NETWORK CLASSIFICATION

• US 20160072679A1
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,608,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 computer-readable medium having thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

acquiring at least one raw network DNA component, each raw network DNA component corresponding to an attribute of a computer network;

generating at least one derived network DNA component according to at least one derived network DNA component specification, at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component specification referencing at least one of said at least one raw network DNA component; and

determining a network DNA for the computer network, the network DNA taxonomically classifying the computer network, and the network DNA comprising at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said at least one derived network DNA component comprises a network species component.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component specification comprises a linear transformation of at least one value of at least one of said at least one raw network DNA component.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said at least one derived network DNA component specification comprises a combination of said at least one raw network DNA component.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component specification comprises a structured query language statement.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component specification comprises an object oriented language statement.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component specification comprises a scripting language statement.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein acquiring at least one raw network DNA component comprises acquiring a plurality of raw network DNA components in an order specified by a raw network DNA acquisition priority list.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the order specified by the raw network DNA acquisition priority list is in accord with an ordered set of network DNA policies that reference the plurality of raw network DNA components.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein generating at least one derived network DNA component comprises generating each derived network DNA component referenced by a derived network DNA refresh list, the derived network DNA refresh list referencing at least one derived network DNA component dependent upon at least one acquired raw network DNA component.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

testing a network DNA policy condition of a network DNA policy for satisfaction, the network DNA policy condition referencing at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component; and

initiating an execution of a network DNA policy action of the network DNA policy if the network DNA policy condition of the network DNA policy is satisfied.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises testing whether sufficient network DNA referenced by the DNA network policy condition of the network DNA policy has been acquired.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the network DNA policy reduces performance penalties when switching between computer networks.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the network DNA policy reduces a probability of security vulnerability when switching between computer networks.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the network DNA policy reduces a probability of user intervention when switching between computer networks.

16. A computer-readable medium having thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising determining a network DNA of a computer network, the network DNA comprising a network species component.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining the network DNA of the computer network comprises generating at least one derived network DNA component in accordance with at least one derived network DNA component specification, at least one of said at least one derived network DNA component specification referencing at least one acquirable attribute of the computer network.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the network DNA further comprises a network name component, a network cost component, a core access component, a core addressing component, a network security component and a network technology component.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the network technology component comprises at least one network operational attribute.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the network species component is capable of indicating network species classifications, the network species classifications including enterprise network, home network and public place network, and determining the network species classifications comprises evaluating a function of, at least, a network security attribute of the computer network, a network management attribute of the computer network and a network addressing attribute of the computer network.