Network analysis assistance device, network assessment device, network analysis assistance method, network assessment method, network analysis assistance program and network assessment program

• US 9,660,894 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Nakata, Masanori, Ochiai, Akihiro, Komiya, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sison, June
• Application Number:
  US14/112,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/064 involving time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A first electronic message collector collects electronic messages travelling on a first network and stores the electronic messages in a first storage. A second electronic message collector collects electronic messages travelling on a second network and stores the electronic messages in a second storage. An electronic message associator retains a mapping table in which the correlation, or similar, between electronic messages travelling from the first network to a gateway device and electronic messages travelling from the gateway device the second network are defined. The electronic message associator references the mapping table and associates the electronic messages stored in the second storage with the electronic messages stored in the first storage. From the result of the above-mentioned association, a status analyzer determines whether or not receipt of electronic message between the first network and the second network is accomplished normally.

Claims

1. A network test device for testing operation of a gateway device connecting a first network and a second network, this network test device comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU) executing programs stored in a memory to provide;

a first electronic message receiver that be connected to the first network for receiving electronic messages traveling on the first network;

a second electronic message receiver that be connected to the second network for receiving electronic messages traveling on the second network;

a received electronic message storage that stores electronic messages respectively received by the first electronic message receiver and the second electronic message receiver;

a mapping information creator that estimates the correlation between input electronic messages input into the gateway device from the first network and output electronic messages output on the second network from the gateway device, based on multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage and creates mapping information consisting of information obtained as a result of estimation;

an object information database in which properties and property values are correlated in levels for all or a portion of the objects managed by the gateway device;

a test electronic message creator that creates an input electronic message for test based on the mapping information and the object information database;

an electronic message sender that outputs the input electronic message for test to the first network; and

a test result determiner that determines whether or not the test result is normal by determining whether or not the relationship between an input electronic message and one or multiple output electronic messages is correct with reference to the mapping information after output of the input electronic message for test by the electronic message sender.

2. The network test device according to claim 1, further comprising a display that displays results of the determination by the test result determiner.

3. The network test device according to claim 1, wherein the mapping information indicates the correlation between objects included in the input electronic messages and command classifications and equipment addresses included in the output electronic messages.

4. The network test device according to claim 3, wherein the mapping information creator acquires sets of input-output electronic messages by picking out, after the input electronic message is input to the gateway device, from the received electronic message storage, all the output electronic messages output from the gateway within a prescribed time and by performing correlation processing to the input electronic message for all the input electronic messages, and generates the mapping information by picking up, from among the sets of input-output electronic messages acquired, the sets of input-output electronic messages in which the equipment addresses and the command classifications of the output electronic messages are common and by detecting common points in the input electronic messages from among the sets of input-output electronic messages picked up.

5. The network test device according to claim 1, wherein:

input electronic messages for normal test whose property values are normal and input electronic messages for abnormal test whose property values are not normal are included in the input electronic messages for test; and

the test result determiner determines that the test result is normal when no output electronic message corresponding to the input electronic message for abnormal test is stored in the received electronic message storage, and determines that the test result is abnormal when at least one output electronic message corresponding to the input electronic message for abnormal test is stored in the received electronic message storage.

6. The network test device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a sequence diagram creator that creates a sequence diagram showing the order of handling associated electronic messages between the first network and the second network via the gateway device, based on one or multiple electronic messages stores in the received electronic message storage after output of the input electronic message for test by the electronic message sender;

wherein the display displays the sequence diagram created by the sequence diagram creator.

7. The network test device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an object status acquirer that acquires the status of objects included in the input electronic messages, based on one or multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage after output of the input electronic message for test by the electronic message sender;

wherein the display displays in a prescribed format the status of the objects acquired by the object status acquirer.

10. The network test device according to claim 4, wherein the mapping information creator detects the common points in the input electronic messages from among the sets of input-output electronic messages picked up by arranging in a prescribed order objects of each input electronic message from among the sets of input-output messages picked up and dividing each of the objects into parts and taking a difference of the objects adjacent to each other.

11. The network test device according to claim 1, wherein

the multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage are actual messages sent from the first network to the second network and sent from the second network to the first network.

8. A network test method for testing operation of a gateway device connected to a first network and a second network, the network test method comprising:

a first electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the first network;

a second electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the second network;

a received electronic message storing step that stores in a received electronic message storage electronic messages respectively received by the first electronic message receiving step and the second electronic message receiving step;

a mapping information creation step that estimates the correlation between input electronic messages input into the gateway device from the first network and output electronic messages output on the second network from the gateway device, based on multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage, and creates mapping information consisting of information obtained as a result of estimation;

a test electronic message creation step that creates an input electronic message for test based on the mapping information and an object information database in which properties and property values are correlated in levels for all or a portion of the objects managed by the gateway device;

an electronic message sending step that outputs the input electronic message for test to the first network; and

a test result determining step that determines whether or not the test result is normal by determining whether or not the relationship between an input electronic message and one or multiple output electronic messages is correct with reference to the mapping information after output of the input electronic message for test in the electronic message sending step.

12. The network test method according to claim 8, wherein

the multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage are actual messages sent from the first network to the second network and sent from the second network to the first network.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored thereof a network test program for testing operation of a gateway device connected to a first network and a second network, this network test program:

a first electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the first network;

a second electronic message receiving step that receives electronic messages traveling on the second network;

a received electronic message storing step that stores in a received electronic message storage electronic messages respectively received in the first electronic message receiving step and the second electronic message receiving step;

a mapping information creation step that estimates the correlation between input electronic messages input into the gateway device from the first network and output electronic messages output on the second network from the gateway device, based on multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage, and creates mapping information consisting of information obtained as a result of estimation;

a test electronic message creation step that creates an input electronic message for test based on the mapping information and an object information database in which properties and property values are correlated in levels for all or a portion of the objects managed by the gateway device;

an electronic message sending step that outputs the input electronic message for test to the first network; and

a test result determining step that determines whether or not the test result is normal by determining whether or not the relationship between an input electronic message and one or multiple output electronic messages is correct with reference to the mapping information after output of the input electronic message for test in the electronic message sending step.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein

the multiple electronic messages stored in the received electronic message storage are actual messages sent from the first network to the second network and sent from the second network to the first network.