System for Extracting and Combining Information from IP Device Configurations, Inventory Systems, and Real-Time Network Monitoring

• US 20090190499A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perspecta Labs Inc. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Cheng, Alice, Bahler, Lisa, Gadgil, Shrirang, Poylisher, Alexander, Talpade, Rajesh R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

The inventive system and method for improving network security, availability, and regulatory compliance, and maximizing a network comprises a network configuration component, a network inventory component, a network monitoring component, and a network assessment component, wherein information is extracted from each of the configuration, inventory, and monitoring components, the extracted information is combined and assessed in the assessment component, and the maximized network is produced using the combined information. In one embodiment, the combined information is stored in a database. In one embodiment, an XML is produced from the extracted inventory information, and this XML is converted to a canonical form.

Claims

1. A system for maximizing a network, comprising:

a network configuration component;

a network inventory component;

a network monitoring component; and

a network assessment component, wherein information is extracted from each of the configuration, inventory, and monitoring components, the extracted information is combined and assessed in the assessment component, and the maximized network is produced using the combined information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the combined information is stored in a database.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an XML produced from the extracted inventory information, wherein the XML is converted to a canonical form.

4. A method for maximizing a network comprising steps of:

extracting configuration information of the network;

extracting inventory information of the network;

extracting monitoring information of the network;

combining the configuration information, the inventory information, and the monitoring information;

assessing the combined information; and

producing a maximized network using the combined information.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the combined information is stored in a database.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the step of extracting inventory information further comprises:

producing an XML containing the inventory information; and

converting the XML to a canonical form.

7. A computer readable medium having computer readable program for operating on a computer for maximizing a network, said program comprising instructions that cause the computer to perform the steps of:

extracting configuration information of the network;

extracting inventory information of the network;

extracting monitoring information of the network;

combining the configuration information, the inventory information, and the monitoring information;

assessing the combined information; and

producing a maximized network using the combined information.

8. The program according to claim 7, wherein the combined information is stored in a database.

9. The program according to claim 7, wherein the step of extracting inventory information further comprises:

producing an XML containing the inventory information; and

converting the XML to a canonical form.