Systems and methods for configuring a probe server network using a reliability model

• US 10,686,668 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2017
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Inventors: Djuric, Mirko, Periasamy, Velmurugan, Choppala, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Uzma
• Application Number:
  US15/437,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/149 for prediction of maintenance
• 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 43/0805 by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

Implementations relate to systems and methods for configuring a probe server network using a reliability model. A company, customer, or organization may wish to outsource the management of a set of name servers used to operate a domain name, such as a domain name associated with a Web site. In aspects, that deployment of name servers can be monitored by a separate set of failover or probe servers which are configured to track the uptime, operability, and performance of the underlying name servers, which can number in the thousands. An administrator or other user may wish to determine a minimum number of probe servers to apply to the name server topology, to achieve desired service levels. According to aspects, automated tools and logic are provided which model and simulate the overall network including the number and arrangement of necessary probe servers to ensure performance, failover reliability, and other factors.

Claims

1. A method of managing a network, comprising:

accessing a network topology map associated with the network, wherein the network topology map comprises a plurality of probe servers, a plurality of endpoint machines, and a plurality of connections between the plurality of probe servers and the plurality of endpoint machines;

computing, by a computer processor, an intersecting time interval comprising an overlap of;

(i) a combined time interval that includes a first time interval of probe server failures associated with a plurality of probe servers, and a second time interval of connection failures associated with the plurality of connections, and

(ii) a third time interval of endpoint machine failures associated with the plurality of endpoint machines;

generating, based on both the network topology map and the intersecting time interval, a first set of network model data;

identifying, based on the first set of network model data, a minimum number of probe servers required to monitor the plurality of endpoint machines when operating at a target service level; and

generating, based on including the minimum number of probe servers in the network topology map and the intersecting time interval, a second set of network model data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a managed domain name system network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target service level comprises a minimum time between network failures.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying, based on the first set of network model data, a maximum number of probe servers required to support the target service level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum number of probe servers comprises at least three probe servers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of network model data indicates that an endpoint machine is out of service when at least two probe servers independently detect that the endpoint machine is out of service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of network model data is based on a set of reliability data that comprises at least one of a predicted failure rate for the plurality of probe servers, a predicted failure rate for the plurality of endpoint machines, or a predicted failure rate for the plurality of connections.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing a simulation engine on the network topology map to simulate how the network operates over a specified amount of time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the simulation engine comprises a Monte Carlo engine.

10. A system, comprising:

a first interface to a plurality of endpoint machines;

a second interface to a plurality of probe servers, the plurality of probe servers being connected to the plurality of endpoint machines via a plurality of connections; and

a processor that, when executing instructions, communicates with the plurality of endpoint machines via the first interface and the plurality of probe servers via the second interface and performs the steps of;

accessing a network topology map associated with a network, wherein the network topology map comprises the plurality of probe servers, the plurality of endpoint machines, and the plurality of connections,

computing an intersecting time interval comprising an overlap of;

(i) a combined time interval that includes a first time interval of probe server failures associated with a plurality of probe servers, and a second time interval of connection failures associated with the plurality of connections, and

(ii) a third time interval of endpoint machine failures associated with the plurality of endpoint machines;

generating, based on both the network topology map and the intersecting time interval, a first set of network model data;

identifying, based on the first set of network model data, a minimum number of probe servers required to monitor the plurality of endpoint machines when operating at a target service level, and

generating, based on including the minimum number of probe servers in the network topology map and the intersecting time interval, a second set of network model data.

11. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to manage a network, by performing the steps of:

accessing a network topology map associated with the network, wherein the network topology map comprises a plurality of probe servers, a plurality of endpoint machines, and a plurality of connections between the plurality of probe servers and the plurality of endpoint machines;

computing, by a computer processor, intersecting time interval comprising an overlap of;

(i) a combined time interval that includes a first time interval of probe server failures associated with a plurality of probe servers, and a second time interval of connection failures associated with the plurality of connections, and

(ii) a third time interval of endpoint machine failures associated with the plurality of endpoint machines;

generating, based on both the network topology map and the intersecting time interval, a first set of network model data;

identifying, based on the first set of network model data, a minimum number of probe servers required to monitor the plurality of endpoint machines when operating at a target service level; and

generating, based on including the minimum number of probe servers in the network topology map and the intersecting time interval, a second set of network model data.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11, wherein the network comprises a managed domain name system network.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11, wherein the target service level comprises a minimum time between network failures.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising identifying, based on the first set of network model data, a maximum number of probe servers required to support the target service level.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11, wherein the minimum number of probe servers comprises at least three probe servers.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11, wherein the first set of network model data indicates that an endpoint machine is out of service when at least two probe servers independently detect that the endpoint machine is out of service.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11, wherein the first set of network model data is based on a set of reliability data that comprises at least one of a predicted failure rate for the plurality of probe servers, a predicted failure rate for the plurality of endpoint machines, or a predicted failure rate for the plurality of connections.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executing a simulation engine one the network topology map to simulate how the network operates over a specified amount of time.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 18, wherein the simulation engine comprises a Monte Carlo engine.