Network Device Configuration Template Clustering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network device configuration checks require storing a standard configuration for each device, leading to significant storage resource consumption and inefficient matching processes.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a computing device that generates a command template set from configuration commands of multiple network devices, creates a correlation matrix, clusters devices into categories, performs singular value decomposition, and uses a command template with a high contribution as a standard configuration template for each category, reducing storage needs and improving matching efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a standard configuration is stored for each network device, then configuration check accuracy is improved, but storage resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration check accuracyVSAvoidstorage resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual device configurations into a single standardized configuration template that represents common characteristics across multiple devices. By clustering devices with similar configurations and creating a unified template for each cluster, the system reduces storage requirements while maintaining configuration check accuracy for all devices in that cluster.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized configuration template serves as a universal reference that can be applied to multiple network devices within the same cluster. Instead of storing device-specific configurations, a single template performs the configuration check function for all clustered devices, achieving multi-functionality and reducing storage consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If individual standard configurations are maintained for each device, then configuration specificity is improved, but matching process efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration specificityVSAvoidmatching process efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments network devices into distinct clusters based on configuration similarities, and creates a standardized template for each cluster. This segmentation allows the system to maintain configuration specificity for different device types while improving matching efficiency by comparing against fewer cluster-level templates rather than individual device configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of configuration representation from device-specific detailed configurations to cluster-level standardized templates. This parameter change maintains the essential configuration characteristics needed for accurate matching while reducing the complexity and number of comparisons required, thereby improving processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3637686B1Method for acquiring standard configuration template of network device, and computation device
Publication Date: 2023.04.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3637686B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3637686B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3637686B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A method for obtaining a standard configuration template of a network device and a computing device are provided. In the method for obtaining a standard configuration template of a network device, a computing device obtains configuration commands of a plurality of network devices, and generates a command template set including a plurality of different command templates; generates a correlation matrix based on the command template set, clusters the plurality of network devices based on the correlation matrix to obtain at least two categories of network devices, and divides the correlation matrix into a plurality of submatrixes based on a clustering result; and performs singular value decomposition on each submatrix to obtain a non-zero singular value, and uses, as a standard configuration template of a corresponding category, a command template that is in the command template set and that makes a contribution greater than a threshold to the non-zero singular value. According to the solutions provided in this application, there is no need to store a standard configuration for each network device, and storage resource usage can be reduced.