System for extracting and combining information from IP device configurations, inventory systems, and real-time network monitoring

• US 8,315,186 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perspecta Labs Inc. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Gadgil, Shrirang, Poylisher, Alexander, Cheng, Alice, Bahler, Lisa, Talpade, Rajesh R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/362,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20090190499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 370/253, 370/254, 370/255, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224, 707/103, 705/28
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

The inventive system and method for improving network security, availability, and regulatory compliance, and maximizing a network comprises a network configuration component, a network inventory component, a network monitoring component, and a network assessment component, wherein information is extracted from each of the configuration, inventory, and monitoring components, the extracted information is combined and assessed in the assessment component, and the maximized network is produced using the combined information. In one embodiment, the combined information is stored in a database. In one embodiment, an XML is produced from the extracted inventory information, and this XML is converted to a canonical form.

Claims

1. A system for maximizing performance of a network, comprising:

a network configuration component;

a network inventory component;

a network monitoring component; and

a network assessment component, wherein information is extracted from each of the configuration, inventory, and monitoring components, the extracted information is combined and device configuration is assessed in the assessment component, the assessment component at least determining whether inconsistencies exist between the information extracted from the network configuration component and the information extracted from the network inventory component, and the maximized performance of the network is produced using the assessed information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the combined information is stored in a database.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an XML (Extensible Markup Language) produced from the extracted inventory information, wherein the XML is converted to a canonical form.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the assessment component further determines whether inconsistencies exist between the monitoring component and network rules.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the assessment component produces a comprehensive topology visualization using the combined information.

6. A method for maximizing performance of a network comprising steps of:

extracting configuration information of the network;

extracting inventory information of the network;

extracting monitoring information of the network;

combining the configuration information, the inventory information, and the monitoring information;

assessing device configuration using the combined information, the assessing comprising at least determining whether inconsistencies exist between the configuration information and the inventory information; and

producing a maximized performance of the network using the assessed information.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the combined information is stored in a database.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of extracting inventory information further comprises:

producing an XML (Extensible Markup Language) containing the inventory information; and

converting the XML to a canonical form.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of assessing the device configuration further determines whether inconsistencies exist between the monitoring component and network rules.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of assessing the device configuration further comprises producing a comprehensive topology visualization using the combined information.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable program for operating on a computer for maximizing performance of a network, said program comprising instructions that cause the computer to perform the steps of:

extracting configuration information of the network;

extracting inventory information of the network;

extracting monitoring information of the network;

combining the configuration information, the inventory information, and the monitoring information;

assessing device configurations using the combined information, the assessing comprising at least determining whether inconsistencies exist between the configuration information and the inventory information; and

producing a maximized performance of the network using the assessed information.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the combined information is stored in a database.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the step of extracting inventory information further comprises:

producing an XML (Extensible Markup Language) containing the inventory information; and

converting the XML to a canonical form.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the assessing the device configuration further determines whether inconsistencies exist between the monitoring component and network rules.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the assessing the device configuration further comprises producing a comprehensive topology visualization using the combined information.