Hash Table Configuration Management for Network Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing configuration changes across multiple network devices with large address tables is inefficient and error-prone due to the need for manual updates and complex searches, especially when rolling back changes.
Innovation Solution
A configuration management system that uses a hash table to identify shared address entries across multiple network devices, allowing for efficient identification and updating of affected tables and facilitating rollback operations by maintaining key-value associations and previous configuration versions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If administrators manually search and update address entries in multiple address tables across multiple network devices, then configuration changes can be applied, but the time required is proportional to the total number of address entries and the process is error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a pre-built index data structure that maps address entries to their locations across multiple address tables before any configuration changes are needed. When configuration changes are required, the system queries this pre-built index to quickly identify all affected address tables, eliminating the need to search through every address entry at update time. This preliminary indexing resolves the contradiction by preparing the data structure in advance, enabling fast configuration updates without proportional time loss.
2Ease of operation
If administrators manually perform configuration tasks on multiple network devices, then configuration updates can be applied, but the possibility of user error increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary index data structure that sits between the administrator's configuration requests and the actual address tables in network devices. This index automatically tracks which address tables contain which address entries, allowing the system to intelligently determine the scope of changes needed. The intermediary eliminates manual searching and reduces user error by providing automated, precise identification of affected configurations, while still allowing administrators to initiate and control the update process.
3Ease of repair
If administrators seek to roll back configuration changes on multiple network devices, then previous configurations can be restored, but the process becomes especially difficult when multiple configuration changes need to be undone
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by maintaining the index data structure that continuously tracks the location and state of address entries across all address tables. When configuration changes are made, the index is automatically updated to reflect the new state. For rollback operations, the system queries this feedback-rich index to quickly identify all address tables affected by previous changes, enabling systematic restoration without requiring administrators to manually analyze each device's configuration. The feedback from the index simplifies the complexity of multi-device rollback operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A configuration management system and related methods are provided to facilitate intersection-based management of configuration information for network devices. In one example, a method includes polling a plurality of network devices to determine address entries stored by address tables of the network devices. The method also includes applying a hash function to the address entries to determine a plurality of key-value associations. The method further includes maintaining a hash table comprising the key-value associations. Each key of the hash table corresponds to an address entry stored by one or more of the address tables. Each value of the hash table identities which of the address tables are storing the address entry corresponding to the associated key.