Software Network Probes for Layer 4 Fault Alert Enrichment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network management systems fail to handle a comprehensive suite of fault management modalities, leading to incomplete information presentation and prolonged fault resolution in network devices, particularly at the transport layer.
Innovation Solution
Implementing software-based network probes that receive, parse, and enrich alerts from layer 4 devices across disparate networks, normalizing and consolidating data in a standardized format for display in a fault management system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional network management systems use only passive monitoring or simple active polling, then the system complexity is low, but the fault management capability is incomplete and information is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple monitoring modalities (passive monitoring, active polling, pinging, and software-based probing) into a unified network management system. The software probe integrates various collection techniques and merges them with enrichment systems that add device, network, and fault information, creating a comprehensive monitoring approach that overcomes the limitations of individual methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The software-based network probe is designed as a multi-functional tool that performs diverse monitoring tasks including passive monitoring, active polling, pinging, and software probing. It can monitor multiple network devices across different layers (particularly transport layer devices) and provides universal fault management capabilities that conventional single-purpose tools cannot achieve.
2Productivity
If conventional systems do not normalize and enrich alerts, then the processing overhead is low, but the information presented to users is incomplete and requires further gathering
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary normalization and enrichment of alerts automatically as they are collected. The software probe pre-processes raw alert data by normalizing it to a standard format and enriching it with additional device, network, and fault information before presenting it to users. This preliminary action eliminates the need for technicians to perform additional information gathering during fault resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary enrichment system that acts as a mediator between raw alert sources and end users. This intermediary component automatically adds contextual information (device details, network topology, fault history) to raw alerts, transforming incomplete notifications into comprehensive diagnostic data that accelerates fault resolution without requiring manual information gathering.
3Loss of information
If software-based network probes are implemented with comprehensive monitoring capabilities, then fault management information completeness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex monitoring system into distinct modular components: software probes for data collection, normalization engines for standardizing data, enrichment systems for adding contextual information, and presentation layers for displaying results. Each component has a specific function, allowing the system to achieve comprehensive monitoring capabilities while managing complexity through modular architecture. This segmentation enables independent development, deployment, and maintenance of each module.
Data Source
AI summary
Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing software-based network probes for monitoring network devices for fault management. In various embodiments, a computing system may receive, from at least one software-based network probe, a first alert associated with a first device among layer 4 devices disposed in a plurality of networks; may parse and store first alert data from the received first alert in a database, in a standardized format; may perform, using an enrichment system, enrichment of the first alert data, by retrieving first enrichment data from one or more second databases and adding the first enrichment data to the parsed and formatted first alert data in the first database to form first consolidated alert data; and may send the first consolidated alert data to a fault management system for display to a user to facilitate addressing of the first alert by the user.