Dictionary-Based Service Mapping for Remote Network Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing remote network management platforms rely on narrowly-tailored rule-based discovery processes that are cumbersome and inflexible, requiring frequent adaptations for managed networks using different technology variants, limiting their ability to efficiently identify computing devices and software applications and their operational relationships.
Innovation Solution
A dictionary-based service mapping technique is employed, where the remote network management platform performs an initial discovery to identify attributes of computing devices and software applications, builds a dynamic searchable dictionary, and matches search terms from configuration files with dictionary terms to define operational mappings, allowing for flexible identification and mapping without relying on specific rules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a narrowly-tailored rule-based discovery process is used, then the discovery process can be simple to implement, but it becomes cumbersome and requires frequent adaptations for different technology variants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a dictionary-based service mapping technique that can universally match terms across different technology variants. Instead of maintaining separate rules for each variant, the system builds a unified dictionary from discovered attributes that can match configuration files from multiple technology variants (e.g., WebLogic, WebSphere, JBoss) using the same core mechanism, making the discovery process adaptable without requiring variant-specific rule sets
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the dictionary dynamic rather than static. The dictionary is built automatically from discovered attributes of computing devices and software applications, allowing it to adapt to new technology variants as they are discovered. This dynamic construction eliminates the need for manual rule updates when new variants emerge, as the system learns and updates its matching vocabulary automatically
2Measurement precision
If narrowly-tailored rules are used for service mapping, then the mapping process can be precise for specific technologies, but it limits the ability to efficiently identify devices and applications across diverse networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing an initial discovery process that collects attributes from computing devices and software applications before the actual service mapping takes place. This preliminary discovery phase builds a comprehensive dictionary of terms and patterns that can be reused during mapping, eliminating the need to re-analyze device attributes for each mapping operation and significantly improving discovery efficiency across diverse networks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dictionary as an intermediary between the discovered device attributes and the service mapping process. This dictionary acts as a mediator that translates raw configuration file contents into meaningful service mappings, allowing the system to maintain precision while handling diverse technology variants through a unified matching mechanism rather than direct rule-based mapping
3Reliability
If frequent rule updates are performed to adapt to different technology variants, then the system can maintain accuracy, but the maintenance complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the system to automatically build and update its own dictionary from discovered device attributes without requiring manual intervention. The discovery process automatically extracts terms and patterns from configuration files and populates the dictionary, allowing the system to maintain and improve its own mapping accuracy autonomously as new technology variants are encountered, eliminating the need for manual rule updates
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system is disposed within a computational instance of a remote network management platform associated with a managed network. The computing system (i) performs a discovery process that identifies attributes of computing devices and software applications disposed within the managed network; (ii) stores, in a persistent storage of the computing system, the attributes that were identified; (iii) indexes the attributes that were stored in the persistent storage for searching; (iv) receives a configuration file for a particular software application; (v) uses a search engine to find matches between one or more terms in the configuration file and one or more of the attributes; (vi) based on the matches, defines an operational mapping between the particular software application and one or more of the computing devices or software applications of those disposed within the managed network; and (vii) stores, in the persistent storage, a representation of the operational mapping.