Network anaysis method for identifying global and local node servers and for determining a reconfigured network to provide improved traffic patterns

• US 5,712,981 A
• Filed: 06/20/1996
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.), Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.), Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: McKee, Neil H., Phaal, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowler, Alyssa H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gregson, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US08/667,340
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.01, 395/200.02, 395/200.1, 395/200.15, 370/229, 370/232, 370/233, 370/234
• US Class Current: 709/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13504 client/server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13522 traffic management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13544 modeling or simulation, particularly of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13545 monitoring of signaling messages, intelligent network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0083 Network planning or design; Modelling of planned or existing networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements

Abstract

A network analysis method is applied to traffic data collected in respect of a network of the type comprising a plurality of logical segments each with a plurality of nodes. The method involves processing the traffic data by preferentially removing traffic associated with nodes identified as acting as global servers, and using the remaining traffic to identify nodes acting as local servers. Upon the local servers being identified, the network analysis method carries out further processing to make suggestions as to whether any of these local servers should be moved to another logical segment and as to whether it would be worthwhile splitting a segment between two associated local servers.

Claims

1. A network analysis method for use in relation to a network of the type comprising a plurality of sub-networks each with a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring the network to collect and store traffic data indicative of linkage between nodes as judged by traffic therebetween, "linkage" meaning a level of interconnectivity between nodes as determined by a quantity of traffic therebetween;

(2) analyzing said traffic data to identify nodes acting as global servers, a global server being a node which communicates with nodes on plural sub-networks but without communicating predominantly with nodes on one sub-network;

(3) accessing said stored traffic data and removing traffic data associated with nodes identified as acting as global servers, and identifying nodes acting as local servers by analyzing stored traffic data remaining after said removing, a local server being a node which is a predominant communicator with nodes on one particular sub-network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (3) involves examining the traffic data to identify any candidate global server amongst said nodes where a candidate global server is a node whose linkage to any of said sub-networks is less than a first predetermined portion of its total linkage to all nodes, and

where a said candidate global server is identified, identifying the candidate global server with the highest total linkage, removing its associated traffic from the traffic data, and returning to the start of step (3) to repeat the step using the traffic data so modified;

where no such candidate global server is identified, examining the traffic data to identify any candidate local server amongst said nodes where a candidate local server is a node for which for the sub-network with the highest linkage thereto, this linkage is equal to or greater than a second predetermined portion of the total linkage of that candidate local server, and

where a said candidate local server is identified, identifying the candidate local server with the highest linkage, recording this candidate as a local server, removing its associated traffic from the traffic data, and returning to the start of step (3) to repeat the step using the traffic data so modified;

where no said candidate local server is identified, exiting step (3).

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said first predetermined portion and second predetermined portion are both about a half.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said traffic data is stored as traffic elements each providing an indication of traffic between a pair of said nodes, modification of the traffic data to remove traffic associated with a said server being effected by marking the relevant traffic elements as currently disabled.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the linkage of a node with other associated nodes is measured in terms of at least one of the following:

number of associated nodes;

number of frames involved in the traffic with the associated nodes;

number of bytes involved in the traffic with the associated nodes.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein in step (1) of claim 1 the monitoring of the network is carried out in such a manner as to enable role information to be gathered indicative of whether a node is acting in a server or client role in relation to individual traffic items associated therewith, the identification of a node as a global or local server in step (3) being effected without reference to traffic for which the node is acting as a client as indicated by said role information.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said role information is derived on the basis of the well known port status of the node end points associated with traffic passed between a pair of nodes, one node of said pair being identified as acting in a server role and the other node in a client role where the end point for said one node is a well known port whilst the other end point is otherwise.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein for at least one local server identified in step (3), determining an optimum sub-network for said local server, said determining involving assuming a change in location of the local server on each sub-network of said network, in turn, and evaluating for each such location of the local server, an optimal-location function that provides a measure of traffic between sub-networks that would be associated with the local server in a current assumed location, and identifying as said optimum sub-network, that sub-network for which evaluation of said optimal-location function indicates a minimum for said traffic between sub-networks.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said optimum-location function is a count of nodes that have communication linkage with said local server and are located on sub-networks other than one corresponding to the said current assumed location of the local server.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein for a local server whose said optimum sub-network has been determined, determining whether any of the nodes to which said local server has communication linkage as a server on said optimum sub-network, should be moved to said optimum sub-network;

said determining including testing for each node whether linkage between that node and the local server is about half or more of the total communication linkage of that node.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein for the group of local servers identified in step (3), each local server is selected in turn in order of descending linkage and for each such server;

(i) creating a respective workgroup therefor unless the local server concerned has already been allocated to another workgroup created in respect of a local server higher in said order,

(ii) if said respective workgroup has been created in (i) for the local server concerned, allocating the server to that respective workgroup, and

(iii) for any node whose linkage to the local server is about at least half of the total linkage of said node, allocating said node to the same workgroup as the local server.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein for at least one said sub-network, a determination is made whether it is worthwhile splitting the sub-network into two sub-networks, said determination further comprising the steps of:

(a) pruning each workgroup that has been created in respect of a local server located on a sub-network of interest, by removing from the workgroup any nodes that are inappropriate to include therein when considering the workgroup only in relation to the sub-network of interest;

(b) forming a respective further workgroup for each node of the sub-network of interest where that node is not already in a workgroup associated with the sub-network;

(c) merging the workgroups associated with the sub-network of interest until only two such workgroups remain; and

(d) deciding whether to split the sub-network by comparing an amount of traffic between the two workgroups remaining after step (c) with total traffic associated with each such workgroup.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein step (a) involves removing from a workgroup being pruned, any node that is located on a different sub-network to the one of interest, and any node whose inclusion in the workgroup relies directly or indirectly on its association with a node located on a different sub-network to the one of interest.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein step (c) involves an iterative process in which during each iteration, the workgroup with the smallest amount of associated traffic is merged with the workgroup with which it has the greatest linkage.

15. A method according to claim 8 wherein operations specified in claim 8 are carried out using the traffic data collected in step (1) of claim 1 but with all global server traffic removed.

16. A network analysis method for use in relation to a network of the type comprising a plurality of sub-networks each with a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring the network to collect and store traffic data between nodes as indicative of linkage between said nodes, "linkage" meaning a level of interconnectivity between nodes as determined by a quantity of traffic therebetween;

(2) processing the traffic data to identify nodes acting as local servers, a local server being a node which is a predominant communicator with nodes on one particular sub-network; and

(3) determining for at least one of the local servers identified in step (2), an optimum sub-network for the at least one local server, said determining assuming a change in location of the at least one local server on each sub-network in turn, and evaluating for each changed location of the at least one local server, an optimal-location function that provides a measure of traffic between sub-networks that would be associated with the at least one local server in an assumed current location, said determining further identifying as said optimum sub-network, that sub-network for which evaluation of said function indicates a minimum of traffic between sub-networks.

17. A network analysis method for use in relation to a network having a logical segment with a plurality of nodes, for the purpose of determining whether it is worthwhile splitting the logical segment into two such segments, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring the logical segment to collect and store traffic data indicative of the linkage between the nodes of the segment as judged by traffic therebetween;

(2) carrying out a first iterative process for analyzing the segment traffic data to classify said nodes into workgroups each with a local server and one or more client nodes, each iteration of this first iterative process involving allocating the node with the greatest traffic linkage to a respective new workgroup as a local server, further allocating as client nodes to the same workgroup those nodes whose linkage to the local server node is greater than a predetermined portion of the total linkage of the node concerned, and modifying the traffic data by removal of traffic associated with the new workgroup;

(3) carrying out a second iterative process for merging the workgroups identified in step (2) to leave two remaining workgroups, each iteration of this second iterative process involving identifying the workgroup with the smallest amount of associated traffic and merging it with the workgroup with which it has the greatest linkage; and

(4) deciding whether it is worthwhile splitting the logical segment by comparing the amount of traffic between the two workgroups left remaining after step (3) with the total traffic associated with each such workgroup.

18. A memory product for enabling a computer means to perform analysis of a network of the type comprising a plurality of sub-networks, each with a plurality of nodes, the memory product comprising:

means for enabling the computer means to monitor the network to collect and store traffic data indicative of linkage between nodes as judged by traffic therebetween, "linkage" meaning a level of interconnectivity between nodes as determined by a quantity of traffic therebetween;

means for enabling the computer means to analyze said traffic data to identify nodes acting as global servers, a global server being a node which communicates with nodes on plural sub-networks but without communicating predominantly with nodes on one sub-network;

means for causing said computer means to access said stored traffic data and to remove traffic data associated with nodes identified as acting as global servers; and

means for enabling the computer means to identify nodes acting as local servers by analyzing stored traffic data remaining after said removing, a local server being a node which is a predominant communicator with nodes on one particular sub-network.

19. A memory product for use with a computer means to enable said computer means to analyze a network comprising a plurality of sub-networks each with a plurality of nodes, the memory product comprising:

means for controlling the computer means to monitor the network to collect and store traffic data between nodes as indicative of linkage between said nodes, "linkage" meaning a level of interconnectivity between nodes as determined by a quantity of traffic therebetween;

means for controlling the computer means to process the traffic data to identify nodes acting as local servers, a local server being a node which is a predominant communicator with nodes on one particular sub-network; and

means for causing the computer means to determine, for at least one identified node acting as a local server, an optimum sub-network for the at least one identified node, said computer means controlled to assume a change in location of the at least one identified node on each sub-network, in turn, and to evaluate for each changed location, an optimal-location function that provides a measure of traffic between sub-networks that would be associated with the at least one identified node in an assumed current location, and to further identify as said optimum sub-network, that sub-network for which evaluation of said function indicates a minimum of traffic between sub-networks.