Template Mapping for Non-Compliant Network Collectors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Non-compliant collectors in network systems, due to bandwidth and processing limitations, often discard template records, leading to erroneous decoding and interpretation of data records as they may not receive updates in template IDs, resulting in incorrect processing of flow-related events.

Innovation Solution

A template mapping system that uses a special data record with a predetermined template ID to dynamically generate a map associating current template IDs with corresponding template information, enabling correct decoding and interpretation of data records even when template records are not received.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If template records are discarded to reduce bandwidth and processing load, then resource consumption is reduced, but decoding accuracy deteriorates due to missing template ID updates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing throughputVSAvoiddecoding accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (template ID notification system) that separates template ID updates from full template records. Instead of transmitting complete template records, the system uses compact notifications containing only template ID changes, acting as a mediator between the template manager and collectors to maintain decoding accuracy while reducing bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified copy of the template record structure that contains only the essential template ID information needed for decoding. This copy mechanism allows collectors to receive updated template IDs without processing full template records, thereby maintaining decoding accuracy while significantly reducing processing load and bandwidth usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Loss of energy

If template records are discarded to save bandwidth, then bandwidth consumption is reduced, but template ID updates are lost leading to incorrect processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth consumptionVSAvoidprocessing correctness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the critical template ID information from the complete template records. By separating template ID updates from full template content, the system transmits only the necessary updates through notification records, reducing bandwidth consumption while ensuring that template ID changes are reliably communicated to maintain processing correctness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a preliminary notification mechanism where template ID updates are communicated to collectors before they are needed for decoding operations. This advance notification ensures that collectors have the current template IDs available, maintaining processing correctness while using minimal bandwidth compared to transmitting full template records.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If full template records are transmitted to ensure accurate decoding, then decoding accuracy is maintained, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding accuracyVSAvoidprocessing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the template record transmission into two distinct parts: compact notification records containing template ID updates and full template records containing complete template information. This segmentation allows the system to transmit only notification records for routine updates, significantly reducing processing overhead while maintaining decoding accuracy through the use of template ID mappings stored locally at collectors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9996560B1Template mapping system for non-compliant collectors
Publication Date: 2018.06.12 JUNIPER NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A system may include one or more devices to receive a flow record. The one or more devices may identify a type of the flow record. The one or more devices may parse the flow record for a template identifier (ID) if the type of the flow record is a data record. The one or more devices may further compare the template ID from the data record to a predetermined template ID identifying a data record of template IDs. The one or more devices may identify the data record as a data record of template IDs if the template ID matches the predetermined template ID. The one or more devices may further generate a map associating template IDs, from the data record of template IDs, to template information for decoding and/or interpreting data records. The one or more devices may store the map.