Network Switch Device Identification Bandwidth Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network technologies face inefficiencies in enforcing access policies based on device information, particularly when dealing with a large number of devices, as they often require forwarding extensive network communications to fingerprinting servers for device identification, which consumes significant bandwidth.

Innovation Solution

A network switch method that actively collects and queries device information, sending only necessary data to a fingerprinting server, thereby reducing bandwidth usage and efficiently identifying device properties to apply appropriate policies, such as configuring ports and managing traffic based on device types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If extensive network communications are forwarded to fingerprinting servers for device identification, then device identification accuracy is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice identification accuracyVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential device information needed for identification from the network communications, rather than forwarding extensive communications. The network switch actively collects specific device attributes and sends only this distilled information to the fingerprinting server, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining identification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The identification process is segmented into two stages: first, the network switch actively collects and pre-processes device information locally; second, only the processed information is sent to the fingerprinting server. This segmentation reduces the data transmission load while preserving the necessary identification capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of energy

If device information is actively collected and queried at the network switch, then bandwidth consumption is reduced, but device identification speed may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth consumptionVSAvoiddevice identification speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The network switch performs preliminary action by actively collecting device information and pre-processing it locally before sending to the fingerprinting server. This advance preparation reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted and processed remotely, thereby maintaining identification speed while reducing bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of energy

If network switch actively collects device information, then bandwidth usage is minimized, but device complexity of the network switch increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth usageVSAvoidnetwork switch complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network switch performs self-service by actively collecting and pre-processing device information locally using its own resources and capabilities. This eliminates the need for extensive data forwarding to external servers, reducing bandwidth usage while the complexity is contained within the switch itself rather than requiring complex external infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3522487B1Determining a device property
Publication Date: 2021.08.04 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEV LP
  • EP3522487B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3522487B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3522487B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An example method comprising detecting that an unidentified client device joins a network, retrieving information related to a device property of the unidentified client device from network traffic to and/or from the unidentified client device, sending a query based on the information to a fingerprinting server, and receiving the device property of the unidentified client device in response to the query.