Network classification

• US 9,608,883 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• 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:
  US14/943,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220
• 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 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 instructions, which when executed, cause the computing device to perform operations, the operations including;

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

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

the multiple network attributes include 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;

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;

programmatically, by the computing device, configuring network security settings based on the obtained classification.

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

selecting the computer network from amongst multiple available networks.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

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

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein:

the multiple different types of computer networks further include an enterprise network.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

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

7. The computing device 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.

8. The computing device 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.

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

deriving a classification of a type of a computer network from amongst multiple different types of computer networks based on multiple network attributes associated with the computer network, wherein the multiple different types of computer networks include at least a public network type and a residential network type, and wherein;

the multiple network attributes include 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;

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

programmatically configuring network security settings according to the at least one obtained network classification policy and the derived classification.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein configuring the network security settings includes:

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

11. The method of claim 9, wherein configuring the network security settings includes:

selecting the computer network from amongst an enterprise network, a home network and a public network.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the derived classification is based on a combination of network attributes of the multiple network attributes.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the classification is also derived based on each derived network characteristic referenced by a network characteristic list matching network attributes of the network.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

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

15. A computer-readable memory having instructions stored therein, the instructions for performing operations to manage network connectivity of a computing device, the operations comprising:

identifying a classification of a type of a computer network from amongst multiple different types of computer networks based on multiple network attributes associated with the computer network, wherein the multiple different types of computer networks include a residential network type and a public network type, and wherein;

the multiple network attributes include 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;

identifying at least one network classification policy based on the classification of the computer network; and

causing a network classification policy action to be programmatically implemented according to the at least one identified network classification policy, wherein implementing the at least one network classification policy action includes;

programmatically configuring network security settings of the computing device.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein configuring the network security settings of the computing device includes:

configuring applications settings of the computing device for the computer network.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein configuring the network security settings includes:

selecting the computer network from amongst an enterprise network, a home network and a public network.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein:

the multiple different types of computer networks also include an enterprise network type.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein:

the classification is also identified based on each network characteristic referenced by a network characteristic list matching network attributes for the computer network.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein:

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