Redundant Network Operations Gateways for Configuration Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional datacenter management systems face challenges such as network unavailability, single points of failure, and security vulnerabilities, particularly in offsite implementations, which can lead to business disruptions and financial losses.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for managing computing infrastructure using multiple Network Operations Gateway (NOG) modules and a synchronization module to ensure consistent configuration across on-premise networks, utilizing tag-based approaches and predefined rules for automated synchronization and management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single Network Operations Gateway (NOG) is used for managing computing infrastructure, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but network reliability deteriorates due to single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single NOG into multiple NOG instances (first NOG and second NOG), each managing specific network devices. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure while distributing the management workload across multiple independent instances, thereby improving network reliability without overwhelming complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Each NOG instance is configured with specific local characteristics - the first NOG manages certain network devices while the second NOG manages others. This local quality approach allows each instance to be optimized for its specific role while maintaining overall system reliability through redundancy.
2Reliability
If multiple Network Operations Gateway modules are deployed to improve reliability, then network availability is enhanced, but configuration consistency becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization module continuously monitors and compares configurations across multiple NOG instances, detecting discrepancies and automatically correcting them. This feedback mechanism ensures configuration consistency is maintained across all instances without requiring manual intervention, thereby preserving reliability while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates synchronized copies of configuration data across multiple NOG instances. The synchronization module ensures that each instance maintains an identical copy of the network configuration, allowing any instance to serve as a backup while maintaining consistency through automated synchronization.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a single NOG instance is used, then security risk concentration is minimized, but the NOG becomes an attractive target for cyber-attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the security function across multiple NOG instances, so that a compromise of one instance does not necessarily compromise the entire system. This segmentation reduces the attack surface for any single instance while maintaining overall security posture.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization module and redundant instance architecture provide a cushion against security failures. If one instance is compromised, the synchronized copies and alternative instances provide a protective buffer, allowing the system to maintain operation and recover without complete failure.
4Productivity
If manual configuration management is used across multiple NOG instances, then automation level is reduced and control is simplified, but time consumption and human error increase
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization module provides self-service functionality by automatically detecting, comparing, and correcting configuration discrepancies between NOG instances without human intervention. This automation accelerates configuration deployment while reducing errors, as the system autonomously maintains consistency across instances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary synchronization of configurations before deploying changes to multiple instances. This preliminary action ensures that all instances are properly prepared and consistent before operational deployment, reducing the need for corrective manual intervention and accelerating overall productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for managing configurations of a computing infrastructure involves accessing instructions that provision Network Operations Gateways with network devices and a synchronization module to reconcile their configurations. The synchronization module uses tags associated with objects in the network and sets of rules to detect and create Virtual Service Networks, replicating endpoints between gateways through data synchronization.