System and method for discovering assets and functional relationships in a network
First Claim
1. A method for discovering assets and roles and functional relationships of the assets in a network including a plurality of related assets, each supporting one or more protocols, the method comprising:
- (1) executing a query associated with a seed asset, the query representing a protocol message of a protocol supported by the seed asset, the seed asset being related to at least one of the plurality of related assets;
(2) contextually analyzing the query response for determining references to a first asset, a role of the first asset, and a functional relationship between the seed asset and the first asset based on a protocol grammar of the protocol;
wherein the role specifies general functions performed by the first asset; and
wherein the functional relationship specifies at least one specific function performed by the seed asset for the first asset or performed by the first asset for the seed asset;
(3) determining a query to send the first asset based on the role and the functional relationship; and
(4) recursively applying steps (1) through (3) for determining references to assets and their roles and functional relationships.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A discovery system (and corresponding method and computer program product) for automatically discovering assets and their roles and functional relationships in a network system is described. In one aspect, the discovery system interrogates known assets through protocol messages, normalizes response messages, and contextually analyzes the normalized response message to identify additional assets and their roles and functional relationships with the interrogated assets. The discovery system can recursively interrogate newly discovered assets to discover additional assets. In another aspect of the present invention, the discovery system is scheduled to periodically interrogate known assets for up-to-date information of the assets and their roles and functional relationships. Such information can be used to provide various services.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method for discovering assets and roles and functional relationships of the assets in a network including a plurality of related assets, each supporting one or more protocols, the method comprising:
-
(1) executing a query associated with a seed asset, the query representing a protocol message of a protocol supported by the seed asset, the seed asset being related to at least one of the plurality of related assets; (2) contextually analyzing the query response for determining references to a first asset, a role of the first asset, and a functional relationship between the seed asset and the first asset based on a protocol grammar of the protocol; wherein the role specifies general functions performed by the first asset; and wherein the functional relationship specifies at least one specific function performed by the seed asset for the first asset or performed by the first asset for the seed asset; (3) determining a query to send the first asset based on the role and the functional relationship; and (4) recursively applying steps (1) through (3) for determining references to assets and their roles and functional relationships. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program instructions recorded thereon for discovering assets and roles and functional relationships of the assets in a network including a plurality of related assets, each supporting one or more protocols, the computer program instruction comprising instructions for:
-
(1) executing a query associated with a seed asset, the query representing a protocol message of a protocol supported by the seed asset, the seed asset being related to at least one of the plurality of related assets; (2) contextually analyzing the query response for determining references to a first asset, a role of the first asset, and a functional relationship between the seed asset and the first asset based on a protocol grammar of the protocol; wherein the role specifies general functions performed by the first asset; and wherein the functional relationship specifies at least one specific function performed by the seed asset for the first asset or performed by the first asset for the seed asset; (3) determining a query to send the first asset based on the role and the functional relationship; and (4) recursively applying steps (1) through (3) for determining references to assets and their roles and functional relationships. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An apparatus for discovering assets and roles and functional relationships of the assets in a network including a plurality of related assets, each supporting one or more protocols, the apparatus comprising:
-
a discovery component configured to execute a query associated with a seed asset, the query representing a protocol message of a protocol supported by the seed asset, the seed asset being related to at least one of the plurality of related assets; an analyzing component configured to contextually analyze the query response to determine references to a first asset, a role of the first asset, and a functional relationship between the seed asset and the first asset based on a protocol grammar of the protocol; and wherein the role specifies general functions performed by the first asset; and wherein the functional relationship specifies at least one specific function performed by the seed asset for the first asset or performed by the first asset for the seed asset; the discovery component further configured to determine a query to send the first asset based on the role and the functional relationship; wherein the above components are configured to recursively interrogate discovered assets to determine references to additional assets and their roles and functional relationships. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification