IP Address Audit Platform Using Ping and Traceroute Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Network providers face challenges in allocating unique IP addresses due to outdated and unsynchronized Internet number asset management databases, leading to IP address duplication, which results in data being sent to the wrong entity, wasting resources, and compromising security.

Innovation Solution

An audit platform utilizing an IP address scanning model that performs a five-step algorithm, including data from wireless/wireline IP management, contact and registration, backbone router feeds, ping commands, and traceroute responses to determine the availability of IP addresses and calculate a confidence score for accurate allocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the INAM database is used to allocate IP addresses, then IP address allocation can be performed, but the database is outdated and unsynchronized leading to IP address duplication

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIP address allocation speedVSAvoidIP address uniqueness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by sending ping commands and traceroute requests to IP addresses before allocating them to customers. This proactive verification ensures that an IP address is truly available before assignment, preventing duplication issues that arise from relying on outdated INAM database information alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring network responses to ping and traceroute commands. This real-time feedback allows the system to verify IP address availability dynamically, ensuring that allocated IP addresses are unique and currently in use by no other entity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If IP address duplication occurs, then allocation process is simple, but data is sent to the wrong entity causing resource waste and security issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveallocation process complexityVSAvoiddata misrouting and security compromise

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification using ping commands and traceroute requests before finalizing IP address allocation. This advance checking prevents data misrouting and security compromises by ensuring the IP address is truly available and will receive data correctly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If multiple data sources are scanned to verify IP availability, then IP address accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIP address availability determination accuracyVSAvoidverification system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification system is segmented into distinct functional modules: one module scans the INAM database, another sends ping commands, and a third executes traceroute requests. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific verification task independently, improving overall accuracy while managing complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges multiple verification methods (database scanning, ping commands, traceroute requests) into a unified IP address verification process. By combining these different data sources and verification techniques, the system achieves high accuracy in determining IP address availability while presenting a single integrated solution to users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11277376B2Systems and methods for utilizing an internet protocol (IP) address scanning model to identify available IP addresses

Publication Date: 2022.03.15 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

In some implementations, an audit platform may determine a first availability of a particular IP address based on data identifying IP addresses assigned for wireless and/or wireline services, a second availability of the particular IP address based on data identifying contact and registration information for IP addresses, and a third availability of the particular IP address based on data identifying active IP addresses associated with a backbone router. The audit platform may determine a fourth availability of the particular IP address based on data identifying responses to ping commands associated with the IP addresses, and a fifth availability of the particular IP address based on data identifying responses to traceroute commands associated with the IP addresses. The audit platform may calculate a confidence score, indicating a confidence level that the particular IP address is available, based on the first availability, second availability, third availability, fourth availability, and fifth availability.