Analyzing virtual private network failures

• US 8,102,758 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Monaghan, John, Hunter, Donald Iain
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, JUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/682,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20080222282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 370/203, 370216-228, 370229-240, 370241-258, 370351-356, 3703951-3955, 370/395.52, 370/395.53, 370298-306, 370357-395, 370/395.21, 370/395.31, 370/395.32, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/395.43, 370/395.6, 370/395.61, 370396-411, 370412-429, 370503-520
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level

Abstract

The specification provides information for determining any impacted customers, virtual private networks, circuits, and devices following a path failure. The specification uses an information-gathering component to find system information and uses the system information in determining any impacted units. A report is created that allows a network management system to process the impacted units. If any of the impacted units are customer devices, then the management system calculates the impact on the customer based on a Service Level Agreement.

Claims

1. A network management system for determining impacted units, comprising:

a gathering component that receives data from an origin device on a computer network, the received data including a label and being sent by the origin device to a target device within the computer network, extracts the label from the received data, and transmits the received data to the target device within the computer network; and

an identifying component that identifies impacted units affected as a result of a network communication failure based on the data obtained by the gathering component, the identifying component comprising an analyzing component, a comparison component, and a searching component,

wherein the analyzing component determines an Internet Protocol (IP) address that corresponds to the label;

wherein the comparison component compares the label against information located in the source device to determine a Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) that uses the IP address to reach the target device; and

to determine, within the VRF, a customer destination label that uses the IP address, the customer destination label identifying an impacted unit that share a path connected to the target device, and the impacted unit being affected as a result of a network communication failure related to the path; and

wherein the searching component searches for other impacted units identified by the customer destination label without contacting the target device and without the use of an offline topological map.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the gathering component commences operation as a result of the network communication failure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network communication failure comprises a failure where the received data does not reach an intended destination.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a verification component that verifies that the network communication failure exists.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication component that communicates the label to a management component, wherein the management component processes the label.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a creation component that creates a report based upon information relating to the target device within the computer network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer network is an MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) network.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a perception component that determines when the network communication failure occurs.

9. A method for network maintenance, comprising:

extracting a label from received data from an origin device sent across a communication link to a target device within a computer network;

transmitting the received data to the target device within the computer network;

detecting a failure in the communication link to the target device;

finding a Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) based on the label, the VRF being affected by the failure of the communication link;

detecting an interface connected with the VRF;

finding information about the interface from a table associated with the VRF; and

based on the information, calculating an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an endpoint associated with the interface;

identifying impacted units affected as a result of a network communication failure based on the label, the Internet Protocol (IP) address that corresponds to the label, the Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) that uses the IP address to reach the target device, and a customer destination label that uses the IP address, the customer destination label identifying an impacted unit that share a path connected to the target device, and the impacted unit being affected as a result of a network communication failure related to the path; and

searching for other impacted units identified by the label without contacting the target device and without the use of an offline topological map.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the detecting of the failure comprising checking that a transport breakdown exists, wherein the finding of the VRF takes place after an occurrence of the transport breakdown.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a summary containing the IP address of the endpoint.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the summary takes place in a network management component.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the information is used to identify an affected entity resulting from the failure of the communication link.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the IP address is used to identify an affected entity resulting from the failure of the communication link.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating the affected entity identity to an administration component.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the calculating of the IP address does not include reliance on a network model.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the information about the interface is at least one of a role of the interface, a connection of the interface, or a functionality of the interface.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the interface is at least one of an Ethernet interface or a Digital Signal 3 interface.

17. A network maintenance system, comprising:

means for receiving data that includes a label, extracting the label from the received data sent from an origin device to a network that relates to a target device, and transmitting the received data to the target; and

means for;

determining an Internet Protocol (IP) address that corresponds to the label;

determining a Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) that uses the IP address to reach the target device;

determining, within the VRF, a customer destination label that uses the IP address, the customer destination label identifying an impacted unit that share a path connected to the target device, and the impacted unit being affected as a result of a network communication failure related to the path;

identifying impacted units affected as a result of a network communication failure based on the label, the Internet Protocol (IP) address that corresponds to the label, the Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) that uses the IP address to reach the target device, and a customer destination label that uses the IP address, the customer destination label identifying an impacted unit that share a path connected to the target device, and the impacted unit being affected as a result of a network communication failure related to the path; and

searching for other impacted units identified by the customer destination label without contacting the target device and without the use of an offline topological map.

18. The network maintenance system of claim 17, wherein the impacted unit is identified without contact with the target and without use of an offline topological map.