Interactive Network Interface for Intent-Based Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current enterprise network deployment and management are complex and time-consuming, requiring extensive configuration and administration by skilled engineers, and struggle to integrate wired and wireless devices, manage BYOD and IoT devices, and secure networks effectively, hindering rapid innovation and adoption of new technologies.
Innovation Solution
An intent-based networking approach that provides a user-friendly interface to explore and manage networks interactively, automating configuration and policy changes, applying security permissions, and ensuring secure and optimal performance by translating user intents into network actions across a heterogeneous environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration and administration by skilled network engineers is used, then network security and control are improved, but deployment time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network devices perform self-configuration and self-provisioning automatically. When a new device joins the network, it autonomously discovers available services, configures itself, and integrates without requiring manual engineer intervention, thus maintaining security through automated policy enforcement while eliminating deployment time delays
Solution Approach 2:
An automated provisioning system acts as an intermediary between network engineers and network devices. The system translates high-level security policies into detailed device configurations automatically, maintaining security requirements while eliminating manual configuration steps that consume time
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate systems are used for directory services, authentication, wireless control, and device management, then functional capabilities are improved, but system complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple previously separate systems (directory services, authentication, wireless control, device management) are merged into a unified automated provisioning platform. This single system maintains all functional capabilities while automatically managing interactions between components, eliminating the complexity of manual integration between separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The automated provisioning system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it manages directory services, handles authentication, controls wireless networks, and provisions devices. This multi-functional approach maintains diverse capabilities while presenting a single integrated interface that reduces overall system complexity
3Ease of operation
If traditional network management interfaces are used, then detailed control is improved, but ease of operation and user-friendliness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The complex detailed control functions are extracted from the user interface and handled automatically by the provisioning system. Users interact with simple, intuitive interfaces that require minimal input, while the system automatically performs complex configuration tasks in the background, thus improving ease of operation without sacrificing control capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
The technology provides for providing an interactive user interface to explore a complete network, see relationships with various aspects of the network, and drill down to details in an instinctive manner. In some embodiments, network component data is received that identifies metrics associated with network components. A graphical user interface made up of representations of network components of a network is presented, where the network components are selectable. Relevant network components are displayed at varying network scales by receiving an input selecting a first representation of a first network component at a first network level. Based on a network component relationship between the first representation of the first network component and a second relationship of a second network component, second network component data is received that identifies one or more metrics associated with the second network component. The second network component is at a second network level. The one or more metrics associated with the second network component are presented within a context of the second network level.