Network classification

• US 9,374,286 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bahl, Pradeep, Corbett, Christopher J., Khaki, Mohamed Jawad
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Application Number:
  US14/212,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 322/0
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Network DNA may be determined for a computer network that taxonomically classifies the computer network. Network DNA may include derived network DNA components and raw network DNA components. Raw network DNA components may be acquired from local or remote sources. Derived network DNA components may be generated according to derived network DNA component specifications. Derived network DNA component specifications may reference raw network DNA components. Network DNA determined for the computer network may include a network species component capable of indicating network species classifications for computer networks. Network species classifications may include enterprise network, home network and public place network. Network species classifications may be determined as a function of network security, network management and network addressing. One or more network DNA stores may be configured to store network DNA for computer networks. Network DNA stores may store network DNA history as well as current network DNA.

Claims

1. A method for managing network communications, the method comprising:

obtaining a classification of a type of a computer network from amongst multiple different types of computer networks, wherein obtaining the classification includes;

deriving the classification from multiple network attributes associated with the computer network, wherein;

the multiple network attributes include a domain name, a presence of a network infrastructure element, a parameter received from a network server, a communications media type, a service provider, a nominal available communications bandwidth, a measured available communications bandwidth, and/or a physical network location;

obtaining at least one network classification policy based on the obtained classification for the computer network; and

implementing a network classification policy action according to the at least one obtained network classification policy, wherein implementing the at least one network classification policy action includes;

configuring network security settings based on the obtained classification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing the network classification policy action further includes:

configuring applications settings of a computing device for the network communications via the computer network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing the network classification policy action further includes:

selecting the computer network from amongst multiple available networks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the multiple network attributes include information received from a remote computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the obtained classification indicates the type of network selected from amongst a plurality of network types.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the plurality of network types comprise an enterprise network, a home network and a public network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the obtained classification specifies a combination of network attributes of the multiple network attributes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining the classification also includes deriving the classification based on a structured query language statement, a scripting language statement, and/or an object-oriented language statement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the classification is also derived based on each derived network characteristic referenced by a network characteristic list matching network attributes of the network, the network characteristic list referencing at least one network characteristic dependent upon two or more network attributes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the classification is also derived based on confidence levels associated with each of at least two network attributes of the multiple network attributes.

11. A computing device that is connectable to at least one network, the computing device comprising:

a memory and at least one processor that are respectively configured to store and execute instructions that are organized into;

a classification store that stores network classifications, the network classifications classifying types of networks according to network characteristics;

a network classification policy enforcer that;

selects a network classification policy action to execute based on a determined network classification from the classification store; and

configures network security settings according to definitions of the selected network classification policy action;

a network attribute acquirer that receives indications of multiple network attributes associated with the network, wherein;

the multiple network attributes includes at least one of a domain name, a presence of a network infrastructure element, a parameter received from a network server, a communications media type, a service provider, a nominal available communications bandwidth, a measured available communications bandwidth, or a physical network location; and

a network characteristic generator that determines the network classification from the stored network classifications according to the received indications of the multiple network attributes associated with the network.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the network classification policy enforcer also:

configures applications settings for communications via the network.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein:

the multiple network attributes include information received from an authenticated remote computer.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein:

the determined network classification indicates a type of network selected from amongst a plurality of network types.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein:

the plurality of network types comprise an enterprise network, a home network and a public network.

16. The computing device of claim 11, wherein:

the determined network classification is at least partially defined by a combination of the multiple network attributes.

17. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the network characteristic generator also:

determines the network classification based on confidence levels associated with a plurality of network attributes from the multiple network attributes.

18. A computing device that is connectable to at least one network, the computing device comprising:

a network interface configured to connect the computing device to a network;

at least one memory and at least one processor that are respectively configured to store and execute computer-executable components, the computer-executable components including;

a classification store configured to store network classifications, the network classifications associating types of networks to network characteristics;

a network classification policy enforcer configured to;

select a network classification policy for the network connected to via the network interface based on a determined network classification for the network; and

configure network security settings for the network according to definitions of the selected network classification policy action for the network;

a network attribute acquirer configured to receive indications of multiple network attributes associated with the network from the network interface, wherein;

the multiple network attributes comprise at least one of a domain name, a presence of a network infrastructure element, a parameter received from a network server, a communications media type, a service provider, a nominal available communications bandwidth, a measured available communications bandwidth, or a physical network location; and

a network characteristic generator configured to determine the network classification for the network connected to via the network interface from the stored network classifications according to the received indications of the multiple network attributes associated with the network.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein:

the multiple network attributes include information received from a remote computing device.

20. The computing device of claim 18, wherein:

the determined network classification indicates a type of network selected from amongst a plurality of network types.

21. The computing device of claim 20, wherein:

the plurality of network types comprise an enterprise network, a home network and a public network.

22. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the network characteristic generator is further configured to:

determine the network classification based a combination of the multiple network attributes.

23. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the network characteristic generator is further configured to:

determine the network classification based on confidence levels associated with a plurality of network attributes from the multiple network attributes.

24. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the network classification policy enforcer is further configured to:

configuring applications settings of the computing device for network communications via the network.

25. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the network characteristic generator is further configured to:

determine the network classification based on each derived network characteristic referenced by a network characteristic list matching network attributes of the network, the network characteristic list referencing at least one network characteristic with two or more network attributes.