NETWORK ANALYSIS ASSISTANCE DEVICE, NETWORK ASSESSMENT DEVICE, NETWORK ANALYSIS ASSISTANCE METHOD, NETWORK ASSESSMENT METHOD, NETWORK ANALYSIS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND NETWORK ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

• US 20140047112A1
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Komiya, Noriyuki, Nakata, Masanori, Ochiai, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,660,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/064 involving time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A first electronic message collector collects electronic messages travelling on a first network and stores the electronic messages in a first storage. A second electronic message collector collects electronic messages travelling on a second network and stores the electronic messages in a second storage. An electronic message associator retains a mapping table in which the correlation, or similar, between electronic messages travelling from the first network to a gateway device and electronic messages travelling from the gateway device the second network are defined. The electronic message associator references the mapping table and associates the electronic messages stored in the second storage with the electronic messages stored in the first storage. From the result of the above-mentioned association, a status analyzer determines whether or not receipt of electronic message between the first network and the second network is accomplished normally.

Claims

1. A network analysis assistance device for assisting analysis of networks in a system comprising a first device, a gateway device and a second device, the network analysis assistance device comprising:

a first electronic message collector that connects to a first network to which the first device and the gateway device are connected, and collects electronic messages traveling on the first network;

a second electronic message collector that connects to a second network to which the gateway device and the second device are connected, and collects electronic messages traveling on the second network;

a mapping table in which the correlation between an electronic message travelling from the first network to the gateway device and an electronic message travelling on the second network from the gateway device, and the correlation between an electronic message travelling from the second network to the gateway device and an electronic message travelling on the first network from the gateway device, are defined;

an electronic message associator that associates electronic messages collected by the first electronic message collector and electronic messages collected by the second electronic message collector, with reference to the mapping table; and

a status analyzer that determines whether or not receipt of electronic messages between the first network and the second network is accomplished normally, from the results of the association by the electronic message associator.

2. The network analysis assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising display that displays the results of the determination by the status analyzer.

3. The network analysis assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the status analyzer finds delay times for electronic messages output from the gateway device to one of the networks, for electronic messages input into the gateway device from the other network, from the results of the association by the electronic message associator, and accomplishes the determination based on the delay times found.

4. The network analysis assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the status analyzer accomplishes the determination using statistical data constructed by statistically processing the delay times.

5. The network analysis assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the statistical data indicates a frequency distribution of the delay times.

6. The network analysis assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the statistical data is classified as the delay times in the direction from the first network toward the second network, and the delay times from the second network toward the first network, each being separately constructed.

7. The network analysis assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the statistical data is classified by electronic message contents, each being separately constructed.

8. A network test device for testing operation of a gateway device connecting a first network and a second network, this network test device comprising:

a first electronic message receiver that be connected to the first network for receiving electronic messages traveling on the first network;

a second electronic message receiver that be connected to the second network for receiving electronic messages traveling on the second network;

a received electronic message storage that stores electronic messages respectively received by the first electronic message receiver and the second electronic message receiver;

a mapping information creator that estimates the correlation between input electronic messages input into the gateway device from the first network and output electronic messages output on the second network from the gateway device, based on multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage and creating mapping information consisting of information obtained as a result of estimation;

an object information database in which properties and property values are correlated in levels for all or a portion of the objects managed by the gateway device;

a test electronic message creator that creates an input electronic message for test based on the mapping information and the object information database;

an electronic message sender that outputs the input electronic message for test to the first network; and

a test result determiner whether or not the test results are normal, based on one or multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage after output of the input electronic message for test by the electronic message sender, and the mapping information.

9. The network test device according to claim 8, further comprising display that displays results of the determination by the test result determiner.

10. The network test device according to claim 8, wherein the mapping information indicates the correlation between objects included in the input electronic messages and command classifications and equipment addresses included in the output electronic messages.

11. The network test device according to claim 10, wherein the mapping information creator divides the objects contained in the input electronic messages into multiple pieces of partial information, and creates the mapping information by estimating the correlation between each piece of partial information and command classifications or equipment addresses contained in the output electronic messages.

12. The network test device according to claim 8, wherein:

input electronic messages for normal test whose property values are normal and input electronic messages for abnormal test whose property values are not normal are included in the input electronic messages for test; and

the test result determiner determines, the input electronic messages for abnormal test, that the test results are normal when corresponding output electronic messages are not stored in the received electronic message storage, and determines that the test results are abnormal when corresponding output electronic messages are stored in the received electronic message storage.

13. The network test device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a sequence diagram creator that creates a sequence diagram showing the order of handling associated electronic messages between the first network and the second network via the gateway device, based on one or multiple electronic messages stores in the received electronic message storage after output of the input electronic messages for test by the electronic message sender;

wherein the second display displays the sequence diagram created by the sequence diagram creator.

14. The network test device according to claim 9, further comprising:

an object status acquirer that acquires the status of objects included in the input electronic messages, based on one or multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage after output of the input electronic messages for test by the electronic message sender;

wherein the second display displays in a prescribed format the status of the objects acquired by the object status acquirer.

15. A network analysis assistance method for assisting analysis of networks in a system comprising a first device, a gateway device and a second device, the network analysis assistance method comprising:

a first electronic message collection step that collects electronic messages traveling on a first network to which the first device and the gateway device are connected;

a second electronic message collection step that collects electronic messages traveling on a second network to which the gateway device and the second device are connected;

an electronic message association step that associates electronic messages collected in the first electronic message collection step and electronic messages collected in the second electronic message collection step, with reference to a mapping table in which the correlation between an electronic message travelling from the first network to the gateway device and an electronic message travelling on the second network from the gateway device, and the correlation between an electronic message travelling from the second network to the gateway device and an electronic message travelling on the first network from the gateway device, are defined; and

a status analysis step that determines whether or not receipt of electronic messages between the first network and the second network is accomplished normally, from the results of the association in the electronic message association step.

16. A network test method for testing operation of a gateway device connected to a first network and a second network, the network test method comprising:

a first electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the first network;

a second electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the second network;

a received electronic message storer step that stores in a received electronic message storage electronic messages respectively received by the first electronic message receiving step and the second electronic message receiving step;

a mapping information creation step that estimates the correlation between input electronic messages input into the gateway device from the first network and output electronic messages output on the second network from the gateway device, based on multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage, and creating mapping information consisting of information obtained as a result of estimation;

a test electronic message creation step that creates input electronic messages for test based on the mapping information and an object information database in which properties and property values are correlated in levels for all or a portion of the objects managed by the gateway device;

an electronic message sending step that outputs the input electronic messages for test to the first network; and

a test result determining step that determines whether or not the test results are normal, based on one or multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage after output of the input electronic messages for test in the electronic message sending step, and the mapping information.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored thereof a network analysis assistance program for assisting analysis of networks in a system comprising a first device, a gateway device and a second device, the network analysis assistance program causing a computer to execute:

a first electronic message collection step that collects electronic messages traveling on a first network to which the first device and the gateway device are connected;

a second electronic message collection step that collects electronic messages traveling on a second network to which the gateway device and the second device are connected;

an electronic message association step that associates electronic messages collected in the first electronic message collection step and electronic messages collected in the second electronic message collection step, with reference to a mapping table in which the correlation between an electronic message travelling from the first network to the gateway device and an electronic message travelling on the second network from the gateway device, and the correlation between an electronic message travelling from the second network to the gateway device and an electronic message travelling on the first network from the gateway device, are defined; and

a status analysis step that determines whether or not receipt of electronic messages between the first network and the second network is accomplished normally, from the results of the association in the electronic message association step.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored thereof a network test program for testing operation of a gateway device connected to a first network and a second network, this network test program:

a first electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the first network;

a second electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the second network;

a received electronic message storer step that stores in a received electronic message storage electronic messages respectively received in the first electronic message receiving step and the second electronic message receiving step;

a mapping information creation step that estimates the correlation between input electronic messages input into the gateway device from the first network and output electronic messages output on the second network from the gateway device, based on multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage, and creating mapping information consisting of information obtained as a result of estimation;

a test electronic message creation step that creates input electronic messages for test based on the mapping information and an object information database in which properties and property values are correlated in levels for all or a portion of the objects managed by the gateway device;

an electronic message sending step that outputs the input electronic messages for test to the first network; and

a test result determining step that determines whether or not the test results are normal, based on one or multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage after output of the input electronic messages for test in the electronic message sending step, and the mapping information.