Automated Network Configuration Generation via Log Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional approaches fail to adequately protect against network device misconfiguration, leading to significant networking issues due to manual processes in creating and maintaining golden templates, which can become outdated and result in misconfiguration of network devices.
Innovation Solution
A standard configuration generation server automatically generates and updates standard network device configurations by analyzing command accounting logs, identifying frequent configuration blocks, and aggregating them into a standard configuration, using Natural Language Processing and machine learning to prevent misconfiguration and ensure compliance with vendor-validated configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual processes are used to create and maintain golden templates, then flexibility and customization are improved, but reliability deteriorates due to human error and outdated configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically generates and maintains golden templates by analyzing command accounting logs from network devices. The automated configuration generation process eliminates manual human intervention, allowing the system to self-update configurations based on actual device data, thereby maintaining flexibility while improving reliability through consistent automated processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously collects command accounting logs from network devices and uses this feedback to automatically update golden templates. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures configurations remain current and accurate by incorporating real data from the network environment, resolving the contradiction between manual flexibility and automated reliability
2Reliability
If automated configuration generation is implemented, then reliability is improved through consistent standardized configurations, but device complexity increases due to the automated system requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a multi-functional configuration generation server that performs multiple tasks: analyzing command logs, generating configurations, validating against standards, and deploying to devices. This universal system consolidates what would otherwise be separate complex functions into a single integrated platform, improving reliability while managing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration generation server acts as an intermediary between network devices and golden templates. It automatically analyzes device data, generates standardized configurations, and manages the templates, thereby improving configuration consistency while abstracting the complexity from individual device management and centralizing it in the intermediary server
3Adaptability or versatility
If golden templates are updated manually, then adaptability is improved to incorporate new configurations, but loss of time occurs due to manual update processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously analyzing command accounting logs and pre-generating configuration updates before they are needed. The automated system proactively maintains and updates golden templates in the background, ensuring adaptability to new configurations while eliminating the time loss associated with manual update processes
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration generation server operates continuously, automatically analyzing logs and updating templates without interruption. This continuous automated process maintains adaptability of configurations while eliminating the periodic time loss of manual updates, creating an uninterrupted flow of configuration maintenance
4Ease of operation
If manual configuration processes are used, then ease of operation is maintained through simple procedures, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming manual processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical configuration processes with automated electronic generation and deployment. The configuration generation server automatically creates and pushes configurations to devices, substituting the slow manual process while maintaining operational simplicity through a centralized automated system that requires minimal human intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses template-based copying to efficiently deploy configurations. Once a golden template is generated or updated, it can be automatically copied and applied to multiple network devices simultaneously. This maintains the simplicity of template-based operation while dramatically increasing productivity through automated bulk deployment
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques described herein relate to automatically generating standard network device configurations. In one example, one or more groups of network device configuration blocks may be obtained. An analysis of the one or more groups of network device configuration blocks may be performed, including identifying respective frequencies associated with respective network device configuration blocks of the one or more groups of network device configuration blocks. Based on the respective frequencies, one or more network device configuration blocks of the one or more groups of network device configuration blocks may be automatically aggregated into a standard network device configuration.