Method and system for visualizing and analyzing a field area network

• US 10,097,417 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perspecta Labs Inc. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vencore Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Pietrowicz, Stanley, Youzwak, Jason, Haluska, John, Bromberger, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASTANEYRA, RICARDO H
• Application Number:
  US14/163,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20140204799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 370255, 370254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A method for visualizing and analyzing a field area network, which includes obtaining, network, traffic data that includes atomic communications and packet detail from a packet intercept system on a field area. This field area network includes a number of network nodes. The method also includes a processor extracting connectivity and routing information from the traffic data, where the connectivity and routing information includes packet information and node information, determining network characteristics based on the extracted connectivity and routing information, retaining the network characteristics in a data structure, and importing the data structure into a computer readable storage medium that is accessible to the processor.

Claims

1. A method for visualizing and analyzing a field area network, the method comprising:

backhauling by a packet intercept system on a field area network, to at least one additional network, a traffic data stream intercepted by the packet intercept system from the field area network,

wherein the field area network comprises an adhoc self-forming network comprised of a plurality of network nodes,

wherein the packet intercept system is comprised of a plurality of probes in the field area network,

wherein the at least one additional network is distinct from the field area network, and

wherein the traffic data stream comprises at least one of;

individual packets, packet detail or metadata generated by at least one probe of the plurality of probes, based on processing at least one intercepted packet from the field area network;

extracting, by a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one additional network, connectivity and routing information from the traffic data, wherein the connectivity and routing information comprises packet information and node information;

determining, by the processor, network characteristics based on the extracted connectivity and routing information;

retaining, by the processor, the network characteristics in a data structure;

importing, by the processor, the data structure into a non-transitory computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor;

obtaining, by the processor, a portion of the data structure from the non-transitory computer readable storage medium and generating, by the processor, a visual representation of the field area network viewable on a client communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the visual representation comprises historical views of data routing through the field area network and predictive views of future routing of the data through the field area network, and wherein generating the visual representation comprises;

constructing, by the processor, a predictive access point routing map, based on continuously examining packets in the intercepted traffic data stream comprising source routing information and next hop information, wherein the predictive access point routing map automatically depicts future routes from one or more network node to an access point on the adhoc self-forming network, the constructing further comprising;

identifying, by the processor, a change in a next hop information sequence for a given network node of the plurality of network nodes in the field area network, wherein the change in the next hop information sequence in based on a new source route;

determining, by the processor, which additional nodes of the plurality of network nodes of the field area network are affected by the change in the next hop information sequence, wherein the affected nodes are behind the given network node in the field area network;

estimating, by the processor, the future routes for each of the affected nodes to the access point, based on the change in next hop information at the given network node; and

depicting, by the processor, the predictive access routing map, wherein the predictive access routing map reflects the future routes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of probes intercept one of:

a pre-determined percentage of network traffic by sampling channels in the field area network over a time interval, or all network traffic by sampling channels in the field area network over a time interval.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of probes comprise one or more of:

a probe with a fixed location, a mobile probe.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic data from the packet intercept system comprises a physical frame, a link layer, a mesh routing layer, a packet encapsulation layer, and an application layer, and wherein the extracting comprises extracting connectivity and routing information from at least one of the group consisting of:

the physical frame, the link layer, the mesh routing layer, the packet encapsulation layer, and the application layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the backhauling comprises sampling channels over time without performing a full band capture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the data structure obtained for generating the visual representation is defined by a filter.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the filter is configured to select network characteristics associated with the individual packets, the packet detail intercepted by one or more probes of the plurality of probes or the metadata generated by at least one probe of the plurality of probes based on parameters associated with the network characteristics.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a time interval, a start time, a number of packets, a packet source address, a packet destination address, a packet type, a source node device type, a destination node device type, a minimum hop count, a maximum hop count, a geographic position, a radius of inclusion, and a node model type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation comprises at least one of a node connectivity map, a mesh connectivity map, or a timeline chart.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation comprises at least one of:

communications flows, traffic characteristics, or predictive time-based visualizations, backoffice network nodes, communication flows between a backoffice and at least one of the plurality of network nodes, a chart comprising a distribution of packets along at least a portion of the field area network.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the visual representation comprises the predictive routing map, the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the processor, an indication of the new source route comprising the change in next hop information;

determining, by the processor, at least one node of the plurality of nodes affected by the new source route; and

updating the visual representation to reflect the at least one node.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

retaining the filter in the computer readable storage medium.

13. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the processor, terrestrial information related to locations of the plurality of network nodes and the locations of the plurality of probes; and

concurrently displaying the terrestrial information with the visual representation, such that the terrestrial information is superimposed on the visual representation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the data structure comprises connectivity and routing information related to packets intercepted during a predefined interval, and the visual representation comprises simulating network traffic during the predefined interval.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic data comprises a physical frame, a link layer, a mesh routing layer, a packet encapsulation layer, and an application layer, and wherein the extracting comprises extracting connectivity and routing information from the physical frame, the link layer, the mesh routing layer, the packet encapsulation layer, and the application layer,

wherein the network characteristics determined based on the physical frame comprise frequency channel, and virtual network ID,

wherein the network characteristics determined based on the link layer provides comprise sources and destination of direct node-to-node communication, type of packet, and timing information regarding future node activity,

wherein the network characteristics determined based on the mesh routing layer comprise information on source routed packets, relaying of packets through one or more nodes to reach a destination within a mesh, and routing information for a next hop for a node,

wherein the network characteristics determined based on the packet encapsulation layer comprise communication between the mesh into backend networks, and

wherein the network characteristics determined based on the application layer comprise information about node configuration, key network server addresses, and events.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information about at least one network node of the plurality of network nodes and storing the information in the computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor, wherein the information comprises at least one of;

geographic coordinates, MAC address, or node type.

17. A computer system for visualizing and analyzing a field area network, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising;

backhauling by a packet intercept system on a field area network, to at least one additional network, a traffic data stream intercepted by the packet intercept system from the field area network,

wherein the field area network comprises an adhoc self-forming network comprised of a plurality of network nodes,

wherein the packet intercept system is comprised of a plurality of probes in the field area network,

wherein the at least one additional network is distinct from the field area network, and

wherein the traffic data stream comprises at least one of;

individual packets, packet detail or metadata generated by at least one probe of the plurality of probes, based on processing at least one intercepted packet from the field area network;

extracting, by a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one additional network, connectivity and routing information from the traffic data, wherein the connectivity and routing information comprises packet information and node information;

determining, by the processor, network characteristics based on the extracted connectivity and routing information;

retaining, by the processor, the network characteristics in a data structure;

importing, by the processor, the data structure into a non-transitory computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor;

obtaining, by the processor, a portion of the data structure from the non-transitory computer readable storage medium and generating, by the processor, a visual representation of the field area network viewable on a client communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the visual representation comprises historical views of data routing through the field area network and predictive views of future routing of the data through the field area network, and wherein generating the visual representation comprises;

constructing, by the processor, a predictive access point routing map, based on continuously examining packets in the intercepted traffic data stream comprising source routing information and next hop information, wherein the predictive access point routing map automatically depicts future routes from one or more network node to an access point on the adhoc self-forming network, the constructing further comprising;

identifying, by the processor, a change in a next hop information sequence for a given network node of the plurality of network nodes in the field area network, wherein the change in the next hop information sequence in based on a new source route;

determining, by the processor, which additional nodes of the plurality of network nodes of the field area network are affected by the change in the next hop information sequence, wherein the affected nodes are behind the given network node in the field area network;

estimating, by the processor, the future routes for each of the affected nodes to the access point, based on the change in next hop information at the given network node; and

depicting, by the processor, the predictive access routing map, wherein the predictive access routing map reflects the future routes.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of probes intercept one of:

a pre-determined percentage of network traffic by sampling channels in the field area network over a time interval, or all network traffic by sampling channels in the field area network over a time interval.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the backhauling comprises sampling channels over time without performing a full band capture.

20. A computer program product for visualizing and analyzing a field area network, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

backhauling by a packet intercept system on a field area network, to at least one additional network, a traffic data stream intercepted by the packet intercept system from the field area network,

wherein the field area network comprises an adhoc self-forming network comprised of a plurality of network nodes,

wherein the packet intercept system is comprised of a plurality of probes in the field area network,

wherein the at least one additional network is distinct from the field area network, and

wherein the traffic data stream comprises at least one of;

individual packets, packet detail or metadata generated by at least one probe of the plurality of probes, based on processing at least one intercepted packet from the field area network;

extracting, by a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one additional network, connectivity and routing information from the traffic data, wherein the connectivity and routing information comprises packet information and node information;

determining, by the processor, network characteristics based on the extracted connectivity and routing information;

retaining, by the processor, the network characteristics in a data structure;

importing, by the processor, the data structure into the non-transitory computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor;

obtaining, by the processor, a portion of the data structure from the non-transitory computer readable storage medium and generating, by the processor, a visual representation of the field area network viewable on a client communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the visual representation comprises historical views of data routing through the field area network and predictive views of future routing of the data through the field area network, and wherein generating the visual representation comprises;

constructing, by the processor, a predictive access point routing map, based on continuously examining packets in the intercepted traffic data stream comprising source routing information and next hop information, wherein the predictive access point routing map automatically depicts future routes from one or more network node to an access point on the adhoc self-forming network, the constructing further comprising;

identifying, by the processor, a change in a next hop information sequence for a given network node of the plurality of network nodes in the field area network, wherein the change in the next hop information sequence in based on a new source route;

determining, by the processor, which additional nodes of the plurality of network nodes of the field area network are affected by the change in the next hop information sequence, wherein the affected nodes are behind the given network node in the field area network;

estimating, by the processor, the future routes for each of the affected nodes to the access point, based on the change in next hop information at the given network node, and

depicting, by the processor, the predictive access routing map, wherein the predictive access routing map reflects the future routes.