Unified Intent Policy Model Translation for Network Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Network administrators face challenges in managing and monitoring multiple intent policy models across different network devices, leading to inefficiencies in resource utilization and increased complexity in maintaining network configurations.

Innovation Solution

A network management system (NMS) that identifies source and target intent policy models associated with graphs, translates source nodes to target nodes, and updates the target intent policy model to include new nodes, thereby establishing a hierarchical order and resolving conflicts and redundancies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If administrators manually manage multiple intent policy models across different network devices, then each device can be configured independently, but the complexity of maintaining network configurations increases and resource utilization decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of managing intent policy modelsVSAvoidcomplexity of maintaining network configurations

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple intent policy models into a single unified intent policy model. The NMS consolidates policy models from multiple network devices into one centralized model, allowing administrators to manage all policies through a single interface rather than separately managing each device's policy model, thereby reducing operational complexity while maintaining independent configurability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The unified intent policy model serves multiple network devices simultaneously, making it universal across different devices. The single policy model can be applied to and manage configurations across multiple network devices, providing multi-functionality that eliminates the need for separate policy models for each device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If administrators manually update intent policy models for each network device, then each device maintains its specific configuration, but the time and resources required for updates increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of network configurationVSAvoidtime for updating policy models

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The NMS performs preliminary consolidation of intent policy models from multiple devices into a unified model before deployment. By pre-processing and consolidating policies centrally, the system prepares the unified model in advance, which can then be efficiently distributed and applied to multiple devices simultaneously, reducing the time required for updates while maintaining configuration accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates copies of the unified intent policy model and distributes them to multiple network devices. Instead of manually updating each device's policy model separately, the NMS generates copies of the consolidated model and applies them across devices, ensuring consistency and accuracy while significantly reducing the time and effort required for updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple intent policy models are maintained separately for different network devices, then each device can be optimized independently, but computing resources are wasted due to redundancy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to optimize device-specific configurationsVSAvoidcomputing resource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple device-specific intent policy models into a single unified model that maintains the ability to address device-specific configurations. By consolidating policies centrally, the system eliminates redundant computing resources while preserving the adaptability to optimize each device's configuration through the unified model's comprehensive policy definitions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12224907B2Translation of a source intent policy model to a target intent policy model

Publication Date: 2025.02.11 JUNIPER NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A system identifies a source intent policy model that is associated with a graph having a plurality of source nodes connected by a plurality of source edges, identifies a set of source nodes of the plurality of source nodes, and translates the set of source nodes to generate a set of target nodes. The system identifies a subset of target nodes, of the set of target nodes, that are not included in a target intent policy model that is associated with a graph having a plurality of target nodes connected by a plurality of target edges. The system determines a hierarchical order associated with the subset of target nodes and the plurality of target node, and causes the target intent policy model to be updated to include the subset of target nodes and the plurality of target nodes, such that the graph is ordered according to the hierarchical order.