Network Tool Version Compatibility via Data Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network tools are not forward compatible, meaning older versions cannot read data generated by newer versions, leading to functionality failures when users roll back to earlier versions, and existing solutions fail to ensure data compatibility across different tool versions.
Innovation Solution
Versioning assurance data generated by network tools, associating it with specific version states and controlling access based on version states to ensure compatibility across different tool versions, allowing only compatible versions to access and read the data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network tools are updated to newer versions, then data collection capabilities and features are improved, but compatibility with older versions deteriorates (older versions cannot read newer data)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the assurance data into version-specific records, where each record is tagged with a version identifier. This allows different versions of the network tool to read only the data records compatible with their version, preventing older tools from attempting to read incompatible newer data formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a version management mechanism that acts as an intermediary between data generators and data consumers. This intermediary tracks version information and mediates data access by ensuring that tools only access data from compatible versions, thus maintaining backward compatibility while enabling forward updates.
2Stability of the object's composition
If network tools roll back to earlier versions, then stability is improved, but data accessibility deteriorates (older versions cannot access newer data)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the assurance data into separate versioned segments, allowing rolled-back tools to access only the data segments generated by compatible versions. The version management system routes data requests to appropriate versioned data based on the tool's version, ensuring accessibility after rollbacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary version tagging and organization of data before it is stored. This preliminary action ensures that when tools roll back to earlier versions, the data is already organized and labeled in a way that makes it immediately accessible and compatible with the rolled-back version, eliminating access issues.
3Productivity
If data structure is updated for newer versions, then data functionality is improved, but compatibility with older versions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data structure into version-specific schemas, where each schema is associated with a version identifier. This allows the system to maintain multiple data structures simultaneously, each optimized for its version's functionality while remaining compatible with tools of that version.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic data access mechanism that adapts the data structure presentation based on the requesting tool's version. The system dynamically selects and presents the appropriate data schema version, allowing functional improvements in newer versions while maintaining adaptability to older versions through dynamic version selection.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for versioning data generated by a network tool to provide compatibility across different versions of the network tool. In some embodiments, a method can include generating network assurance data including network events by a first instance of a network tool (504-1) at a first specific version state. A version identifier uniquely corresponding to the first specific version state can be appended to the network assurance data (506). A query for the network assurance data can be received (502) from a second instance of the network tool (504-2) at a second specific version state. Subsequently, access to the network assurance data can be provided to the second instance of the network tool according to a version constraint for data generated by the network tool using the version identifier uniquely corresponding to the first specific version state and appended to the network assurance data.