Peer-Forwarded Diagnostics for WAN Assurance Connectivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Network devices experience issues communicating with WAN assurance systems due to performance degradation or failure, leading to unmanageability and stranding, which conventional methods fail to address effectively.

Innovation Solution

Network devices utilize peer network devices with higher connectivity reliability to forward diagnostics data to a WAN assurance system, enabling troubleshooting and remediation by selecting optimal peers based on computed scores and avoiding overutilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If network devices use primary communication paths to send telemetry data to WAN assurance system, then normal operations are maintained, but connectivity failures or performance degradation cause device stranding and loss of manageability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnectivity reliabilityVSAvoiddevice manageability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces intermediary network devices (peers) that can forward diagnostics data from failed devices to the WAN assurance system. When a device loses connectivity, its peer devices act as intermediaries to relay diagnostic information, preventing complete isolation and maintaining management capability through alternative communication paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by having devices compute and share connectivity scores in advance, establishing a database of reliable peers before failures occur. This pre-computed information enables rapid selection of appropriate peer devices when connectivity issues arise, reducing response time and maintaining manageability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If network devices forward diagnostics data through multiple peers, then troubleshooting capability is improved, but system complexity increases and congestion may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetroubleshooting capabilityVSAvoiddata forwarding complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where network devices continuously monitor connectivity quality and share this information through connectivity scores. This feedback loop enables devices to dynamically adjust their forwarding decisions, selecting optimal peers based on real-time conditions and avoiding congestion while maintaining effective troubleshooting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by using connectivity scores as a metric to determine forwarding decisions. Instead of uniform treatment of all peers, the system adjusts forwarding behavior based on computed connectivity parameters, selecting peers with higher scores and avoiding those with lower scores or congestion indicators.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If network devices continuously monitor and select optimal peers, then diagnostics delivery reliability is improved, but computational resources and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostics delivery reliabilityVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by having devices compute and update connectivity scores at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This periodic computation reduces processing overhead while still providing timely information for forwarding decisions, balancing reliability with resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses partial action by computing connectivity scores only for relevant peer devices rather than all possible devices, and by using threshold-based decision making rather than exhaustive analysis. This selective approach maintains diagnostic delivery reliability while significantly reducing computational resource requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20250330371A1Diagnostics reporting for wide area network assurance system

Publication Date: 2025.10.23 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEV LP

AI summary

Techniques are disclosed for reporting diagnostics data by a first network device to a cloud-based Wide Area Network (WAN) assurance system, responsive to the first network device detecting a communication issue with the cloud-based WAN assurance system. For example, the first network device detects an issue with sending telemetry data to the cloud-based WAN assurance system via a first communication path. In response, the first network device determines a second network device that has connectivity to the WAN assurance system. The first network device sends diagnostics data to the second network device along a second communication path for forwarding to the cloud-based WAN assurance system. The cloud-based WAN assurance system receives the diagnostics data from the second network device. The cloud-based WAN assurance system controls the second network device to remediate the first network device based on the diagnostics data.