Logical Network Health Check in SDN Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network troubleshooting tools in software-defined networking (SDN) environments require users to have prior knowledge of network issues and specific tools, making it difficult to diagnose and resolve configuration and realization issues effectively, especially as SDN environments scale and become more complex.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a logical network health check system with a policy manager that periodically monitors packet flows, identifies configuration and realization issues, and provides visualization and remediation actions through a user interface, allowing users to troubleshoot without needing to familiarize themselves with multiple tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional network troubleshooting tools are used, then network issues can be diagnosed, but users require prior knowledge of network issues and specific tools, increasing the difficulty of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis by automatically collecting configuration information, realization information, and performance metrics from the SDN environment. The health check module autonomously identifies configuration issues, realization issues, and performance degradation without requiring user intervention or specialized knowledge, making the troubleshooting process self-service oriented
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a health check module as an intermediary between the complex SDN environment and the user. This module translates technical network data into simplified health status indicators and actionable insights, mediating between the complexity of the network and the user's need for simple troubleshooting
2Reliability
If multiple troubleshooting tools are used to diagnose SDN issues, then comprehensive diagnosis is achieved, but the device complexity and number of tools increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple troubleshooting functions into a single health check module that simultaneously performs configuration health checks, realization health checks, and performance health checks. This consolidation integrates what would traditionally require multiple separate tools into one unified system, reducing complexity while maintaining comprehensive diagnostic capability
Solution Approach 2:
The health check module is designed with multi-functionality, serving as a universal troubleshooting tool that can diagnose configuration issues, realization issues, and performance degradation across different SDN components. This single module replaces multiple specialized tools by providing universal health checking capabilities
3Measurement precision
If detailed network monitoring is implemented, then network issues can be identified, but the system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is segmented into three distinct health check modules: configuration health check, realization health check, and performance health check. Each module focuses on specific aspects of network health, dividing the complex monitoring task into manageable segments that can be executed independently and systematically
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods and systems for logical network health check. One example may comprise obtaining network configuration information and network realization information associated with a logical network; processing the network configuration information and the network realization information to determine the following: (a) network configuration health information specifying a network configuration issue and a first remediation action; and (b) network realization health information specifying a network realization issue and a second remediation action; and providing, to a user device, multiple user interfaces (UIs) specifying the first health information and the second health information along with a visualization of the logical network. In response to detecting an instruction initiated by the user device using at least one of the multiple UIs, the first remediation action or the second remediation action may be performed.