Validating a routing function
First Claim
1. A system for validating a routing function for a network device, the system comprising:
- the network device, wherein the network devices comprises;
a network interface for receiving data packets from a network,a run-time policy engine, anda memory to store a routing configuration file,wherein the run-time policy engine implements the routing configuration file to configure the network device to selectively forward data packets over the network via the network interface,the routing configuration file comprising one or more subroutine statements that define a routing function for network traffic; and
a file editor arranged to load and edit the routing configuration file,the file editor comprising an editor policy engine that duplicates a functionality of the run-time policy engine,wherein the routing configuration file further comprises at least one validation portion, the validation portion comprising one or more route statements defining possible routes for data packets within the network, the one or more route statements having definitions indicative of expected routing function behavior for the one or more routes,wherein, following an edit of the routing configuration file;
the file editor is arranged to parse the routing configuration file by implementing the routing configuration file using the editor policy engine, andthe editor policy engine is arranged to apply the routing function defined by the one or more subroutine statements of the routing configuration file to the one or more route statements and to indicate where a result of the routing function for the one or more routes does not conform to the definitions in the validation portion of the routing configuration file that are indicative of expected routing function behavior.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain examples described herein provide a system and method for validating a routing function for a network device. In one example, a network device has a run-time policy engine, wherein the run-time policy engine implements a routing configuration file and the routing configuration file defines a routing function for network traffic. A file editor is also provided that loads the routing configuration file. The file editor has an editor policy engine that duplicates a functionality of the run-time policy engine. In one example, the routing configuration file has at least one validation portion that has one or more route statements with definitions indicative of expected routing function behavior. The file editor parses the routing configuration file by implementing the routing configuration file using the editor policy engine. The editor policy engine applies the routing function defined by the routing configuration file to the one or more route statements and indicates where a result of the routing function does not conform to the definitions indicative of expected routing function behavior. These examples may help to reduce routing errors due to configuration errors in network devices.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for validating a routing function for a network device, the system comprising:
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the network device, wherein the network devices comprises; a network interface for receiving data packets from a network, a run-time policy engine, and a memory to store a routing configuration file, wherein the run-time policy engine implements the routing configuration file to configure the network device to selectively forward data packets over the network via the network interface, the routing configuration file comprising one or more subroutine statements that define a routing function for network traffic; and a file editor arranged to load and edit the routing configuration file, the file editor comprising an editor policy engine that duplicates a functionality of the run-time policy engine, wherein the routing configuration file further comprises at least one validation portion, the validation portion comprising one or more route statements defining possible routes for data packets within the network, the one or more route statements having definitions indicative of expected routing function behavior for the one or more routes, wherein, following an edit of the routing configuration file; the file editor is arranged to parse the routing configuration file by implementing the routing configuration file using the editor policy engine, and the editor policy engine is arranged to apply the routing function defined by the one or more subroutine statements of the routing configuration file to the one or more route statements and to indicate where a result of the routing function for the one or more routes does not conform to the definitions in the validation portion of the routing configuration file that are indicative of expected routing function behavior. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for validating a routing function for a network device comprising:
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loading a routing configuration file for a network device, the routing configuration file comprising one or more subroutine statements that define a routing function, the routing configuration file being implemented by a policy engine, the policy engine being used by the network device to provide the routing function based on the routing configuration file and to configure the network device to selectively forward data packets over a network; parsing at least one validation portion of the routing configuration file, the validation portion comprising one or more route statements defining possible network routes for data packets, the one or more route statements having definitions indicative of expected routing function behavior for the one or more routes, the parsing including; implementing the one or more subroutine statements of the routing configuration file using the policy engine to apply the routing function to the one or more routes defined by the one or more route statements; and indicating where a result of the routing function as applied to the one or more routes does not conform to the definitions in the validation portion of the routing configuration file that are indicative of expected routing function behavior. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform a method of validating a routing function, the method comprising:
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loading a routing configuration file for a network device, the routing configuration file comprising one or more subroutine statements that define a routing function, the routing configuration file being implemented by a policy engine, the policy engine being used by the network device to provide the routing function based on the routing configuration file and to configure the network device to selectively forward data packets over a network; parsing at least one validation portion of the routing configuration file, the validation portion comprising one or more route statements defining possible network routes for data packets, the one or more route statements having definitions indicative of expected routing function behavior for the one or more routes, the parsing including; implementing the one or more subroutine statements of the routing configuration file using the policy engine to apply the routing function to the one or more routes defined by the one or more route statements; and indicating where a result of the routing function as applied to the one or more routes does not conform to the definitions in the validation portion of the routing configuration file that are indicative of expected routing function behavior.
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Specification