Network Digital Twin Sandbox for Safe Configuration Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Validating configuration changes in complex computer networks is challenging due to their intricate scale and interdependencies, making it difficult to ensure disruption-free deployments.
Innovation Solution
Creating a virtual replica of the network, known as a digital twin, which includes device digital twins mirroring physical network devices, allowing for configuration changes to be validated in a sandbox environment before deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If configuration changes are validated directly in the production network, then deployment speed is improved, but network reliability deteriorates due to risk of disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital twin (virtual copy) of the production network that includes virtual replicas of network devices, topologies, and configurations. Configuration changes are first validated in this copied environment before being deployed to the actual production network, allowing rapid testing without risking production network reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The digital twin serves as an intermediary between the configuration change proposal and the production network. It acts as a sandbox environment where changes can be tested and validated, mediating between development and production to ensure safety while maintaining deployment efficiency.
2Reliability
If a virtual replica of the network is created for validation, then network reliability is improved by reducing disruption risk, but device complexity increases due to additional virtualization infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical network hardware with virtualized representations in the digital twin. Instead of requiring physical sandbox networks with actual devices, it uses software-based virtual replicas that consume minimal physical resources while providing identical validation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The digital twin platform serves multiple functions: it validates configuration changes, tests network policies, simulates failure scenarios, and provides a training environment. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering diverse value from a single virtualization infrastructure.
3Measurement precision
If configuration changes are tested in production network, then measurement precision of network behavior is improved, but loss of time increases due to rollback requirements when failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary validation of configuration changes in the digital twin environment before actual deployment. By testing changes beforehand in a realistic but safe virtual environment, it identifies potential issues and validates expected behaviors, preventing failures that would require time-consuming rollbacks in production.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product aspects for generating a virtual replica of a physical network. An aspect operates by receiving, from a network management system (NMS), a request to generate a network digital twin (network-DT) instance corresponding to a physical network that includes a plurality of physical network devices, where the request includes link connectivity information corresponding to the physical network and a respective plurality of device characteristics corresponding to each of the plurality of physical network devices. A plurality of device digital twin (device-DT) instances are generated, each corresponding to a respective physical network device of the plurality of physical network devices, where each device-DT instance of the plurality of device-DT instances is generated based on the respective plurality of device characteristics corresponding to the respective physical network device. The network-DT instance is generated based on the plurality of device-DT instances and the link connectivity information.