Network Management System for Virtual Topology Mapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current network management and mapping software struggle to accurately depict complex virtualized networks with overlapping IP address spaces and multiple logical connections, leading to incomplete or inaccurate visualizations of network structures, which hinders IT personnel's ability to diagnose issues and manage network performance.
Innovation Solution
A network management system that uses a processor to query network devices, determine both physical and virtual network maps, establish connections, and perform correlation processing on communications data to create detailed and dynamic visualizations of network structures, including virtual routing instances and their relationships, allowing for accurate representation of both physical and logical network layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If network management software queries network devices using traditional protocols (SNMP, CLI) to collect physical connectivity information, then it can obtain device status and physical topology data, but it cannot produce a logical hierarchy of distinct logical views with overlapping IP address space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network mapping process into multiple independent query approaches: management plane queries (SNMP, CLI) for physical topology, and data plane queries (port mirroring, packet capture) for logical topology. Each approach handles a specific aspect of network visualization, allowing both physical and logical views to coexist without interference, thereby enabling accurate representation of networks with overlapping IP address spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary correlation engine that receives data from multiple independent query sources (management plane and data plane) and correlates them to produce a unified network map. This intermediary component reconciles discrepancies between physical and logical views, enabling accurate visualization of virtualized networks with overlapping IP address spaces by matching logical connections to their physical counterparts
2Adaptability or versatility
If network mapping software sends inquiries throughout the network to determine network structure, then it can provide a logical view of the network, but it cannot create multiple logical levels or handle overlapping IP addressing space between multiple logical levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two previously separate mapping approaches into a single unified system: management plane-based physical topology discovery and data plane-based logical topology discovery. By combining these approaches and correlating their results, the system achieves both comprehensive logical view capability and high mapping accuracy, including the ability to handle multiple logical levels with overlapping IP address spaces
3Reliability
If IT personnel sequentially attempt diagnostic methods to identify root cause of network failures, then they can diagnose problems, but the process is lengthy and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by continuously and automatically discovering and mapping the network topology before failures occur. The system maintains an up-to-date correlation between physical and logical network views, so when a failure occurs, IT personnel can immediately query the pre-established map to identify the root cause, eliminating the need for sequential diagnostic attempts and reducing diagnosis time significantly
Data Source
AI summary
A network management system is for a network having network devices. The network management system includes a display, a memory, and a processor coupled to the display and memory and configured to send queries to the network devices, obtain responses from the network devices based upon the queries, and determine a physical network map for the network devices based upon the responses. The processor is also configured to establish connections with some of the network devices, determine a virtual network map for the network devices based upon the responses and the established connections, store mapping data related to the determined physical network map and virtual network map in the memory, and display an image on the display related to the stored mapping data.