Method and apparatus for connection-oriented multiplexing and switching network analysis, management, and troubleshooting

• US 6,608,817 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1999
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Network General Technology
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Ivory, Christopher Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US09/473,149
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/235, 370/241, 370/241.1, 370/248, 370/249, 370/250, 370/252, 370/395.1, 370/489, 345/440, 345/440.1, 345/629, 345/630, 345/641
• US Class Current: 370/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method for analyzing a connection oriented multiplexing and switching network (COMSN), includes dividing a subsection of a COMSN network into a plurality of virtual channel characterization (VCC) layers, extracting frames from the subsection when the frames are available over a period of time in each of the plurality of VCC layers, and selectively displaying objects associated with the frames and the relationships between the objects.

Claims

1. A method for analysis of a connection-oriented multiplexing and switching network (COMSN), comprising the steps of:

dividing a subsection of a COMSN network into a plurality of virtual channel characterization layers arranged between first and second pluralities of objects that may be communicating with one another, said plurality of virtual channel characterizations layers providing communication paths between said first and second pluralities of objects, and between various ones of said first pluralities of objects themselves, and of said second pluralities of objects, respectively;

extracting from said subsection frames when available over a period of time in each of said plurality of virtual channel characterization layers;

selectively displaying objects associated with said frames and the relationships between said objects, whereby said objects include a combination of host objects such as devices for gaining entry into said COMSN network, connections between the host objects, data and flows seen on the connection objects, and the number and type of flows originating or terminating at a selected one of said host objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting step further includes the steps of:

storing said frames in memory; and

reading said frames from memory for creating the relationships between database objects associated with the frames.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said COMSN network consists of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said dividing step, said plurality of virtual channel characterization layers include four successive summary layers for display including:

an Application Layer including objects each representing a client or a server;

a Flow Layer holding statistical data or information relating to attached Flow objects, said Flow layer representing the flows or data paths which provide the bidirectional flow of data between said Flow objects and the objects attached to said Application layer;

a Connection Layer including a plurality of objects each of which represent a specific and distinct connection spanning two Host entities (point-to-point calls or point-to-multipoint calls), for all channels detected, including for each connection statistics, alarms and number of Sub Connections; and

a Host Layer including all end stations residing on either side of a connection, each being designated as a Host object, said Host layer holding all statistics or data received or transmitted by each Host object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said plurality of virtual channel characterization layers further include:

a Sub Connection Layer including the binding of at least two Host objects to a given Connection Layer object, said Sub Connection Layer being used to hold statistics of all data passed between two Hosts.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein there is exactly one Sub Connection object for each Host pair.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each Sub Connection Layer object is attached to a single Connection Layer object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a plurality of Sub Connection objects can be attached to the same Connection Layer object.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said plurality of virtual channel characterization layers further include:

a Sub Host Layer including one or a plurality of Sub Host objects sharing a single Host Layer object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein only one Host Layer object can be associated with a given Sub Host Layer object.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein said plurality of virtual channel characterization layers further includes:

a Sub Host Layer including one or a plurality of Sub Host objects sharing a single Host Layer object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein only one Host Layer object can be associated with a given Sub Host Layer object.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein in said dividing step, said plurality of virtual channel characterization layers include four successive summary layers for display including:

an ATM Application layer including one or a plurality of objects each representing an ATM client or server that may not always be present;

an ATM Flow layer including one or a plurality of Flow objects, each Flow Object representing an individual unique ATM data stream associated with an ATM Connection, and may not always be present;

an ATM Connection Layer including one or a plurality of Connection Layer objects each representing an individual connection spanning either two ATM Host entities (point-to-point-calls), or a plurality of ATM Host entities (point-to-multipoint calls); and

an ATM Host Layer including a plurality of Host Layer objects, each Host Layer object representing an ATM Host or said station, all end stations residing on either side of a connection in said Host Layer.

14. The method of claim 13, further including:

a Sub Connection Layer including one or a plurality of Sub Connection Layer objects each of which represents the binding of two ATM Host objects to a given said Connection Layer object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein there is exactly one Sub Connection object for each Host pair.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each Sub Connection Layer object is attached to a single ATM Connection Layer object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a plurality of Sub Connection objects can be attached to the same ATM Connection Layer object.

18. The method of claim 14, further including a Sub Host layer including one or a plurality of Sub Host objects each of which represent a specific ATM Host entity, associated with an ATM Host Key/address.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein only one ATM Host Layer object is associated with a given Sub Host Layer object.

20. The method of claim 13, further including a Sub Host layer including one or a plurality of Sub Host objects, each of which represent a specific ATM Host entity associated with an ATM Host Key/address.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein only one ATM Host Layer object is associated with a given Sub Host layer object.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein said displaying step includes displaying a hierarchy tree showing all flows detected from associated data and control frames between said objects relative to said Application Layer, whereby the details of any flow;

and attached station are found by traversing the hierarchy tree.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said displaying step further includes displaying any alarms detected at the Application Layer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said displaying step further includes displaying all frame types detected at the Application Layer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said displaying step further includes via “

drill down”

to the Flow Layer a display of summary and object details contained at said Flow Layer for the detected flows, and for detected alarms.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said displaying step further includes via “

drill down”

to said Connection Layer a display for a given connection including statistics, alarms, and number of Sub Connections attached to the given Connection of interest.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein said displaying step further includes via “

drill down”

to said Sub Connection Layer a display for a given Sub Connection of statistics specific to the Sub Connection including frame, cell, and byte counts.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said displaying step further includes via “

drill down”

to said Host Layer a display of statistics, any alarms, and counts of Sub Hosts attached to said Host Layer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said displaying step further includes via “

drill down”

to said Sub Host Layer a display of statistics relative to a given Sub Host object at this Layer including frame, cell, and byte.

30. A method for displaying Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network analysis, comprising:

displaying a hierarchy tree showing a plurality of objects in a first window, wherein objects in a leftmost columnar position in the first window are at a same level in the hierarchy, and objects at successive lower levels are shown with an increasing rightward position as well as a lower position in the first window;

displaying a plurality of statistics associated with the objects in a second window; and

in response to a user selection of one of the objects via a mouse, affecting the statistics in the second window.

31. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the user is capable of drilling down the objects of the hierarchy tree.

32. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the user is capable of drilling up the objects of the hierarchy tree.

33. A method as set forth in claim 30, and further comprising displaying a plurality of mediums to be monitored during the network analysis in a third window for the selection thereof by the user.

34. A method as set forth in claim 30, and further comprising displaying a plurality of alarms in a third window for the selection thereof by the user.

35. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein lengthy descriptions of the objects are occluded in the first window.

36. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the statistics include a number of bytes transmitted.

37. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the statistics include an average frame size transmitted.

38. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the statistics include a number of frames transmitted.

39. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein an address associated with at least one of the objects is displayed.

40. A computer program product implemented by a computer readable medium for displaying Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network analysis, comprising:

computer code for displaying a hierarchy tree showing a plurality of objects in a first window, wherein objects in a leftmost columnar position in the first window are at a same level in the hierarchy, and objects at successive lower levels are shown with an increasing rightward position as well as a lower position in the first window;

computer code for displaying a plurality of statistics associated with the objects in a second window; and

computer code for affecting the statistics in the second window in response to a user selection of one of the objects via a mouse.

41. A method for displaying Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network analysis, comprising:

displaying a hierarchy tree showing a plurality of objects in a first window, wherein objects in a leftmost columnar position in the first window are at a same level in the hierarchy, and objects at successive lower levels are shown with an increasing rightward position as well as a lower position in the first window;

displaying a plurality of statistics associated with the objects in a second window that is displayed simultaneously with the first window, wherein the statistics include a number of bytes transmitted in association with the objects, an average frame size transmitted in association with the objects, and a number of frames transmitted in association with the objects;

affecting the statistics in the second window, in response to a user selection of one of the objects via a mouse;

drilling down the objects of the hierarchy tree;

drilling up the objects of the hierarchy tree;

displaying a plurality of mediums to be monitored during the network analysis in a third window for the selection thereof by the user;

displaying a plurality of alarms in a fourth window for the selection thereof by the user; and

displaying a plurality of files in a fifth window for the selection thereof by the user, each file including a plurality of objects capable of being displayed.