Endpoint Node Site Categorization via Route Tracing

Solution Overview

Problem

Corporate networks with numerous geographically dispersed sites face complexity and expense in managing IP ranges due to continuous changes, making it challenging to track and maintain accurate subnet information, which is crucial for service performance.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that categorize endpoint nodes into sites by tracing routes through routing nodes, comparing information for selected routers, and grouping nodes with common routers as belonging to the same site, thereby automating IP range creation and reducing manual table construction burdens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual tracking of IP ranges is performed, then site information can be maintained, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesite information accuracyVSAvoidtime for IP range tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic route tracing from endpoint nodes to identify common routing nodes, eliminating the need for manual IP range tracking. The network infrastructure itself provides the data needed for site categorization through automated discovery processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking processes with automated electronic route tracing. Instead of manually maintaining IP range databases, the system uses automated network diagnostics to discover and categorize sites dynamically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual tracking of IP ranges is performed, then site information can be maintained, but the process becomes expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesite information accuracyVSAvoidcost of network management

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic route tracing from endpoint nodes to identify common routing nodes, eliminating the need for manual IP range tracking. The network infrastructure itself provides the data needed for site categorization through automated discovery processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking processes with automated electronic route tracing. Instead of manually maintaining IP range databases, the system uses automated network diagnostics to discover and categorize sites dynamically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If route tracing is performed for all endpoint nodes, then accurate site categorization is achieved, but network traffic increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesite categorization accuracyVSAvoidnetwork traffic consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system traces routes only to a selected number of routing nodes closest to each endpoint node rather than tracing the entire path. This partial action approach provides sufficient information for accurate site categorization while minimizing the network traffic required for the process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9705748B2Site detection

Publication Date: 2017.07.11 HIVE STREAMING

AI summary

The invention relates to a method and device of categorization of endpoint nodes into sites in a communications network. The invention further relates to a computer program performing the method according to the present invention, and a computer program product comprising computer readable medium having the computer programs embodied therein.A method of categorizing endpoint nodes into sites in a communications network is provided. The method comprises acquiring information pertaining to tracing of a route from each of a plurality of the endpoint nodes via a number of routing nodes in the communications network, which information identifies the routing nodes encountered in each traced route. The method further comprises performing a comparison, for each of the plurality of endpoint nodes with the remaining ones of the plurality of endpoint nodes, of the acquired information for a selected number of routing nodes closest to the endpoint node for each traced route. Moreover, the method comprises categorizing the endpoint nodes having at least one routing node in common among the selected number of routing nodes as belonging to a same site.