Prioritizing Network Device Configuration by Site Usage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network management systems face inefficiencies in configuring network devices across multiple sites, leading to delayed deployments and resource wastage, as they apply configuration changes uniformly across all sites without considering site-level usage of software applications.

Innovation Solution

A controller device determines site-level usage of software applications and prioritizes configuration data application based on a priority index, configuring network devices in an ordered list to optimize deployment efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If configuration changes are applied uniformly across all sites, then all sites receive the same configuration treatment, but deployment time increases and resource wastage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeployment efficiencyVSAvoiddeployment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating configuration deployment based on site-level application usage characteristics. High-usage sites receive priority configuration application while low-usage sites receive deferred deployment, optimizing resource allocation according to actual site needs rather than uniform treatment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of site-level application usage before configuration deployment. By pre-categorizing sites into high-usage and low-usage groups based on historical data, the system prepares deployment priorities in advance, enabling faster execution without real-time decision delays

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If configuration changes are applied to all sites simultaneously, then deployment completeness is achieved, but resource utilization increases unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeployment completenessVSAvoidresource utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by allocating different configuration deployment schedules to different site categories. High-usage sites receive immediate configuration application while low-usage sites receive deferred deployment, reducing overall resource consumption while ensuring eventual complete deployment across all sites

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by initially deploying configurations only to high-usage sites rather than all sites simultaneously. This partial deployment approach reduces resource utilization while maintaining deployment completeness over time through subsequent deployment to low-usage sites

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3860046B1Prioritizing policy intent enforcement on network devices
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 JUNIPER NETWORKS INC
  • EP3860046B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3860046B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3860046B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A controller device manages a plurality of network devices arranged at a plurality of sites. The controller device includes one or more processing units configured to determine a stateful intent for managing a software application at the plurality of network devices and represented by a graph model and translate the stateful intent into low-level configuration data. The one or more processing units are further configured to determine, for each site, a priority index based on a site-level usage of the software application, determine, an ordered list of the plurality of sites based on the priority index for each respective site, and configure, for each respective site, and in an order specified by the ordered list of the plurality of sites, one or more network devices of the plurality of network devices that are arranged at the respective site according to the low-level configuration data.