SD-WAN User Behavior Grouping for Dynamic Bandwidth Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user-aware policies in SD-WANs are static and do not account for dynamic user behavior, leading to bandwidth hogging by individual users, which negatively impacts the application experience of other users within the group, causing delays and poor network quality.

Innovation Solution

Implement a system that dynamically assigns users to behavior groups based on real-time monitoring of flow data, using machine learning models to adjust policies and enforce user behavior-aware routing, incorporating application, identity, and behavior-aware policies to provide finer granularity and prevent bandwidth hogging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If static user-aware policies are implemented in SD-WAN, then user groups can be assigned bandwidth allocations, but individual users within groups can hog bandwidth and negatively impact other users' application experience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser-aware policy capabilityVSAvoidapplication experience quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments user groups into multiple behavior-based sub-groups (e.g., compliant users, non-compliant users, high-bandwidth users, low-bandwidth users) based on real-time monitoring of user behavior patterns. This segmentation allows the system to apply different policies to different subsets of users within the same identity group, preventing bandwidth hogging while maintaining overall user-aware policy functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic behavior groups that can change over time based on real-time user behavior monitoring. Users can transition between behavior groups as their usage patterns change, allowing the system to adaptively respond to bandwidth hogging behavior while maintaining fair resource allocation for all users within identity groups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If bandwidth is allocated to user groups, then group-level resource management is achieved, but individual user behavior cannot be controlled leading to bandwidth abuse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidbandwidth hogging behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous feedback loops where the SD-WAN controller monitors user behavior in real-time, analyzes behavior patterns, and dynamically adjusts policy enforcement based on observed behavior. This feedback mechanism enables the system to identify and respond to bandwidth hogging behavior while maintaining efficient network resource utilization for compliant users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of policy enforcement from static group-level allocation to dynamic behavior-level allocation. By introducing behavior groups as an additional classification dimension, the system can adjust bandwidth allocation and policy enforcement based on real-time user behavior parameters rather than fixed identity group assignments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If dynamic behavior monitoring is implemented, then user behavior-aware routing can be achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedynamic policy adjustment capabilityVSAvoidpolicy management system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal behavior monitoring and classification framework that can be applied across multiple identity groups and user types. The same behavior analysis mechanisms and policy enforcement procedures are reused throughout the system, reducing overall complexity despite the dynamic nature of the solution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12526193B2Providing dynamic user-behavior-aware policies in software defined wide area networks

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

This disclosure describes techniques and mechanisms for enabling and enforcing user behavior aware policies within an enterprise network. The techniques include receiving flow data and learning network traffic patterns and user behavior patterns of user(s) of the network. The techniques map user(s) to behavior group(s) based on forecast(s) and historical data of network conditions and/or user behavior patterns. The techniques monitor the flow data and dynamically re-map user(s) to new behavior group(s) based on real-time user behavior and/or real-time network conditions. Mapping(s) and/or updated mapping(s) and user behavior aware policies may be sent to edge device(s) for enforcement. The edge device(s) may dynamically prioritize a link, de-prioritize a link, block traffic, drop traffic etc. for user(s). The techniques may extend application aware and user aware routing policies to account for dynamic user behavior and network conditions, provide improved application experience and network utilization.