PRP Network Topology Visibility via Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing PRP network management systems lack visibility into PRP network topologies and status, making it difficult to diagnose and resolve network problems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating and delivering PRP network management information, which includes detecting nodes on a PRP network, determining connections between nodes, and generating a topology view of both LANs, thereby providing visibility into PRP network topologies and status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If PRP network management is implemented without topology visibility, then basic network operation is maintained, but network problem diagnosis capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network manager as an intermediary component that collects topology information from multiple PRP networks and presents unified management capabilities. This mediator resolves the contradiction by providing centralized topology visibility without requiring changes to the underlying PRP network infrastructure, enabling effective diagnosis while maintaining system independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the network manager continuously collects status information from PRP networks, processes topology data, and provides visibility back to users. This feedback loop enables real-time monitoring and diagnosis of network problems, transforming the lack of topology information into actionable insights for network management.
2Reliability
If multiple independent network infrastructures are used for PRP redundancy, then high availability is achieved, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network manager is designed as a universal management platform that can handle multiple PRP networks with different topologies and configurations through a single interface. This multi-functional approach reduces the operational complexity of managing multiple independent infrastructures while maintaining the reliability benefits of PRP redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the management of multiple independent PRP networks into a unified management framework. By combining topology collection, status monitoring, and problem diagnosis capabilities into a single network manager, the system reduces the effective complexity experienced by users while preserving the underlying redundant infrastructure for high availability.
3Loss of information
If comprehensive topology monitoring is implemented, then network visibility is improved, but system resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network manager extracts only the essential topology information needed for effective monitoring and diagnosis, rather than collecting and processing all possible network data. This selective extraction approach provides sufficient network visibility for problem diagnosis while minimizing the resource consumption associated with comprehensive monitoring of all network parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for generating a topology view of an industrial parallel redundancy protocol (PRP) network includes: detecting, by one or more processors, a plurality of nodes on the PRP network; determining, by the one or more processors, a first set of the plurality of nodes that connects to a first local area network (LAN); determining, by the one or more processors, a second set of the plurality of nodes that connects to a second LAN; determining, by the one or more processors, connections between the plurality of nodes; and generating, by the one or more processors, the topology view of the PRP network comprising a topology view of the first LAN and the second LAN according to the determined connections.