Method and apparatus for non-invasive discovery of relationships between nodes in a network

• US 20050154776A1
• Filed: 01/08/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce, Childress, Rhonda L., Pennell, Neil Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• 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: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for identifying nodes in a network data processing system. Cache data is received from a set of routers in the data processing system. The cache data includes an identification of the nodes sending data packets onto the network data processing system. The nodes on the network data processing system are identified using the cache data from the set of routers.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for identifying nodes in a network data processing system, the method comprising:

receiving cache data from a set of routers in the data processing system, wherein the cache data includes an identification of the nodes sending data packets onto the network data processing system; and

identifying the nodes on the network data processing system using the cache data from the set of routers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cache data is from a set of address resolution protocol caches located on the set of routers.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying communications paths between the nodes on the network data processing system using the cache data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving step occurs on a periodic basis and further comprising:

identifying network traffic on the communication paths using the cache data received on the periodic basis from the set of routers.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

generating a display of the nodes in a graphical view, wherein the graphical view includes the communications paths with a graphical indication of the network traffic.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the cache data is received through agents located on the set of routers.

7. The method of claim 6, where the agents clear the set of address resolution protocol caches each time data is sent to the data processing system.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the cache data contains entries for the nodes sending data packets onto the network data processing system and wherein each entry includes at least one of a media access control address, a source Internet Protocol address, and a destination Internet Protocol address.

9. A data processing system for identifying nodes in a network data processing system, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive cache data from a set of routers in the data processing system, wherein the cache data includes an identification of the nodes sending data packets onto the network data processing system; and

identify the nodes on the network data processing system using the cache data from the set of routers.

10. A data processing system for identifying nodes in a network data processing system, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving cache data from a set of routers in the data processing system, wherein the cache data includes an identification of the nodes sending data packets onto the network data processing system; and

identifying means for identifying the nodes on the network data processing system using the cache data from the set of routers.

11. The data processing system of claim 10, wherein the cache data is from a set of address resolution protocol caches located on the set of routers.

12. The data processing system of claim 10 further comprising:

identifying means for identifying communications paths between the nodes on the network data processing system using the cache data.

13. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the receiving means occurs on a periodic basis and further comprising:

identifying means for identifying network traffic on the communication paths using the cache data received on the periodic basis from the set of routers.

14. The data processing system of claim 13 further comprising:

generating means for generating a display of the nodes in a graphical view, wherein the graphical view includes the communications paths with a graphical indication of the network traffic.

15. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the cache data is received through agents located on the set of routers.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, where the agents clear the set of address resolution protocol caches each time data is sent to the data processing system.

17. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the cache data contains entries for the nodes sending data packets onto the network data processing system and wherein each entry includes at least one of a media access control address, a source Internet Protocol address, and a destination Internet Protocol address.

18. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for identifying nodes in a network data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving cache data from a set of routers in the data processing system, wherein the cache data includes an identification of the nodes sending data packets onto the network data processing system; and

second instructions for identifying the nodes on the network data processing system using the cache data from the set of routers.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the cache data is from a set of address resolution protocol caches located on the set of routers.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

third instructions for identifying communications paths between the nodes on the network data processing system using the cache data.