Method and apparatus for determining and resolving missing topology features of a network for improved topology accuracy
First Claim
1. A method for resolving anomalies within a network topology map, the method comprising:
- identifying a conflicting link within a received topology map, the conflicting link comprising a source and one or more conflicting destinations;
resolving the conflicting link through the use of one or more virtual devices within the topology map; and
replacing the conflicting link with a link to a virtual device based upon the resolution of the conflicting link.
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Abstract
The present invention describes a method and apparatus for resolving anomalies within a network topology map that typically occur when a derived topology map fails, for a variety of reasons, to include devices resident on the network. The method of the present invention discovers missing devices by identifying a conflicting link within a received topology map, the conflicting link comprising a source and one or more conflicting destinations. The conflicting link is resolved through the use of one or more virtual devices within the topology map. The conflicting link is replaced with a link to a virtual device based upon the resolution of the conflicting link, thereby eliminating the anomaly in the topology map. The step of resolving the conflicting link may also comprise the steps of determining a number of conflicting destinations from the source of the conflicting link, resolving the source of the conflicting link, and resolving the conflicting destination. In order to reduce the number of virtual devices inserted to the topology, the method may further include identifying a link between two virtual devices and merging the virtual devices.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for resolving anomalies within a network topology map, the method comprising:
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identifying a conflicting link within a received topology map, the conflicting link comprising a source and one or more conflicting destinations;
resolving the conflicting link through the use of one or more virtual devices within the topology map; and
replacing the conflicting link with a link to a virtual device based upon the resolution of the conflicting link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer readable medium storing a data structure representing a virtual link table, the data structure comprising:
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one or more entries showing a link between a source device in a network and a first virtual device, the source device being identified in a received topology map of a network and the first virtual device not being identified in the received topology map;
one or more entries showing a link between a destination device in the network and the first virtual device, the destination device being identified in the received topology map;
the virtual link table data structure being used by an executable program to display an improved topology map of the network.
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Specification