Systems, apparatus and methods for managing networking devices
First Claim
1. A decentralized network management system, comprising:
- a networking database module disposed at least two of a plurality of nodes of a communications network, each networking database module comprising a data repository having a plurality of networking device configuration data corresponding to a local networking device and a plurality of remotely-located peer networking devices each associated with one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the local networking device and each remotely-located peer networking device operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at a corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to at least a portion of the plurality of networking device configuration data;
an adaptive networking module disposed at the at least two of the plurality of nodes and operable to receive actual performance data or actual security data associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of peer networking devices, each adaptive networking module further operable to generate new networking device configuration data based on the actual performance data or the actual security data and based on determining that the new networking device configuration data improves local networking device performance or security and remotely-located networking device performance or security by taking into account the plurality of networking device configuration data of both the local networking device and the plurality of remotely-located peer networking devices, wherein the new networking device configuration data is different from the plurality of networking device configuration data; and
a replication module disposed at the at least two of the plurality of nodes, wherein each replication module is operable in a two-way, decentralized manner to update the plurality of networking device configuration data with the new networking device configuration data generated at or received at the corresponding node, and to transmit the new networking device configuration data generated at the corresponding node to another replication module at, at least, one other one of the plurality of nodes to synchronize the plurality of networking device configuration data for the plurality of peer networking devices between the respective nodes, wherein the local networking device or one of the remotely-located peer networking devices operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at the corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to the new networking device configuration data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided are systems, apparatus and methods for the management and control of a plurality of networking devices. Embodiments include a database at each node of a communications network, where the database stores all networking and/or security data associated with each networking device at all nodes. Further, a replication module communicates any networking and/or security data changes to the databases, and insures that each database has the same information. Other embodiments may include an adaptive networking module operable to analyze and optimize the behavior, performance and/or security of the networking devices, and a simulation module to insure that any optimization-related changes do not adversely affect any of the networking devices. Therefore, the network management systems, apparatus and methods advantageously provide a decentralized system of all networking and/or security data that allows each network node to individually optimize its, and the entire network'"'"'s, networking performance and security.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A decentralized network management system, comprising:
-
a networking database module disposed at least two of a plurality of nodes of a communications network, each networking database module comprising a data repository having a plurality of networking device configuration data corresponding to a local networking device and a plurality of remotely-located peer networking devices each associated with one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the local networking device and each remotely-located peer networking device operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at a corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to at least a portion of the plurality of networking device configuration data; an adaptive networking module disposed at the at least two of the plurality of nodes and operable to receive actual performance data or actual security data associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of peer networking devices, each adaptive networking module further operable to generate new networking device configuration data based on the actual performance data or the actual security data and based on determining that the new networking device configuration data improves local networking device performance or security and remotely-located networking device performance or security by taking into account the plurality of networking device configuration data of both the local networking device and the plurality of remotely-located peer networking devices, wherein the new networking device configuration data is different from the plurality of networking device configuration data; and a replication module disposed at the at least two of the plurality of nodes, wherein each replication module is operable in a two-way, decentralized manner to update the plurality of networking device configuration data with the new networking device configuration data generated at or received at the corresponding node, and to transmit the new networking device configuration data generated at the corresponding node to another replication module at, at least, one other one of the plurality of nodes to synchronize the plurality of networking device configuration data for the plurality of peer networking devices between the respective nodes, wherein the local networking device or one of the remotely-located peer networking devices operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at the corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to the new networking device configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
15. A decentralized networking system, comprising:
-
a plurality of peer networking devices associated with a plurality of interconnected nodes of a communications network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes includes at least one of the plurality of peer networking devices, wherein each peer networking device operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at a corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to a corresponding set of networking device configuration data; a networking database at least two of the plurality of nodes, wherein the networking database at a first one of the plurality of nodes comprises a first plurality of sets of networking device configuration data comprising a first set of at least one of networking data or security data associated with a first local networking device at the first node and each remotely-located one of the plurality of peer networking devices; wherein the networking database at a second one of the plurality of nodes-comprises a second plurality of sets of networking device configuration data comprising a second set of at least one of networking data or security data associated with a second networking device at the second node and each remotely-located one of the plurality of peer networking devices; an adaptive networking module disposed at the at least two of the plurality of nodes and operable to receive actual performance data or actual security data associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of peer networking devices, each adaptive networking module further operable to generate new networking device configuration data based on the actual performance data or the actual security data and based on determining that the new networking device configuration data improves local networking device performance or security and remotely-located networking device performance or security by taking into account the plurality of networking device configuration data of both the local networking device and the plurality of remotely-located peer networking devices, wherein the new networking device configuration data is different from the first or second plurality of sets of networking device configuration data; and a replication module at the at least two of the plurality of nodes, wherein each replication module is operable in a two-way, decentralized manner to update the respective plurality of sets of networking device configuration data with the new networking device configuration data generated at or received at the corresponding node, and to transmit the new networking device configuration data generated at the corresponding node to another replication module at, at least, one other one of the plurality of nodes to synchronize the first plurality of sets of networking device configuration data and the second plurality of sets of networking device configuration data, wherein a local one or a remote one of the plurality of peer networking device operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at the corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to the new networking device configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (26)
-
-
16. A decentralized method of managing a communications network, comprising:
-
maintaining a data repository at least two of a plurality of nodes each having at least one peer networking device, where each data repository comprises networking device configuration data associated with a local peer networking device and each remotely-located peer networking device at each of the plurality of nodes, wherein each peer networking device operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at a corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to at least a portion of the networking device configuration data; receiving or generating, at any one of the at least two of the plurality of nodes, new networking device configuration data based on actual performance data or actual security data and based on determining that the new networking device configuration data improves local networking device performance or security and remotely-located networking device performance or security by taking into account the networking device configuration data of both the local peer networking device and the plurality of remotely-located peer networking devices, wherein the new networking device configuration data is different from the networking device configuration data; and updating, in a two-way, decentralized manner, the networking device configuration data with the new networking device configuration data generated at or received at the corresponding node, and transmitting the new networking device configuration data if generated at the corresponding node to at least one other one of the plurality of nodes, to synchronize the networking device configuration data for the corresponding peer networking devices, wherein the local networking device or one of the remotely-located peer networking devices operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at the corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to the new networking device configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (27)
-
-
17. A decentralized method of adaptive networking, comprising:
-
receiving, at any one of a plurality of nodes each having a corresponding one of a plurality of peer networking devices in a communications network, performance data or security data associated with the corresponding local peer networking device, wherein the plurality of peer networking devices each operates or manage communications for one or more networked devices at the respective node according to at least a portion of a plurality of networking device configuration data; comparing, at any one of the plurality of nodes, the received performance data or security data to a standard and identifying anomalous data; generating, at any one of the plurality of nodes, proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data based on the identified anomalous data and based on determining that the proposed performance-related or security-related networking device configuration data improves local networking device performance or security and remotely-located networking device performance or security by taking into account the plurality of networking device configuration data of both the local peer networking device and the remotely-located ones of the plurality of peer networking devices, where the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or the proposed security-related networking device configuration data respectively results in new performance data or new security data falling within the standard; and causing, at any one of the plurality of nodes in a two-way, decentralized manner, synchronization of a data repository at each of the plurality of nodes and associated with each of the plurality of peer networking devices, with the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data generated by the local networking device or by one of the remotely-located networking devices, wherein the data repository at each of the plurality of nodes comprises the plurality of networking device configuration data for each of the plurality of peer networking devices, wherein the local networking device or one of the remotely-located networking devices operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at the corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 28)
-
-
20. A computer program product, comprising:
-
a non-transitory computer-usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to manage networking information in a decentralized manner, the control logic comprising; first computer readable program code for maintaining a data repository at least two of a plurality of nodes each having at least one peer networking device, where each data repository comprises networking device configuration data associated with a local peer networking device and each remotely-located peer networking device at each of the plurality of nodes, wherein each peer networking device operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at a corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to at least a portion of the networking device configuration data; second computer readable program code for receiving or generating, at any one of the at least two of the plurality of nodes, new networking device configuration data based on actual performance data or actual security data and based on determining that the new networking device configuration data improves local networking device performance or security and remotely-located networking device performance or security by taking into account the networking device configuration data of both the local peer networking device and the plurality of remotely-located peer networking devices, wherein the new networking device configuration data is different from the networking device configuration data; and third computer readable program code for updating, in a two-way, decentralized manner, the networking device configuration data with the new networking device configuration data generated at or received at the corresponding node, and transmitting the new networking device configuration data if generated at the corresponding node to at least one other one of the plurality of nodes, to synchronize the networking device configuration data for the corresponding peer networking devices, wherein the local networking device or one of the remotely-located peer networking devices operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at the corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to the new networking device configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (29)
-
-
21. A computer program product, comprising:
-
a non-transitory computer-usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to adaptively manage networking information in a decentralized manner, the control logic comprising; first computer readable program code for receiving, at any one node of a plurality of nodes having a corresponding one of a plurality of peer networking devices in a communications network, performance data or security data associated with the corresponding local peer networking device, wherein the plurality of peer networking devices each operates or manage communications for one or more networked devices at the respective node according to at least a portion of a plurality of networking device configuration data; second computer readable program code for comparing, at any one node of the plurality of nodes, the received performance data or security data to a standard and identifying anomalous data; third computer readable program code for generating, at any one node of the plurality of nodes, proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data based on the identified anomalous data and based on determining that the proposed performance-related or security-related networking device configuration data improves local networking device performance or security and remotely-located networking device performance or security by taking into account the plurality of networking device configuration data of both the local peer networking device and the remotely-located ones of the plurality of peer networking devices, where the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or the proposed security-related networking device configuration data respectively results in new performance data or new security data falling within the standard; and fourth computer readable program code for causing, at any one node of the plurality of nodes in a two-way, decentralized manner, synchronization of a data repository at each of the plurality of nodes and associated with each of the plurality of peer networking devices, with the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data generated by the local networking device or by one of the remotely-located networking devices, wherein the data repository at each of the plurality of nodes comprises the plurality of networking device configuration data for each of the plurality of peer networking devices, wherein the local networking device or one of the remotely-located networking devices operates or manages communications for one or more networked devices at the corresponding one of the plurality of nodes according to the proposed performance-related networking device configuration data or proposed security-related networking device configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (30)
-
Specification