Systems and methods for diagnosing a network configuration of a computing device

• US 8,543,861 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NortonLifeLock Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Sawhney, Sanjay, Kashyap, Anand
• Primary Examiner(s): KO, CHAE M
• Application Number:
  US12/753,542
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4.1
• US Class Current: 714/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for diagnosing a network configuration of a computing device is described. A test network configuration is captured. A test network signature is generated from the test network configuration. A label is assigned to the test network signature. A determination is made as to whether the test network signature is labeled as an unsuccessful network signature. If the test network signature is labeled unsuccessful, one or more procedures to change the label are generated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for diagnosing a network configuration of a computing device, comprising:

capturing a test network configuration;

generating a test network signature from the test network configuration, wherein the test network signature comprises a plurality of attributes;

assigning a label to the test network signature;

determining whether the test network signature is labeled as an unsuccessful network signature, wherein the determination of the label is based at least in part on a value of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature;

if the test network signature is labeled unsuccessful, generating one or more procedures to change the label; and

modifying a value of a first of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature in relation to both a value of a second of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature and a value of an attribute of at least one other network signature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading a repository from a database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the repository comprises one or more network signatures associated with one or more additional computing devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing one or more values associated with one or more attributes of the test network signature.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising assigning the label to the test network signature based on the analysis.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising using a machine learning based algorithm based on the test network signature and the one or more network signatures in the repository.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the procedures as troubleshooting steps-to execute in order to change the label of the test network signature from unsuccessful to successful.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the labeled test network signature to a repository within a database.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a decision tree based on the test network signature, wherein the decision tree classifies the test network signature as unsuccessful or successful.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising organizing the one or more procedures to execute in order to change the label into a specific order, wherein the specific order provides a minimum number of procedures to execute in order to change the label.

11. A computer system configured to diagnose a network configuration, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

capture a test network configuration;

generate a test network signature from the test network configuration, wherein the test network signature comprises a plurality of attributes;

assign a label to the test network signature;

determine whether the test network signature is labeled as an unsuccessful network signature, wherein the determination of the label is based at least in part on a value of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature;

if the test network signature is labeled unsuccessful, generate one or more procedures to change the label; and

modify a value of a first of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature in relation to both a value of a second of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature and a value of an attribute of at least one other network signature.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to download a repository from a database.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the repository comprises one or more network signatures associated with one or more additional computing devices.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to analyze one or more values associated with one or more attributes of the test network signature.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to assign the label to the test network signature based on the analysis.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to use a machine learning based algorithm based on the test network signature and the one or more network signatures in the repository.

17. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to provide the procedures as troubleshooting steps to execute in order to change the label of the test network signature from unsuccessful to successful.

18. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to transmit the labeled test network signature to a repository within a database.

19. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to generate a decision tree based on the test network signature, wherein the decision tree classifies the test network signature as unsuccessful or successful.

20. A computer-program product for diagnosing a network configuration of a computing device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon, the instructions being executable by a processor to:

capture a test network configuration;

generate a test network signature from the test network configuration, wherein the test network signature comprises a plurality of attributes;

assign a label to the test network signature;

determine whether the test network signature is labeled as an unsuccessful network signature, wherein the determination of the label is based at least in part on a value of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature;

if the test network signature is labeled unsuccessful, generate one or more procedures to change the label; and

modify a value of a first of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature in relation to both a value of a second of the plurality of attributes of the test network signature and a value of an attribute of at least one other network signature.