Network configuration in view of service level considerations

• US 10,075,347 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Jain, Navendu
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Chirag R
• Application Number:
  US15/387,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20170104640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0622 based on time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/064 involving time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0661 by reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0826 for reduction of network costs H04L41/0833 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5012 determining service availability, e.g. which services are available at a certain point in time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5016 based on statistics of service availability, e.g. in percentage or over a given time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

The described implementations relate to computer networking. One implementation is a method performed using one or more computing devices. The method can include obtaining first performance data reflecting performance by first networking components of a first classification and, based at least on the first performance data, determining a first expected service level of a first redundant configuration of the first networking components. The method can also include obtaining second performance data reflecting performance by second networking components of a second classification, and, based at least on the second performance data, determining a second expected service level of a second redundant configuration of the second networking components. The method can also include providing an evaluation of the first redundant configuration and the second redundant configuration based at least on first expected service level and the second expected service level, and configuring network traffic based at least on the evaluation.

Claims

1. A method performed using one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

obtaining first performance data reflecting performance by first networking components of a first classification;

based at least on the first performance data, determining a first expected service level of a first redundant configuration of the first networking components, the first expected service level reflecting the extent to which failures by individual first networking components in the first redundant configuration are correlated;

obtaining second performance data reflecting performance by second networking components of a second classification;

based at least on the second performance data, determining a second expected service level of a second redundant configuration of the second networking components, the second expected service level reflecting the extent to which failures by individual second networking components in the second redundant configuration are correlated;

providing an evaluation of the first redundant configuration and the second redundant configuration, the evaluation being based at least on first expected service level and the second expected service level; and

configuring network traffic based at least on the evaluation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the network traffic comprises adding the first redundant configuration to a network stamp of an application.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a specified service level constraint for a network stamp of an application; and

determining whether the network stamp of the application is expected to meet the specified service level constraint when the network stamp incorporates the first redundant configuration,

the evaluation indicating whether the network stamp having the first redundant configuration is expected to meet the specified service level constraint.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in an instance when the evaluation indicates that the network stamp having the first redundant configuration is expected to meet the specified service level constraint, configuring the network stamp to include the first redundant configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a specified service level constraint for a group of networking components that carry network traffic; and

determining whether the group of networking components is expected to meet the specified service level constraint when the group of networking components incorporates the first redundant configuration,

the evaluation indicating whether the group of networking components having the first redundant configuration is expected to meet the specified service level constraint.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

in an instance when the evaluation indicates that the group of networking components having the first redundant configuration is expected to meet the specified service level constraint, configuring the group of networking components to include the first redundant configuration.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a specified constraint on a service level provided by a group of networking elements that carry traffic for an application;

identifying different possible redundant configurations of different networking elements for incorporation into the group of networking elements;

computing correlations between failures of individual networking elements in the different possible redundant configurations;

evaluating different expected service levels provided by the different possible redundant configurations in view of the computed correlations;

based at least on the evaluating, identifying a selected redundant configuration of networking elements that has a corresponding expected service level that meets the specified constraint; and

configuring network traffic based at least on the selected redundant configuration.

8. The method of claim 7, the selected redundant configuration including a redundant group of two or more networking elements that share a functional type.

9. The method of claim 8, the configuring comprising:

adding the redundant group to the group of networking elements that carry traffic for the application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the redundant group is in an active-active relationship.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the redundant group is in an active-standby relationship.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the specified constraint is a reliability constraint.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the specified constraint is a specified availability level for the group of networking elements that carry the networking traffic for the application.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

one or more computer-readable storage devices comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to;

obtain evaluations of a plurality of possible redundant configurations of different networking components for incorporation into a group of networking components, the evaluations reflecting the extent to which failures of individual networking components are correlated when deployed in individual redundant configurations;

based at least on the evaluations, identify a selected redundant configuration of networking components for incorporation into the group of networking components, the selected redundant configuration including a redundant arrangement of two or more networking components; and

configure the group of networking components using the selected redundant configuration.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to:

obtain a specified service level constraint for the group of networking components;

evaluate the plurality of possible redundant configurations relative to the specified service level constraint; and

identify the selected redundant configuration from the plurality of possible redundant configurations responsive to a determination that the group of networking components having the selected redundant configuration is expected to meet the specified service level constraint.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the group of networking components comprises a multi-layer hierarchy and the selected redundant configuration incorporates the redundant arrangement into a specific layer of the multi-layer hierarchy.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to:

evaluate the plurality of possible redundant configurations based at least on correlations between failures at different levels of the multi-layer hierarchy.

18. The system of claim 17, the selected redundant configuration including a routing component that performs routing functionality.

19. The system of claim 17, the redundant arrangement performing routing functionality.

20. The system of claim 14, the selected redundant configuration including a switching component that performs switching functionality.