System and method for improving traffic analysis and network modeling

• US 7,035,934 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2000
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.), Raytheon BBN Technlogies Corp. (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.), BBNT Solutions LLC (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Eddie Huey Chiun
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARQADLE, YASIN M
• Application Number:
  US09/533,148
• Time in Patent Office: 2,224 Days
• Field of Search: 709238-245, 709/218, 709/249, 370/252, 370/254, 370/392, 370/356, 3703953-39532, 370/252.1
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00

Abstract

A system (800) improves a network designer'"'"'s ability to analyze a data network having several routers. The system (800) accesses static routing information and/or open shortest path first route summarization information, determines an identity of a network prefix using the accessed information, and analyzes the data network using the determined identity. The network designer can use this determined identity for traffic analysis or modeling of the data network.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing a data network having a plurality of routers comprising:

accessing at least one of a static routing table and a route summarization table;

determining if a particular network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

setting an identity of the network device to an identity in the static routing table or the route summarization table that corresponds to the network prefix if it is determined that the network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

determining an identity of the network device based on the network prefix corresponding to the set identity; and

analyzing the data network using the determined identity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining includes:

determining router information, interface information, and association information for the network prefix.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing includes:

analyzing traffic of the data network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing includes:

modeling the data network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining includes:

determining an identity of an exit or entry router in the data network.

6. A system for analyzing a data network having a plurality of routers, said system comprising:

means for accessing at least one of a static routing table and a route summarization table;

means for determining if a particular network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

means for setting an identity of the network device to an identity in the static routing table or the route summarization table that corresponds to the network prefix if it is determined that the network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

means for determining an identity of the network device based on the network prefix corresponding to the set identity; and

means for analyzing the data network using the determined identity.

7. A system for analyzing a data network, said system comprising:

a memory configured to store information representing a static routing table and a route summarization table; and

a processor configured to;

access at least one of the static routing table and the route summarization table;

determine if a particular network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

set an identity of the network device to an identity in the static routing table or the route summarization table that corresponds to the network prefix if it is determined that the network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

determine an identity of the network device based on the network prefix corresponding to the set identity; and

analyze the data network using the determined identity.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein, when determining, the processor is configured to:

determine router information, interface information, and association information for the network prefix.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein, when analyzing, the processor is configured to:

analyze traffic of the data network using the determined identity.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein, when analyzing, the processor is configured to:

model the data network using the determined identity.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein, when determining, the processor is configured to:

determine an identity of an exit or entry router in the data network.

12. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method that analyzes a data network having a plurality of routers, the method comprising:

accessing at least one of a static routing table and a route summarization table from a router;

determining if a particular network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

setting an identity of the network device to an identity in the static routing table or the route summarization table that corresponds to the network prefix if it is determined that the network prefix is included in the static routing table or the route summarization table;

determining an identity of the network device based on the network prefix corresponding to the set identity; and

analyzing the data network using the determined identity.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the determining includes:

determining router information, interface information, and association information for the network prefix.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the analyzing includes:

analyzing traffic of the data network.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the analyzing includes:

modeling the data network.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the determining includes:

determining an identity of an exit or entry router in the data network.

17. A method for determining an identity of a network device, the network device being associated with a network prefix, the method comprising:

accessing one or more of a border gateway protocol peering table, a static route table, an open shortest path first route summarization table, and a network topology table;

determining whether one or more of the accessed tables contains the network prefix;

setting an identity of the network device to an identity in one or more of the accessed tables that corresponds to the network prefix if it is determined that the network prefix is included in one or more of the accessed tables; and

determining the identity of the network device based on the network prefix corresponding to the set identity.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the determining an identity includes:

determining router information, interface information, and association information.

19. A system for determining an identity of a network device, the network device being associated with a network prefix, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store one or more of a border gateway protocol peering table, a static route table, an open shortest path first route summarization table, and a network topology table; and

a processor configured to;

access, from the memory, one or more of the border gateway protocol peering table, the static route table, the open shortest path first route summarization table, and the network topology table;

determine whether one of the accessed tables contains the network prefix;

set an identity of the network device to an identity in one or more of the accessed tables that corresponds to the network prefix if it is determined that the network prefix is included in one or more of the accessed tables; and

determine the identity of the network device based on the network prefix corresponding to the set identity.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein, when determining an identity, the processor is configured to:

determine router information, interface information, and association information.

21. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method that determines an identity of a network device, the network device being associated with a network prefix, the method comprising:

accessing, from a router, one or more of a border gateway protocol peering table, a static route table, an open shortest path first route summarization table, and a network topology table;

determining whether one of the accessed tables contains the network prefix;

setting an identity of the network device to an identity in one or more of the accessed tables that corresponds to the network prefix if it is determined that the network prefix is included in one or more of the accessed tables; and

determining the identity of the network device based on the network prefix corresponding to the set identity.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the determining an identity includes:

determining router information, interface information, and association information.