SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING A PROBE SERVER NETWORK USING A RELIABILITY MODEL

• US 20150100680A1
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Inventors: Periasamy, Velmurugan, Djuric, Mirko, Choppala, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 9,577,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/149 for prediction of maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5012 determining service availability, e.g. which services are available at a certain point in time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

Implementations relate to systems and methods for configuring a probe server network using a reliability model. A company, customer, or organization may wish to outsource the management of a set of name servers used to operate a domain name, such as a domain name associated with a Web site. In aspects, that deployment of name servers can be monitored by a separate set of failover or probe servers which are configured to track the uptime, operability, and performance of the underlying name servers, which can number in the thousands. An administrator or other user may wish to determine a minimum number of probe servers to apply to the name server topology, to achieve desired service levels. According to aspects, automated tools and logic are provided which model and simulate the overall network including the number and arrangement of necessary probe servers to ensure performance, failover reliability, and other factors.

Claims

1. A method of managing a network, comprising:

accessing a network topology map for a network comprising a set of probe servers, a set of name servers, and a set of connections between the set of probe servers and the set of name servers;

accessing a set of reliability data for the network;

generating a network model for the network based on the network topology and the set of reliability data; and

identifying, based on the network model, a minimum number of probe servers for use in the set of probe servers required to support a target service level to monitor the set of name servers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network topology map comprises a set of pyramids each having one of the set of name servers at a peak.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of reliability data comprises at least one of—

a predicted failure rate for the set of probe servers,

a predicted failure rate for the set of name servers, or

a predicted failure rate for the set of connections.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target service level comprises a minimum time between failures of the network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying, based on the network model, a maximum number of probe servers for use in the set of probe servers required to support the target service level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum number of probe servers is at least two.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the network model applies a rule that a name server is out of service only when the at least two probe servers independently detect that the name server is out of service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of reliability data comprises an observed distribution of failures of the network during a specified time.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing a simulation engine to simulate the operation of the network over a specified amount of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulation engine comprises a Monte Carlo engine.

11. A system, comprising:

a first interface to a set of name servers;

a second interface to a set of probe servers, the probe severs being connected to the set of name servers via a set of connections and

a processor, communicating with the set of name servers and the set of probe servers via the first interface and the second interface, the processor being configured to—

access a network topology map for a network comprising the set of probe servers, the set of name servers, and the set of connections,

access a set of reliability data for the network,

generate a network model for the network based on the network topology and the set of reliability data, and

identify, based on the network model, a minimum number of probe servers for use in the set of probe servers required to support a target service level to monitor the set of name servers.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the network topology map comprises a set of pyramids each having one of the set of name servers at a peak.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of reliability data comprises at least one of—

a predicted failure rate for the set of probe servers,

a predicted failure rate for the set of name servers, or

a predicted failure rate for the set of connections.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the target service level comprises a minimum time between failures of the network.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to identify, based on the network model, a maximum number of probe servers for use in the set of probe servers required to support the target service level.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the minimum number of probe servers is at least two.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the network model applies a rule that a name server is out of service only when the at least two probe servers independently detect that the name server is out of service.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of reliability data comprises an observed distribution of failures of the network during a specified time.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising executing a simulation engine to simulate the operation of the network over a specified amount of time.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the simulation engine comprises a Monte Carlo engine.