Systems, apparatus and methods for managing networking devices
First Claim
1. A network management system, comprising:
- a networking database module disposed at a first one of a plurality of nodes of a communications network, the networking database module comprising a data repository having a plurality of networking device configuration data corresponding to a plurality of networking devices each associated with one of the plurality of nodes; and
wherein the networking database module is operable to store a control version of the data repository at the first node, and operable to transmit at least a portion of the control version to, at least, a second one of the plurality of nodes to define a distributed version of the data repository, wherein the plurality of networking device configuration data in control version and the distributed version are identical.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided are systems, apparatus and methods for the management and control of a plurality of networking devices. Embodiments include a database at each node of a communications network, where the database stores all networking and/or security data associated with each networking device at all nodes. Further, a replication module communicates any networking and/or security data changes to the databases, and insures that each database has the same information. Other embodiments may include an adaptive networking module operable to analyze and optimize the behavior, performance and/or security of the networking devices, and a simulation module to insure that any optimization-related changes do not adversely affect any of the networking devices. Therefore, the network management systems, apparatus and methods advantageously provide a decentralized system of all networking and/or security data that allows each network node to individually optimize its, and the entire network'"'"'s, networking performance and security.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A network management system, comprising:
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a networking database module disposed at a first one of a plurality of nodes of a communications network, the networking database module comprising a data repository having a plurality of networking device configuration data corresponding to a plurality of networking devices each associated with one of the plurality of nodes; and
wherein the networking database module is operable to store a control version of the data repository at the first node, and operable to transmit at least a portion of the control version to, at least, a second one of the plurality of nodes to define a distributed version of the data repository, wherein the plurality of networking device configuration data in control version and the distributed version are identical. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 26, 27, 28)
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17. A network system, comprising:
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a first data repository associated with a master networking device at a first node of a plurality of nodes on a communications network, wherein the first data repository comprises at least networking device configuration data relating to a functionality of the master networking device;
a second data repository associated with each of a plurality of distributed networking devices at each of the remaining nodes of the plurality of nodes, wherein the networking device configuration data further comprises data relating to a functionality of each of the plurality of distributed networking devices; and
wherein the second data repository is synchronizable with the first data repository.
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18. A networking system, comprising:
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a predetermined plurality of networking devices associated with a predetermined plurality of interconnected nodes of a communications network, wherein each of the predetermined plurality of nodes includes at least one of the predetermined plurality of networking devices;
a first networking database at a first one of the predetermined plurality of nodes, the first networking database comprising a first set of at least one of networking data and security data associated with each one of the predetermined plurality of networking devices at each one of the predetermined plurality of nodes; and
a second networking database at each of the remaining ones of the predetermined plurality of nodes, each second networking database comprising a second set of at least one of networking data and security data; and
a replication module operable to synchronize each second networking database with the first networking database such that each second set of at least one of networking data and security data is identical to the first set of at least one of networking data and security data.
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19. An apparatus, comprising:
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a distributed version of a networking database at one of a plurality of nodes of a communications network, the distributed version of the networking database comprising at least one of networking data and security data associated with each of a plurality of networking devices respectively located at each of the plurality of nodes; and
wherein the distributed version of the networking database is synchronizable with a control version of the networking database at a first one of the plurality of nodes.
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20. A method of managing a communications network, comprising:
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maintaining a first data repository at a first one of a plurality of nodes each having at least one networking device, where the first data repository comprises at least networking device configuration data associated with the networking device at each of the plurality of nodes; and
causing a synchronization of a second data repository at, at least, a second one of a plurality of nodes with the first data repository.
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21. A method of adaptive networking, comprising:
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receiving performance data or security data associated with a first networking device of a plurality of networking devices that each manage communications through one of a plurality of nodes in a communications network;
comparing the received performance data or security data to a predetermined standard and identifying anomalous data;
generating proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data based on the identified anomalous data, where the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or the proposed security-related networking device configuration data respectively results in new performance data or new security data falling within the predetermined standard; and
updating and synchronizing a data repository associated with each of the plurality of networking devices with the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer-usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to manage networking information, the control logic comprising;
first computer readable program code for maintaining a first data repository at a first one of a plurality of nodes each having at least one networking device, where the first data repository comprises at least networking device configuration data associated with the at least one networking device at each of the plurality of nodes; and
second computer readable program code for causing a synchronization of a second data repository at, at least, a second one of a plurality of nodes with the first data repository.
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25. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer-usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to adaptively manage networking information, the control logic comprising;
first computer readable program code for receiving performance data or security data associated with a first networking device of a plurality of networking devices that each manage communications through one of a plurality of nodes in a communications network;
second computer readable program code for comparing the received performance data or security data to a predetermined standard and identifying anomalous data;
third computer readable program code for generating proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data based on the identified anomalous data, where the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or the proposed security-related networking device configuration data respectively results in new performance data or new security data falling within the predetermined standard; and
fourth computer readable program code for updating and synchronizing a data repository at each of the plurality of nodes with the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data.
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Specification