Network Monitoring Health Check Object Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network monitoring systems face scalability issues when managing large numbers of monitored units, leading to increased complexity and security risks due to the need to read and write numerous managed objects, which can overwhelm the network management system and introduce potential security vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a single 'health check' managed object at each monitored unit that aggregates all relevant states into a unified value, allowing the network management system to read only this single object instead of multiple managed objects, thereby reducing the load and enhancing security by preventing unauthorized program loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the number of monitored units increases, then network coverage and monitoring scope improve, but system complexity and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple managed objects (MOs) at each monitored unit into a single aggregated health check object. This consolidation reduces the total number of MOs across the network from potentially millions to a manageable number, directly addressing the complexity issue while maintaining comprehensive monitoring coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The health check object serves multiple functions simultaneously: it aggregates the state of all other MOs, provides a simplified interface for NMS, enables efficient monitoring, and reduces security exposure. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle large networks without proportional increases in complexity
2Loss of information
If the number of managed objects per monitored unit increases, then monitoring detail and diagnostic capability improve, but network management system load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential health status information from multiple detailed MOs and concentrates it into a single health check object. This extraction process maintains the critical monitoring information while removing the operational burden of managing numerous individual MOs, thus preserving monitoring detail without overwhelming system performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the monitoring function into two layers: detailed MO-level monitoring at the monitored units (preserving diagnostic capability) and aggregated health check monitoring at the NMS (reducing system load). This segmentation allows both detailed monitoring and system performance to coexist
3Adaptability or versatility
If program loading capability is added to monitored units, then health check flexibility improves, but security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex program loading capabilities with a simpler, pre-configured health check object approach. Instead of allowing flexible program execution (which creates security risks), the system uses predetermined health check configurations that achieve the necessary monitoring flexibility without the security vulnerabilities of program loading
Data Source
AI summary
A method of monitoring a network, in particular a data or telecommunication network, where the network includes a number of units to be monitored, and where relevant states of these units are controlled with respect to functionality, efficiency and/or security by means of provided information elements called managed objects at the monitored units, that reflect states and/or parameters to be monitored, and that are read and/or written by a network management system using network management protocols, is characterized in that at the managed units an additional management object—the health check object—is being implemented, such that almost all relevant states of the respective monitored unit are aggregated into a single value, that can be read by the network management system.