associates it with underlay flow data from bare metal devices through correlation mechanisms. This allows the system to obtain comprehensive network analysis data without requiring every device to collect and store both types of data locally, thereby reducing individual device complexity while maintaining analysis accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary correlation mechanism that links underlay and overlay flow data. This intermediary layer processes and associates the two data types without requiring direct integration at each device, simplifying the overall data collection architecture while enabling comprehensive network analysis.
2Quantity of substance
If underlay flow data is collected from bare metal devices, then network coverage is improved, but data enrichment capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges underlay flow data from bare metal devices with overlay flow data through correlation mechanisms. This combination allows the system to maintain comprehensive network coverage from bare metal devices while enriching the data with overlay information from virtualized devices, thereby preventing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal data correlation system that can process both underlay and overlay flow data from different device types. This multi-functional approach allows the system to leverage the network coverage advantages of bare metal devices while adding the enrichment capabilities provided by virtualized devices.
3Adaptability or versatility
If both virtualized and non-virtualized devices are present in the network, then network versatility is improved, but troubleshooting complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network data into distinct underlay and overlay flow data categories, then uses correlation mechanisms to link them. This segmentation allows the system to handle the versatility of mixed device types while organizing data in a way that simplifies troubleshooting by clearly distinguishing between physical and virtual network components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary correlation layer that mediates between underlay and overlay data from different device types. This intermediary mechanism provides a unified view of network traffic across virtualized and bare metal devices, thereby reducing troubleshooting complexity despite the network's versatility.
4Measurement precision
If overlay flow data is required for network analysis, then analysis accuracy is improved, but dependency on virtualized devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts overlay flow data from virtualized devices and correlates it with underlay flow data from bare metal devices. This extraction allows the system to maintain analysis accuracy that would normally depend on virtualized devices, while the correlation mechanism enables the system to function independently by synthesizing information from both device types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a correlated representation of overlay data from underlay data and vice versa. This copying mechanism allows the system to reconstruct overlay information from underlay data when needed, reducing dependency on actual overlay flow data from virtualized devices while maintaining analysis accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques that include collecting flow data associated with communications between network devices, and determining, based on the flow data, one or more virtual networks over which the communications are taking place. In one example, this disclosure describes a system configured to perform operations comprising: storing virtual network configuration information associated with a first virtual network and a second virtual network established within a network; collecting underlay flow data associated with communications between a first server and a second server, wherein each of the first server and the second server are implemented as bare metal servers; determining, based on the underlay flow data and the stored virtual network configuration information, that the first server and the second server have communicated over the first virtual network; and generating a user interface.