Unified Network Discovery Across Enterprise and Cloud Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Enterprises face challenges in managing and integrating cloud-based and enterprise networks due to different management interfaces and the lack of unified tools for discovering and managing devices and services across both environments.
Innovation Solution
A unified system for discovering, managing, and storing information regarding both enterprise and cloud-based network components, using a remote network management platform that integrates with enterprise and cloud-based networks to create a unified data model for device and service management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate management interfaces are used for enterprise network and cloud-based network, then each network can be managed independently with specialized tools, but it becomes difficult to manage resources in a unified fashion and increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal network management system that can manage both enterprise network devices and cloud-based network resources through a single interface. The system uses standardized data models and protocols to represent diverse resources (physical devices, virtual machines, cloud services) in a unified manner, allowing administrators to perform discovery, monitoring, and management operations across hybrid environments without needing separate specialized tools for each network type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components including agents deployed on managed devices and gateway systems that translate between proprietary cloud provider interfaces and the universal management platform. These intermediaries normalize communications from different cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and enterprise devices into a common data model, enabling unified management while preserving the ability to work with diverse underlying systems.
2Quantity of substance
If unified data model is used to store information from both enterprise and cloud-based networks, then storage requirements are reduced and information presentation is simplified, but the system must handle significant complexity in integrating different network types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data model into hierarchical layers: a core universal structure that all resources share (basic properties, relationships, status), and extended attributes specific to each resource type (physical device vs. virtual machine vs. cloud service). This segmentation allows the system to store diverse network information in a unified model without requiring separate complex structures for each resource type, reducing overall storage needs while maintaining type-specific details where necessary.
3Reliability
If separate tools are used to discover and manage devices on enterprise network, then enterprise network devices can be effectively managed, but these tools are insufficient for discovering and managing cloud-based networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic discovery mechanisms that automatically adapt to the type of resource being discovered. The system uses capability-based detection to determine whether a resource is a physical device, virtual machine, or cloud service, then applies appropriate discovery protocols and data collection methods specific to that resource type. This dynamic approach allows the same management platform to effectively discover and manage diverse resources without requiring separate static tools for each resource category.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer network discovery system may include a computing system and a database disposed within a remote network management platform. The computing system may be configured to: use account credentials related to the managed network to log onto a server device of a third party network, wherein the server device is not in the managed network; transmit instructions to initiate discovery of devices and services that are hosted by the third party network and are provided to the managed network by the third party network; receive configuration and operational information for the devices and services provided by the third party network to the managed network; store the received configuration and operational information in the database; and provide a graphical user interface representing data corresponding to the received configuration and operational information for the devices and services provided by the third party network to the managed network.