Dial-Out Telemetry Tunnels for Secure Network Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network management systems require constant polling or initiation of connections to collect telemetry data, which is inefficient and exposes a large attack surface, especially when collectors are behind NAT or in layered architectures, and lacks scalability and security.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a dial-out telemetry system where network elements initiate connections to collectors using gRPC tunnels, allowing for tunnel keepalives and auto-reconfiguration during software upgrades, and utilizing a TLS-agent for encryption optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If network management system continuously polls or initiates connections to collect telemetry data, then data collection is ensured, but operational overhead increases and attack surface expands

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetelemetry data collectionVSAvoidoperational overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional telemetry model by enabling network elements to initiate connections to collectors instead of collectors actively polling network elements. This inversion fundamentally changes the communication paradigm from push-based collection to pull-based subscription, reducing operational overhead while maintaining reliable data collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

Network elements autonomously manage their own telemetry data collection by initiating connections to collectors of their choice. Each network element independently subscribes to telemetry services and manages its own data transmission, eliminating the need for centralized polling control and reducing overall system operational overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If collectors are exposed to collect telemetry data, then data collection capability is provided, but security vulnerability increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collection capabilityVSAvoidattack surface

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the connection initiation direction, network elements can subscribe to telemetry services without exposing collector interfaces to the external network. Collectors remain hidden behind network elements, eliminating the need to open ports or expose services while maintaining full data collection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

Network elements act as intermediaries that facilitate secure telemetry data collection without exposing collector interfaces. The network element initiates encrypted connections to collectors, serving as a mediator that protects the collector from direct network exposure while enabling data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If network management system maintains telemetry state for each network element, then data collection is coordinated, but system scalability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetelemetry coordinationVSAvoidsystem scalability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Each network element independently manages its own telemetry subscriptions and data transmission without requiring centralized state tracking. The system eliminates the need for collectors to maintain state information about individual network elements, enabling horizontal scaling while preserving coordinated data collection through distributed autonomous management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Ease of manufacture

If traditional polling mechanism is used, then connection establishment is simple, but data collection efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection establishmentVSAvoiddata collection efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional poll-push model by enabling network elements to initiate connections and subscribe to telemetry services. This inversion transforms the communication pattern from periodic polling to continuous event-driven data streaming, significantly improving data collection efficiency while maintaining simple connection establishment through standard network protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12598126B2Dial-out telemetry for network management

Publication Date: 2026.04.07 CIENA CORP

AI summary

Dial-out telemetry for network management includes a tunnel client configured to form a tunnel service for telemetry inside a dialed-out tunnel from the tunnel client to a tunnel server, wherein the tunnel service is between a network element, communicatively coupled to the tunnel client, and a network management system communicatively coupled to the tunnel server, and preserve the tunnel service via keepalives including during a software upgrade associated with any of the network management system and the network element and with the tunnel service itself.