Method and Apparatus for Detecting Devices Having Implementation Characteristics Different from Documented Characteristics

• US 20090319531A1
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Verma, Dinesh Chandra, Lee, Kang-Won, Ko, Bong Jun, Pappas, Vasileios
• Application Number:
  US12/142,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20090319531A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for automatically testing for incorrect or incomplete implementation of documented behavior of a device. By way of example, an automated method for checking that one or more devices comply with one or more documented behaviors comprises a computer system performing the following steps. A set of compliance rules is defined for a behavior of at least one of the one or more devices. A set of monitored data is retrieved from the at least one device. The set of monitored data is compared with the set of compliance rules. A result of the comparison is reported.

Claims

1. An automated method for checking that one or more devices comply with one or more documented behaviors, comprising a computer system performing steps of:

defining a set of compliance rules for a behavior of at least one of the one or more devices;

retrieving a set of monitored data from the at least one device;

comparing the set of monitored data with the set of compliance rules; and

reporting a result of the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of storing the set of compliance rules in a repository.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of associating each device of the one or more devices with a set of compliance rules.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the associating step further comprises steps of:

defining a set of device classes;

associating each device with a device class; and

associating each device class with a set of compliance rules.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising steps of:

storing the device classes in a repository;

storing the associations between devices and device classes in the repository; and

storing the associations between the device classes and compliance rules in the repository.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of remotely retrieving the set of monitored data from the at least one device through a network connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote retrieving step further comprises the step of remotely retrieving the set of monitored data through a Simple Network Management Protocol.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote retrieving step further comprises the step of remotely retrieving the set of monitored data through a file transfer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the remote retrieving step further comprises the step of remotely retrieving the set of monitored data with the use of a HyperText Transfer Protocol or a File Transfer Protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

defining a compliance test based on an input signal characteristic of the device; and

associating a compliance rule with a compliance test.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of defining a compliance rule as a type checking rule.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of defining a compliance rule as a range checking rule.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of defining a compliance rule as a data relation rule.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of defining the compliance rules in a database table.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more devices comprise one or more network devices.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored data is from one or more virtual devices comprising a network simulator or a test script.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the compliance rules are automatically deduced from traces or operating behaviors from devices operating in a normal manner.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a step of associating each device of the one or more devices with a set of compliance rules.

18. Apparatus for checking that one or more devices comply with one or more documented behaviors, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to;

define a set of compliance rules for a behavior of at least one of the one or more devices;

retrieve a set of monitored data from the at least one device;

compare the set of monitored data with the set of compliance rules; and

report a result of the comparison.

20. An article of manufacture for checking that one or more devices comply with one or more documented behaviors, the article comprising a computer readable storage medium including one or more programs which when executed by a computer system perform the steps of:

defining a set of compliance rules for a behavior of at least one of the one or more devices;

retrieving a set of monitored data from the at least one device;

comparing the set of monitored data with the set of compliance rules; and

reporting a result of the comparison.