CONFIGURING NETWORK DEVICES USING COMPILATIONS OF COHERENT SUBSECTIONS OF CONFIGURATION SETTINGS

• US 20130339495A1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aerohive Networks Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Palmer, Matthew A., Mower, Carl S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A method of configuring a networking device comprises: collecting data regarding the networking device; conveying the data to a remote server; selecting configuration slice instances based on the data using the server, wherein templates for the slice instances are stored on the server; compiling the configuration slice instances using the server; and delivering the compiled configuration slice instances to the networking device; wherein the slice instances are coherent sub-sections of configuration settings for the networking device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a slice instances datastore configured to store coherent subsections of network device configuration settings;

a slice selection engine, coupled to the slice instances datastore, comprising a plurality of slice identification engines configured to identify a subset of the coherent subsections of network device configuration settings;

a slice compilation engine, coupled to the slice selection engine, configured to assemble the subset of the coherent subsections of network device configuration settings identified by the slice identification engines into a configuration for a network device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a security slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a security slice identification engine coupled to the security slice datastore, wherein, in operation, the security slice identification engine identifies a security slice that is valid for the network device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a geographic slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a geographic slice identification engine coupled to the geographic slice datastore, wherein, in operation, the geographic slice identification engine identifies a geographic slice that matches a geographic location of the network device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a geographic slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a geographic slice identification engine coupled to the geographic slice datastore, wherein, in operation, the geographic slice identification engine identifies a geographic slice that matches a LAN associated with an authentication of the network device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a device group slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a device group slice identification engine coupled to the device group slice datastore, wherein, in operation, the device group slice identification engine identifies a device group slice that matches a device parameter of the network device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a device group slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a device group slice identification engine coupled to the device group slice datastore;

wherein, in operation;

the device group slice identification engine identifies multiple device group slices that match a device parameter of the network device;

the slice selection engine selects one of the multiple device group slices for the network device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a device group slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a device group slice identification engine coupled to the device group slice datastore;

wherein, in operation;

the device group slice identification engine identifies multiple device group slices that match a device parameter of the network device;

the slice selection engine merges at least two of the multiple device group slices into a single device group slice for the network device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a user role slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a user role slice identification engine coupled to the user role slice datastore, wherein, in operation, the user role slice identification engine identifies a user role slice that matches a role of a user of the network device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a user role slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a user role slice identification engine coupled to the user role slice datastore;

wherein, in operation;

the user role slice identification engine identifies multiple user role slices that match a role of a user of the network device;

the slice selection engine merges at least two of the multiple user role slices into a single user role slice for the network device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the slice instances datastore includes a user custom slice datastore;

the plurality of slice identifications engines include a user custom slice identification engine coupled to the user custom slice datastore, wherein, in operation, the user custom slice identification engine identifies a user custom slice that matches user-customized characteristics for the network device.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network management engine configured to provide user attributes to the slice selection engine, wherein, in operation, the slice selection engine identifies a slice of the subset of coherent subsections of network device configuration settings for the network device using a subset of the user attributes applicable to a user of the network device.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network management engine configured to provide device attributes of the network device to the slice selection engine, wherein, in operation, the slice selection engine identifies a slice of the subset of coherent subsections of network device configuration settings for the network device using the device attributes.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network management engine configured to provide network attributes to the slice selection engine, wherein, in operation, the slice selection engine identifies a slice of the subset of coherent subsections of network device configuration settings for the network device using a subset of the network attributes applicable to a network with which the network device will attempt, is attempting, or has attempted to associate.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a templates datastore configured to store data structures comprising a set of configuration variables;

a slice editing engine, coupled to the templates datastore, wherein, in operation, the slice editing engine generates a slice instance with one or more of the set of configuration variables of one of the data structures instantiated with one or more values;

a slice deployment engine, coupled to the slice editing engine, wherein, in operation, the slice deployment engine provides the slice instance to the slice instances datastore in response to a deployment instruction.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a device configuration datastore coupled to the slice compilation engine, wherein, in operation, the slice compilation engine provides the configuration for the network device to the device configuration datastore;

a network management engine coupled to the device configuration datastore, wherein, in operation, the network management engine provisions the network device with the configuration for the network device.

16. A method comprising:

generating a first instance of a first coherent subsection of configuration settings with first configuration types, including a first configuration type, and first values, including a first value, for the first configuration types;

generating a second instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings with the first configuration types and second values, including a second value, for the first configuration types, wherein the first value for the first configuration type is different from the second value for the first configuration type;

generating a first instance of a second coherent subsection of configuration settings with second configuration types, including a second configuration type, and third values, including a third value, for the third configuration types;

generating a second instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings with the second configuration types and fourth values, including a fourth value, for the second configuration types, wherein the third value for the second configuration type is different from the fourth value for the second configuration type;

compiling a full configuration for a first network device, the full configuration for the first network device including the first instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings and the first instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings;

compiling a full configuration for a second network device, the full configuration for the second network device including the second instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings and the second instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings;

conveying the full configuration for the first network device to the first network device;

conveying the full configuration for the second network device to the second network device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings is a first slice, the second instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings is a second slice, the first instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings is a third slice, the second instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings is a fourth slice, the full configuration for the first network device includes the first slice and the third slice, and the full configuration for the second network device includes the second slice and the fourth slice.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

matching the first instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings to first user, device, or network attributes applicable to the first network device;

matching the first instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings to second user, device, or network attributes applicable to the first network device;

matching the second instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings to the first user, device, or network attributes applicable to the second network device;

matching the second instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings to the second user, device, or network attributes applicable to the second network device.

19. A system comprising:

a means for generating a first instance of a first coherent subsection of configuration settings with first configuration types, including a first configuration type, and first values, including a first value, for the first configuration types;

a means for generating a second instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings with the first configuration types and second values, including a second value, for the first configuration types, wherein the first value for the first configuration type is different from the second value for the first configuration type;

a means for generating a first instance of a second coherent subsection of configuration settings with second configuration types, including a second configuration type, and third values, including a third value, for the third configuration types;

a means for generating a second instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings with the second configuration types and fourth values, including a fourth value, for the second configuration types, wherein the third value for the second configuration type is different from the fourth value for the second configuration type;

a means for compiling a full configuration for a first network device, the full configuration for the first network device including the first instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings and the first instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings;

a means for compiling a full configuration for a second network device, the full configuration for the second network device including the second instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings and the second instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings;

a means for conveying the full configuration for the first network device to the first network device;

a means for conveying the full configuration for the second network device to the second network device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a means for matching the first instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings to first user, device, or network attributes applicable to the first network device;

a means for matching the first instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings to second user, device, or network attributes applicable to the first network device;

a means for matching the second instance of the first coherent subsection of configuration settings to the first user, device, or network attributes applicable to the second network device;

a means for matching the second instance of the second coherent subsection of configuration settings to the second user, device, or network attributes applicable to the second network device.