Network Infrastructure Synchronization Using Delta Configuration Parsing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network management systems face challenges in performing near real-time updates with minimal resource consumption due to the need for complete configuration file parsing, which is time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially in complex network infrastructures with numerous devices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes syslog information to analyze configuration changes, generates checksums, and creates delta configuration files to identify added, deleted, and modified objects, enabling near real-time synchronization with minimal resource consumption by parsing only the delta configuration files.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complete configuration file parsing is performed to keep the orchestrator up-to-date, then synchronization completeness is improved, but time consumption and resource utilization increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the changed portions (delta configurations) from the complete configuration files using checksum comparison. Instead of parsing entire configuration files, the system identifies and processes only the specific objects that have changed (added, deleted, or modified), thereby maintaining synchronization completeness while dramatically reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration file parsing process is segmented into identifying only the changed portions. The system divides the configuration management task into: (1) downloading complete configuration files, (2) generating checksums to identify changes, and (3) parsing only the delta configurations. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability while reducing time consumption.
2Loss of time
If distributed parsing of configuration files is implemented to reduce parsing time, then time consumption decreases, but resource consumption at orchestrator and network infrastructure devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary delta configuration data that needs to be parsed, rather than distributing the parsing of entire configuration files. By using checksum comparison to identify changes first, the system minimizes the amount of data that requires distributed parsing processing, thereby reducing both time consumption and resource consumption simultaneously.
3Use of energy by moving object
If periodic synchronization with longer duration is used to manage huge number of network infrastructure devices, then resource consumption decreases, but synchronization timeliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and processes only the changed configuration portions (deltas) rather than performing complete configuration parsing during periodic synchronization. This approach allows for more frequent synchronization intervals because each synchronization cycle processes minimal delta data, thereby improving synchronization timeliness while keeping resource consumption low.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary checksum comparison to identify changes before initiating the parsing process. This preliminary action filters out unchanged configurations, allowing the system to prepare for more frequent synchronization cycles by pre-identifying what needs to be updated, thus improving synchronization timeliness without proportionally increasing resource consumption.
4Measurement precision
If complete configuration file download and parsing is performed for every synchronization, then configuration accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the delta configurations that contain actual changes using checksum comparison. By downloading and parsing only the changed portions rather than complete configuration files, the system maintains configuration accuracy (all changes are captured) while dramatically improving synchronization efficiency and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization process is segmented into: (1) downloading complete configuration files, (2) generating checksums to identify changed portions, and (3) parsing only the delta configurations. This segmentation maintains configuration accuracy by ensuring all changes are identified through checksum comparison while improving productivity by reducing the parsing workload to only necessary portions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for performing near real-time network infrastructure sync using configuration differences is provided. The present invention helps to make the orchestrator in sync with the network infrastructure without much time or resource consumption. A configuration diff is generated to understand the delta between the two configuration files available at different points of time at the object level, and a list of added, deleted and updated objects is derived. Based on the configuration diff, the changes including Addition, Deletion or Modification of new network components are handled facilitating the reduction of load on the database for making the orchestrator up-to-date with the network infrastructure.