Method and system of managing traffic in a first set of nodes of a computer network

• US 20050220018A1
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Richardson, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,839,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for determining the source or sources of a relatively high amount of traffic into a first set of nodes from another set of nodes. In one example, the top talker sources among a first set of nodes are found. Any top talker sources, which are from another set of nodes are determined, and an alert is produced which indicates the top talker sources to the network manager.

Claims

1. A method of managing traffic in a first set of nodes of a computer network having a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes comprising:

determining a source associated with an amount of network traffic over the first set of nodes which exceeds a threshold, the source being outside a group of network elements assigned to the first set of nodes; and

automatically displaying an indication of the source in response to determining the source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of nodes is a first VLAN and the second set of nodes is a second VLAN.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is a user name associated with the source.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the source is assigned to the second VLAN, the method comprising:

reassigning the source to the first VLAN in response to determining the source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the source is automatically reassigned.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein traffic data is obtained from the first VLAN using a network management protocol.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the traffic data is obtained using an RMON protocol.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the determination of the source includes determining the top sources of traffic on the first VLAN.

9. A management computer for managing traffic in a first set of nodes of a computer network having a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes, the computer comprising:

a display; and

a processor configured to determine a source associated with an amount of network traffic over a first set of nodes which exceeds a threshold, the source being outside a group of network elements assigned to the first set of nodes, the processor configured to automatically send to the display an indication of the source in response to determining the source.

10. The management computer of claim 9, wherein the first set of nodes is a first VLAN and the second set of nodes is a second VLAN.

11. The management computer of claim 9, wherein the indication is a user name associated with the source.

12. The management computer of claim 10, wherein the source is assigned to the second VLAN, and wherein the processor is configured to reassign the source to the first VLAN in response to determining the source.

13. The management computer of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to obtain traffic data from the first VLAN using a network management protocol.

14. The management computer of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to obtain traffic data using an RMON protocol.

15. The management computer of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to identify any sources of traffic which are associated with a given threshold of traffic on the first VLAN.

16. A system for managing traffic in a first set of nodes of a computer network comprising:

a first set of nodes; and

a management computer coupled with the first set of nodes and configured to determine a source associated with an amount of network traffic over the first set of nodes which exceeds a threshold, the source being outside a group of network elements assigned to the first set of nodes, the management computer configured to automatically display an indication of the source in response to determining the source.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first set of nodes is a first VLAN and the second set of nodes is a second VLAN.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the indication is a user name associated with the source.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the source is assigned to the second VLAN within the system, and wherein the management computer is configured to reassign the source to the first VLAN in response to determining the source.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the management computer is configured to obtain traffic data from the first VLAN using a network management protocol.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the management computer is configured to obtain traffic data from the first VLAN using an RMON protocol.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the management computer is configured to identify any sources of traffic which are associated with a given threshold of traffic on the first VLAN.

23. A computer-readable medium containing a program for managing traffic in a first set of nodes of a computer network having a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes, the program comprising:

determining a source associated with an amount of network traffic over the first set of nodes which exceeds a threshold, the source being outside a group of network elements assigned to the first set of nodes; and

automatically displaying an indication of the source in response to determining the source.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first set of nodes is a first VLAN and the second set of nodes is a second VLAN.

25. The computer-readable medium containing a program of claim 23, wherein the indication is a user name associated with the source.

26. The computer-readable medium containing a program of claim 24, wherein the source is assigned to the second VLAN, the method comprising:

reassigning the source to the first VLAN in response to determining the source.

27. The computer-readable medium containing a program of claim 26, wherein the source is automatically reassigned.

28. The computer-readable medium containing a program of claim 24, wherein traffic data is obtained from the first VLAN using a network management protocol.

29. The computer-readable medium containing a program of claim 28, wherein the traffic data is obtained using an RMON protocol.

30. The computer-readable medium containing a program of claim 24, wherein the determination of the source includes identifying any sources of traffic which are associated with a given threshold of traffic on the first VLAN.