Network device configuration framework

• US 10,700,931 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Sheshadri, Sandeep Koushik, Patel, Parveen Kumar, Venkatesh, Varun, Srivastava, Nisheeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Anyan, Barbara B
• Application Number:
  US14/680,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and systems for network infrastructure configuration based on network device configuration templates are provided. A network device configuration template is received where the network device configuration template corresponds to network device configuration data based on template elements. Template elements include variable placeholders, versions, Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), firmware, and target devices identified in the network device configuration template. Values for the template elements are referenced from a dataset storage component. The network device configuration data are classified into different classification units. The network device configuration data are merged with the network device configuration template that programmatically defines configuration of network devices. A network device configuration instance is generated based on evaluating the template elements and replacing template elements with values from the dataset storage. The network device can be associated with a configuration scope, where the configuration scope indicates intended configuration features of the network devices.

Claims

1. A system for dynamic network device configuration in distributed network infrastructures, the system comprising:

one or more hardware processors and memory storing computer-executable instructions and components embodied thereon that, when executed, by the one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising;

identifying network device configuration data corresponding to a network infrastructure; and

determining classification units for the network device configuration data, wherein the network device configuration data is stored based on a corresponding classification unit in one of the following;

a network topology database, an operating configuration database, and a network service database;

accessing a network device configuration template, wherein the network device configuration template corresponds to network device configuration data based on template elements;

referencing network device configuration data classified in classification units in a dataset storage;

merging the network device configuration data with the network device configuration template, wherein the network device configuration template programmatically defines configuration of network devices in the network infrastructure;

generating a network device configuration instance based in part on the network device configuration template comprising merged network device configuration data; and

communicating the network device configuration instance using an interface, wherein the interface is employed to configure corresponding network devices based on the network device configuration instance.

2. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

identifying attributes of network device configuration data, wherein attributes indicate a retrieval processing mechanism that determine classifying the network device configuration data within a selected classification unit.

3. The system of claim 2, the operations further comprising:

classifying the network device configuration data in classification units, wherein classifying the network device configuration data is based on the retrieval processing mechanism, wherein the retrieval processing mechanism comprises at least one of;

deriving the network device configuration data, transforming the network device configuration data, and correlating the network device configuration data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein merging network device configuration data with the network device configuration templates further comprises:

identifying a template element in a network device configuration template;

querying the dataset storage for network device configuration data; and

programmatically defining template elements using the network device configuration data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein programmatically defining template elements comprises:

evaluating at least one variable placeholder with corresponding a value in the dataset storage; and

replacing the at least one variable placeholder with the value from the dataset storage.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a configuration scope component for:

processing the network device configuration instance based on a configuration scope of the network device configuration template, wherein the network device configuration template corresponds to the configuration scope that indicates an extent of configuration of configuration units of network devices.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network graph component configured for:

generating a graphical representation of a logical and physical relationship between nodes and links in a network topology of the network infrastructure, wherein the graphical representation provides connectivity information for facilitating generation of the network device configuration instance.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the graphical representation facilitates monitoring to detect drift in the connectivity information, wherein drift is determined based on comparing connectivity information on the graphical representation to connectivity information identified using a link layer discovery protocol.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a configuration database component configured for:

storing the network device configuration instance in a network device configuration instance store; and

transmitting the network device configuration instance based on an Application Programming Interface (API) to configure network devices in the network infrastructure based on the network device configuration instance.

10. One or more computer-storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method for dynamic network device configuration, the method comprising:

accessing a network device configuration template, wherein the network device configuration template corresponds to network device configuration data based template elements;

referencing network device configuration data classified in classification units in a dataset storage, the network configuration data is stored based on a corresponding classification unit in one of the following;

a network topology database, an operating configuration database, and a network service database, associated with the dataset storage;

merging the network device configuration data with the network device configuration template, wherein the network device configuration template programmatically defines configuration of network devices in a network infrastructure;

generating a network device configuration instance based on the network device configuration template comprising merged network device configuration data; and

communicating the network device configuration instance using an interface, wherein the interface is employed to configure corresponding network devices based on the network device configuration instance.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the network device configuration data comprises values associated with network devices in the network infrastructure, wherein the values of the network devices are stored, processed, and programmed data that change over time.

12. The media of claim 10, wherein the network device configuration data comprises functional attributes that indicate how network devices operate.

13. The media of claim 10, wherein the template elements are based on a template language with a common semantic to programmatically configure network devices, wherein the template language defines commands that indicate configuration operations to be performed on the network devices during configuration.

14. The media of claim 10, wherein the template elements correspond to template sections selected from one or more of a target device section, a template version section, a configuration section, and an update configuration section.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein the template sections comprise at least one of variable placeholder, SKU and firmware template elements for merging network device configuration data in a customized format and structure based on a network object model.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein network object model corresponds to template elements in the configuration, wherein the network object model identifies network devices having configuration parameters and configuration text.

17. The media of claim 10, wherein merging the classified network device configuration data with the network device configuration templates further comprises:

identifying a template element in a network device configuration template;

querying the dataset storage for network device configuration data; and

programmatically defining template elements using the network device configuration data based on a reflection mechanism that comprises type introspection.

18. A computer-implemented method for dynamic network device configuration, the method comprising:

retrieving a network device configuration template, wherein the network device configuration template corresponds to network device configuration data based template elements;

identifying one or more template elements in the network device configuration template, wherein the template elements includes variable placeholders, firmware, stocking keeping unit, and a network device target device;

referencing, from a dataset storage, dynamic values for one or more template elements, wherein the dynamic values are updated with classified configuration data associated with the network device in the classification units;

merging the network device configuration data with the network device configuration template, wherein the network device configuration template programmatically defines configuration of network devices in a network infrastructure;

generating a network device configuration instance using the network device configuration template and dynamic values of classified network device configuration data, wherein generating the networking configuration instance comprises;

accessing the dynamic values for the one or more template elements;

evaluating the one or more template elements with dynamic values from the dataset storage; and

replacing the one or more template elements with dynamic values from the network device configuration dataset storage; and

communicating the network device configuration instance using an interface, wherein the interface is employed to configure corresponding network devices based on the network device configuration instance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein dynamic values into classification units based on:

identifying network device configuration data corresponding to the network infrastructure; and

determining classification units for the network device configuration data, wherein the network device configuration data are classified in classification units selected from one of;

a network topology, an operating configuration, and a network service.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the network device configuration instance corresponds to a network device configuration scope, wherein the network device configuration scope indicates an extent of configuration for an intended network device configuration state for a selected network device, the network device configuration scope comprising a full configuration or a partial configuration, wherein a full configuration comprises configuring the an entirety of the selected network device, and the partial configuration comprises configuring an identified features of the selected network device.