NETWORK TOPOLOGY
First Claim
1. A method of determining the topology of at least part of a network comprising the steps of:
- (a) either (i) monitoring traffic to, and/or from, a plurality of computers in the network, storing information relating to the monitored traffic for each of the plurality of computers, the information including an identifier of a requested service;
or(ii) receiving and storing information relating to traffic to, and/or from, a plurality of computers in the network, for each of the plurality of computers on the network the information including an identifier of a requested service; and
(b) selecting a first computer of the plurality of computers;
(c) reading the stored information related to the first computer and identifying, using the stored identifier of the requested service, at least one traffic flow to or from the first computer that corresponds to the requested service;
(d) using the stored information to identify the destination or origin of the identified traffic flow for the first computer, which traffic flow information includes the identifier of the requested service;
(e) using the identified destination or origin to identify one or more computers that are immediately upstream or downstream of the first computer; and
(f) determining a topology based on the identified one or more upstream or downstream computers.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of determining the topology of at least part of a network comprising the steps of: monitoring traffic to and/or from a plurality of computers in the network; storing information relating to the monitored traffic for each of the plurality of computers, the information including an identifier of a requested service; selecting a first computer of the plurality of computers; reading the stored information related to the first computer and identifying, using the stored identifier of the requested service, at least one traffic flow to or from the first computer that corresponds to the requested service; using the stored information to identify the destination or origin of the identified traffic flow for the first computer, which traffic flow information includes the identifier of the requested service; using the identified destination or origin to identify one or more computers that are immediately upstream or downstream of the first computer, and determining a topology based on the identified one or more upstream or downstream computers.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of determining the topology of at least part of a network comprising the steps of:
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(a) either (i) monitoring traffic to, and/or from, a plurality of computers in the network, storing information relating to the monitored traffic for each of the plurality of computers, the information including an identifier of a requested service;
or(ii) receiving and storing information relating to traffic to, and/or from, a plurality of computers in the network, for each of the plurality of computers on the network the information including an identifier of a requested service; and (b) selecting a first computer of the plurality of computers; (c) reading the stored information related to the first computer and identifying, using the stored identifier of the requested service, at least one traffic flow to or from the first computer that corresponds to the requested service; (d) using the stored information to identify the destination or origin of the identified traffic flow for the first computer, which traffic flow information includes the identifier of the requested service; (e) using the identified destination or origin to identify one or more computers that are immediately upstream or downstream of the first computer; and (f) determining a topology based on the identified one or more upstream or downstream computers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Computer apparatus for determining the topology of at least part of a network, the apparatus comprising a processor, a memory and an input in communication with, or comprising, a plurality of computers in a network each of which have been configured to monitor traffic to and/or from one of the plurality of computers and to transmit information relating to the monitored traffic to the input, the information including an identifier of a requested service;
- the computer apparatus configured to select a first computer of the plurality of computers, read the stored information related to the first computer and identify, using the stored identifier of the requested service, at least one traffic flow, to and/or from the first computer, that corresponds to the requested service;
use the stored information to identify the destination and/or origin of the identified traffic flow for the first computer, which traffic flow information includes the identifier of the requested service;
use the identified destination and/or origin to identify one or more computers that are immediately upstream and/or downstream of the first computer; anddetermine a topology based on the identified one or more upstream and/or downstream computers.
- the computer apparatus configured to select a first computer of the plurality of computers, read the stored information related to the first computer and identify, using the stored identifier of the requested service, at least one traffic flow, to and/or from the first computer, that corresponds to the requested service;
Specification