Live Network Workload Capture and Replay for Secure Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Recreating a live network environment for performance testing is hindered by the need for deep site knowledge, high costs of duplicating equipment, and security concerns, with existing methods failing to accurately and securely capture real-time workloads using multiple communication protocols.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for transparently capturing workloads at a live network using port mirroring and anonymizing data, allowing for replay at a test network without the need for identical equipment, while maintaining data security through hashing algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a live network environment is replicated at a separate test network, then performance testing can be conducted offline, but the cost of purchasing identical test equipment exceeds budget
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the operational state of live network equipment and creates a digital replica that can be replayed on different hardware. Instead of physically copying expensive equipment, the system captures workload characteristics, performance metrics, and operational patterns, then replays them on cost-effective test equipment to achieve identical testing results.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms physical equipment parameters into digital representations by capturing operational parameters, performance metrics, and workload characteristics. These digital parameters can then be manipulated and replayed without requiring the original physical equipment, enabling cost-effective testing while maintaining accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If sensitive data is captured for network replication, then accurate testing can be performed, but security risks increase due to potential data exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary operational parameters and performance metrics from the live network environment, separating them from sensitive data. The capture process selectively retrieves workload characteristics, performance benchmarks, and operational patterns while excluding confidential information, achieving accurate testing without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary capture layer that acts as a buffer between the live network and the test environment. This intermediary selectively filters and transforms data during capture, ensuring that only non-sensitive operational parameters are transmitted to the test network, thereby maintaining both accuracy and security.
3Reliability
If complete network environment replication is attempted, then testing accuracy improves, but the complexity of understanding and navigating the live network environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network environment replication into distinct capture and replay components. Instead of attempting to replicate the entire complex environment at once, the system divides the process into modular stages: capturing operational parameters, storing performance metrics, and replaying workload patterns. This segmentation reduces the complexity of understanding and implementing the replication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary capture of network operational characteristics before replication is needed. By pre-capturing workload patterns, performance baselines, and operational parameters during normal network operation, the complex task of environment replication is simplified and can be executed automatically without requiring deep understanding of the live network's complexities.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and system for securely capturing workloads at a live network for replaying at a test network. The disclosed system captures file system states and workloads of a live server at the live network. In one embodiment the captured data is anonymized to protect confidentiality of the data. A file system of a test server at the test network is mirrored from a captured state of the live server. An anonymized version of the captured workloads is replayed as a request to the test server. A lost or incomplete command is recreated from the states of the live server. An order of the commands during replay can be based on an order in the captured workload, or based on a causal relationship. Performance characteristics of the live network are determined based on the response to the replayed command.