Network Performance Visualization via Multi-Attribute Graph Plotting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional network management systems require network administrators to navigate multiple views to compare statistics across multiple nodes, making it inefficient to isolate faults and determine the root cause of network issues.
Innovation Solution
A method to visualize performance characteristics of multiple network nodes in a single graphical user interface (GUI) view, using data representation such as graphs, where performance data is plotted on an X-Y axis, with data points indicating CPU utilization, memory utilization, and packet drop rates, and characterized by size and color to highlight critical issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If network administrators use traditional network management systems to view network statistics, then they can access detailed information for each node, but they must navigate between multiple views to compare statistics across nodes, increasing time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate views (topology view, network path view, and network statistics view) into a single integrated display. The graphical user interface now shows topology nodes, highlighted network paths, and performance statistics for multiple nodes simultaneously in one view, eliminating the need to navigate between separate views and enabling direct comparison of statistics across nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: displaying the network topology, highlighting the network path taken by packets, and showing performance statistics for multiple nodes all in a single integrated display. This multi-functional interface allows administrators to perform comprehensive network analysis without switching between different specialized views.
2Measurement precision
If network administrators navigate between different views to compare network statistics, then they can access detailed information, but the process becomes inefficient and delays issue resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the topology display and performance statistics display into a single integrated view. Nodes in the topology are directly annotated with their performance statistics, and when a network path is highlighted, the statistics for all nodes along that path are displayed simultaneously. This allows administrators to maintain precise measurement of network statistics while dramatically improving issue resolution speed through immediate visual comparison.
3Device complexity
If traditional network management systems display network statistics for a single node, then the interface remains simple, but administrators cannot easily correlate symptoms with root causes across multiple nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple data layers into a single coherent display: the network topology structure, the highlighted network path, and the performance statistics for nodes along that path. This integration provides correlation information between nodes by showing their relative positions in the network path and their respective statistics simultaneously, enabling administrators to identify cause-effect relationships without overwhelming interface complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface applies local quality by highlighting only the specific nodes and path segments relevant to the current analysis. When a network path is selected, only those nodes and their statistics are emphasized, while other parts of the network remain in the background. This selective emphasis provides necessary correlation information without presenting the entire network's complexity at once.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and technique for visualizing performance data over a network path are disclosed. More specifically, a network management system generates and displays an object that represents data for one or more performance characteristics related to a plurality of network nodes in the network path. In one embodiment, a graph having an x-axis and a y-axis is displayed, the x-axis being associated with two or more network nodes in the network path and the y-axis being associated with a first performance characteristic. Data corresponding to the first performance characteristic is plotted as data points corresponding to the network nodes associated with the x-axis. Data corresponding to a second performance characteristic may be represented via the size or the color of the data points. Alternatively, a characterization of the data corresponding to the first performance characteristic may be represented by the size or color of the data points.