Information security analysis system

• US 6,549,208 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SilentRunner, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Suit, John M., Scott, Christopher J., Woodus, Francis M., Karolchik, Joseph, Maloney, Michael P., Rubel, Rich
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/903,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 345/418, 345/419
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/022 by sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00

Abstract

The analysis system is a collection, configuration and integration of software programs that reside on multiple interconnected computer platforms. The software, less computer operating systems, is a combination of sensor, analysis, data conversion, and visualization programs. The hardware platforms consist of several different types of interconnected computers, which share the software programs, data files, and visualization programs via a Local Area Network (LAN). This collection and integration of software and the migration to a single computer platform results in an approach to LAN/WAN monitoring in either a passive and/or active mode. The architecture permits digital data input from external sensors for analysis, display and correlation with data and displays derived from four major software concept groups. These are: Virus Computer Code Detection; Analysis of Computer Source and Executable Code; Dynamic Monitoring of Data Communication Networks; 3-D Visualization and Animation of Data.

Claims

1. A method of visualization and animation of a data communications network, comprising:

gathering information on the physical and virtual characteristics of a communications network;

generating a knowledge base of the gathered information;

parsing the information in the generated knowledge base to generate data in selected categories in readable format;

analyzing the data in the selected categories to create associations to characterize the communications network;

processing the analyzed data to generate network signals to determine participant utilization of the communications network;

transferring the generated network signals to a rendering engine; and

processing in the rendering engine the generated network signals to output network display signals.

2. The method for visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein generating a knowledge base comprises construction of a nodal network diagram.

3. The method for visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein generating a knowledge base comprises documenting and organizing data in a network functional configuration.

4. The for visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein gathering information comprises gathering information to determine participant use of the communications network at a given point in time.

5. The method for visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein gathering information further comprises gathering information on configuration changes in the communications network over selectable time intervals.

6. The method for visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein analyzing the data comprises converting the generated data to vector-based nodal diagrams.

7. A method of visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein gathering information comprises retrieving connectivity and functionality data and wherein processing the generated network signals outputs network connectivity and functionality display signals.

8. The method of visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein gathering information comprises retrieving physical and virtual characteristic data of the communications network, and processing the generated network signals outputs network physical and virtual characteristic display signals.

9. A method of visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 1 wherein gathering information comprises retrieving source code and executable code network data, and processing the generated network signals outputs network source code and executable code display signals.

10. A method for visualization and animation of a communications network, comprising:

storing a visualization set-up file to supply information and data for processing;

accessing on a selective basis the stored visualization set-up file;

transferring the accessed set-up file to a visualization processor;

gathering information on the physical and virtual characteristics of the communications network;

generating a knowledge base of the gathered information;

parsing the information in the generated knowledge base to generate data in selected categories in readable format;

analyzing the data in the selected categories to create associations to characterize the communications network;

processing the analyzed data to generate network signals to determine participant utilization of the communications network;

transferring the generated network signals to a rendering engine; and

processing in the rendering engine the generated network signals to output network related display signals.

11. A method of visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 10 further comprising:

storing a field key file for subsequent processing; and

accessing on a selective basis comprises accessing the visualization set-up file and the field key file.

12. A method of visualization and animation of a digital communications network as set forth in claim 10 further comprising generating user input data for control of the rendering engine;

and processing in the rendering engine comprises processing the user input data and the generated network signals to output network related display signals in accordance with the user input data.

13. A method of visualization and animation of a plurality of communications networks, comprising:

storing a visualization set-up data file to supply information and data for processing;

storing a network linking data file related to each of the plurality of communications networks;

storing a field key file for subsequent processing;

accessing on a selective basis each of the stored files;

transferring the accessed file data to a visualization processor;

gathering information on the physical and virtual characteristics of the plurality of communications networks;

generating a knowledge base of the gathered information;

parsing the information in the generated knowledge base to generate data in selected categories in readable format;

analyzing the data in the selected categories to create associations to characterize the plurality of communications networks;

transferring the analyzed data to the visualization processor;

processing the accessed file data and the analyzed data to generate network data signals for display;

generating user input data for control of a rendering engine;

transferring the generated network data signals to the rendering engine; and

processing in the rendering engine the user input data and the generated network data signals to output network connectivity and functionality display signals in accordance with the user input data.

14. The method for visualization and animation of a plurality of communications networks as set forth in claim 13, wherein gathering information comprises retrieving connectivity and functionality data wherein processing the generated network data signals and the user input data outputs network connectivity and functionality display signals.

15. A method of visualization and animation of a plurality of communications networks, comprising:

storing a visualization set-up data file to supply information and data for processing;

storing a network linking data file related to each of the plurality of communications networks;

storing a field key file for subsequent processing;

accessing on a selective basis each of the stored files;

transferring the accessed file data to a visualization processor;

retrieving data related to each of the plurality of digital communications networks;

transferring the retrieved data to the visualization processor;

processing the retrieved data and accessed file data to generate network data signals for display;

generating user input data for control of a rendering engine;

transferring the generated network data signals to the rendering engine; and

processing in the rendering engine the user input data and the generated network data signals to output network connectivity and functionality display signals in accordance with the user in put data.

16. A method or visualization and animation of a digital communications network as set forth in claim 15 wherein retrieving network related data comprises retrieving connectivity and functionality data and wherein processing the generated network data signals outputs network connectivity and functionality display signals.

17. The method for visualization and animation of a communications network as set forth in claim 15 further comprising simultaneously displaying one or more of the communications networks in an interactive configuration.