Dynamic distribution of network entities among monitoring agents

• US 10,462,034 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Nageshappa, Prashanth Kattige, Subbarao, Vijayakumar Bangalore
• Primary Examiner(s): Greene, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US15/394,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 709224
• 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 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/14 using software, i.e. software packages network security related monitoring H04L63/1408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Techniques are described for dynamically distributing entity monitoring assignments to a plurality of monitoring agents. In one example, processors of a co-location facility execute a plurality of network services monitoring agents. A first monitoring agent of the plurality of monitoring agents transmits instructions to a messaging service, causing the messaging service to dequeue, from a queue, a first message of a plurality of messages, wherein the first message describes a first network services entity of a plurality of network service entities. The monitoring agent transmits, to the first monitoring agent, the first message. The first monitoring agent retrieves, from the first network services entity described by the first message, performance and health metrics for the first network services entity. The first monitoring agent transmits, to the messaging service and for transmission to a database of the co-location facility, the performance and health metrics for the first network services entity.

Claims

1. A method for distributing monitoring functions amongst a plurality of network services monitoring agents, the method comprising:

executing, by one or more processors of a co-location facility, a queue, wherein a plurality of messages are enqueued within the queue, and wherein each message of the plurality of messages comprises information identifying a corresponding network service entity of a plurality of network service entities, wherein the plurality of network service entities comprises a plurality of physical devices and a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs);

executing, by the one or more processors of the co-location facility, the plurality of network services monitoring agents, wherein executing the plurality of network services monitoring agents comprises;

requesting, by a first network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, a next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the first network services monitoring agent by transmitting instructions to a messaging service of the co-location facility, the instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, a first message of the plurality of messages, wherein the first message comprises information identifying a first network service entity of the plurality of network service entities; and

transmit, to the first network services monitoring agent, the first message;

receiving, by the first network services monitoring agent and from the messaging service, the first message;

identifying, by the first network services monitoring agent and based on the information identifying the first network service entity, the first network service entity as the next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the first network services monitoring agent;

retrieving, by the first network services monitoring agent and from the first network service entity, performance and health metrics for the first network services monitoring agent; and

transmitting, by the first network services monitoring agent, to the messaging service, and for transmission to a database of the co-location facility, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first network services monitoring agent, to the messaging service, and for enqueuing in the queue, the first message; and

enqueuing, by the messaging service and in the queue, the first message after transmitting, by the messaging service and to the database, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting, by the first network services monitoring agent and to the messaging service, a predetermined time, and wherein enqueuing, by the messaging service and in the queue, the first message comprises enqueuing, by the messaging service and in the queue, the first message after the predetermined time elapses.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein executing the plurality of network services monitoring agents further comprises:

receiving, by the first network services monitoring agent, instructions to suspend retrieval of performance and health metrics for the first network service entity;

transmitting, by the first network services monitoring agent and to the messaging service, instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, the first message describing the first network service entity; and

upon transmitting, to the database of co-location facility, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity, discard, the first message without enqueuing the first message in the queue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the plurality of network services monitoring agents further comprises:

receiving, by the first network services monitoring agent, instructions to commence retrieval of performance and health metrics for a second network service entity of the plurality of network service entities;

determining, by the first network services monitoring agent, that the queue does not contain a corresponding message comprising information identifying the second network service entity; and

transmitting, by the first network services monitoring agent, to the messaging service, and for enqueueing in the queue, a second message comprising information identifying the second network service entity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, to adjust a number of the plurality of network services monitoring agents; and

in response to determining to adjust the number of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, performing one of an instantiation of one or more network services monitoring agents or a destruction of one or more network services monitoring agents.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the plurality of network services monitoring agents further comprises:

requesting, by a second network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, a next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the second network services monitoring agent by transmitting, to the messaging service, instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, a second message of the plurality of messages, wherein the second message comprises information identifying a second network service entity of the plurality of network service entities; and

transmit, to the second network services monitoring agent, the second message;

receiving, by the second network services monitoring agent and from the messaging service, the second message;

identifying, by the second network services monitoring agent and based on the information identifying the second network service entity, the second network service entity as the next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the second network services monitoring agent;

retrieving, by the second network services monitoring agent, from the second network service entity, performance and health metrics for the second network service entity; and

transmitting, by the second network services monitoring agent, to the messaging service, and for transmission to the database, the performance and health metrics for the second network service entity.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the queue is a First-in, First-out (FIFO) queue.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the queue is a priority queue.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each message of the plurality of messages is prioritized in the queue according to a time since a previous monitoring event of a network service entity of the plurality of network service entities corresponding to the message.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the corresponding network service entity of the plurality of network service entities comprises:

at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the network services entity or a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the network service entity;

routing or pathing information for connecting to the network service entity; and

a communication protocol for communicating with the network service entity.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein each message of the plurality of messages further comprises:

a service type of the network service entity; and

a type of performance and health metrics to be collected.

8. A computing device of a co-location facility for distributing monitoring functions amongst a plurality of network services monitoring agents, the computing device comprising one or more processors configured to:

execute a queue, wherein a plurality of messages are enqueued within the queue, and wherein each message of the plurality of messages comprises information identifying a corresponding network service entity of a plurality of network service entities, wherein the plurality of network service entities comprises a plurality of physical devices and a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs);

execute the plurality of network services monitoring agents, wherein, upon execution, a first network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is configured to;

request a next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the first network services monitoring agent by transmitting instructions to a messaging service of the co-location facility, the instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, a first message of the plurality of messages, wherein the first message comprises information identifying a first network service entity of the plurality of network service entities; and

transmit, to the first network services monitoring agent, the first message;

receive, from the messaging service, the first message;

identify, based on the information identifying the first network service entity, the first network service entity as the next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the first network services monitoring agent;

retrieve, from the first network service entity, performance and health metrics for the first network service entity; and

transmit, to the messaging service, and for transmission to a database of the co-location facility, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity.

9. The computing device of claim 8,

wherein the first network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is further configured to transmit, to the messaging service, and for enqueueing in the queue, the first message, and

wherein the messaging service is further configured to enqueue, in the queue, the first message after transmitting, to the database, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first network services monitoring agent is configured to transmit, to the messaging service, a predetermined time, and wherein, to enqueue, in the queue, the first message, the messaging service is further configured to enqueue, in the queue, the first message after the predetermined time elapses.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is further configured to:

receive instructions to suspend retrieval of performance and health metrics for the first network service entity; and

transmit, to the messaging service, instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, the first message describing the first network service entity; and

upon transmitting, to the database of co-location facility, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity, discard, the first message without enqueuing the first message in the queue.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the first network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is further configured to:

receive instructions to commence retrieval of performance and health metrics for a second network service entity of the plurality of network service entities;

determine that the queue does not contain a corresponding message comprising information identifying the second network service entity; and

transmit, to the messaging service and for enqueueing in the queue, a second message comprising information identifying the second network service entity.

13. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine to adjust a number of the plurality of network services monitoring agents; and

in response to determining to adjust the number of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, perform one of an instantiation of one or more network services monitoring agents or a destruction of one or more network services monitoring agents.

14. The computing device of claim 8, wherein, upon execution of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, a second network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is configured to:

request a next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the second network services monitoring agent by transmitting, to the messaging service, instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, a second message of the plurality of messages, wherein the second message comprises information identifying a second network service entity of the plurality of network service entities; and

transmit, to the second network services monitoring agent, the second message;

receive, from the messaging service, the second message;

identify, based on the information identifying the second network service entity, the second network service entity as the next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the second network services monitoring agent;

retrieve, from the second network service entity, performance and health metrics for the second network service entity; and

transmit, to the messaging service, and for transmission to the database, the performance and health metrics for the second network service entity.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a computing device of a co-location facility for distributing monitoring functions amongst a plurality of network services monitoring agents to:

execute a queue, wherein a plurality of messages are enqueued within the queue, and wherein each message of the plurality of messages comprises information identifying a corresponding network service entity of a plurality of network service entities, wherein the plurality of network service entities comprises a plurality of physical devices and a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs);

execute the plurality of network services monitoring agents, wherein, upon execution of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, a first network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is configured to;

request a next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the first network services monitoring agent by transmitting instructions to a messaging service of the co-location facility, the instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, a first message of the plurality of messages, wherein the first message comprises information identifying a first network service entity of the plurality of network service entities; and

transmit, to the first network services monitoring agent, the first message;

receive, from the messaging service, the first message;

identify, based on the information identifying the first network service entity, the first network service entity as the next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the first network services monitoring agent;

retrieve, from the first network service entity, performance and health metrics for the first network service entity; and

transmit, to the messaging service, and for transmission to a database of the co-location facility, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15,

wherein the first network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is further configured to transmit, to the messaging service, and for enqueueing in the queue, the first message, and

wherein the messaging service is further configured to enqueue, in the queue, the first message after transmitting, to the database, the performance and health metrics for the first network service entity.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

determine to adjust a number of the plurality of network services monitoring agents; and

in response to determining to adjust the number of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, perform one of an instantiation of one or more network services monitoring agents or a destruction of one or more network services monitoring agents.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein, upon execution of the plurality of network services monitoring agents, a second network services monitoring agent of the plurality of network services monitoring agents is configured to:

request a next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the second network services monitoring agent by transmitting, to the messaging service, instructions causing the messaging service to;

dequeue, from the queue, a second message of the plurality of messages, wherein the second message comprises information identifying a second network service entity of the plurality of network service entities; and

transmit, to the second network services monitoring agent, the second message;

receive, from the messaging service, the second message;

identify, based on the information identifying the second network service entity, the second network service entity as the next network service entity of the plurality of network service entities for monitoring by the second network services monitoring agent;

retrieve, from the second network service entity, performance and health metrics for the second network service entity; and

transmit, to the messaging service, and for transmission to the database, the performance and health metrics for the second network service entity.