Automating monitoring using configuration event triggers in a network environment

• US 9,531,589 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clemm, Ludwig Alexander, Dec, Wojciech
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/292,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20150350015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss

Abstract

An example method for automating monitoring using configuration event triggers in a network environment is provided and includes receiving a change request for a configuration change, creating a change impact monitor according to a profile associated with the configuration change, taking a first snapshot of performance indicators when the configuration change is applied, taking a second snapshot of the performance indicators a predetermined duration after applying the configuration change, and generating a change impact notification describing the first snapshot and the second snapshot. The profile can specify the performance indicators for the configuration change. A change agent that creates the change impact monitor may also be invoked. In some embodiments, the method can further include receiving a soak command, and taking a third snapshot of the performance indicators before applying the configuration change.

Claims

1. A method executed by a network device in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a change listener in the network device, a change request for a configuration change of the network device;

invoking, by the change listener, a change agent in the network device;

creating, by the change agent, a change impact monitor in the network device according to a profile associated with the configuration change;

interacting, by the change impact monitor, with monitoring instrumentation in the network device;

taking, by the monitoring instrumentation, a first snapshot of performance indicators when the configuration change is applied;

taking, by the monitoring instrumentation, a second snapshot of the performance indicators a predetermined duration after applying the configuration change, wherein the predetermined duration is timed by a change impact assessment timer operated by the change impact monitor;

computing a rate from differences in the performance indicators between the first snapshot and the second snapshot and the predetermined duration; and

generating, by the change agent, a change impact notification describing the first snapshots the second snapshot and the rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing a query at an analytics engine in the network device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile specifies the performance indicators for the configuration change.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the configuration change comprises a change to an access control list (ACL), wherein the profile specifies performance indicator as comprising a number of incoming packets, a number of outgoing packets, and a number of packet drops at each interface on which the ACL is configured in the network device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting the change impact assessment timer after taking the first snapshot, wherein the second snapshot is taken when the change impact assessment timer expires, wherein the change impact assessment timer is configured for the predetermined duration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined duration is specified in the profile.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a soak command to persist the configuration change; and

taking a third snapshot of the performance indicators before applying the configuration change.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the change request is associated with a soaking policy comprising an instruction to persist change if soaking results in performance improvement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the change request is received at the network device from a management application, wherein the network device transmits the change impact notification to the management application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the change impact notification includes times at which the first snapshot and the second snapshot were taken and an identifier of the configuration change.

11. Non-transitory tangible media that includes instructions for execution, which when executed by a processor, operates to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a change listener in the network device, a change request for a configuration change of the network device;

invoking, by the change listener, a change agent in the network device;

creating, by the change agent, a change impact monitor in the network device according to a profile associated with the configuration change;

interacting, by the change impact monitor, with monitoring instrumentation in the network device;

taking, by the monitoring instrumentation, a first snapshot of performance indicators when the configuration change is applied;

taking, by the monitoring instrumentation, a second snapshot of the performance indicators a predetermined duration after applying the configuration change, wherein the predetermined duration is timed by a change impact assessment timer operated by the change impact monitor;

computing a rate from differences in the performance indicators between the first snapshot and the second snapshot and the predetermined duration; and

generating, by the change agent, a change impact notification describing the first snapshot, the second snapshot and the rate.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein the profile specifies the performance indicators for the configuration change.

13. The media of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise starting the change impact assessment timer after taking the first snapshot, wherein the second snapshot is taken when the change impact assessment timer expires, wherein the change impact assessment timer is configured for the predetermined duration.

14. The media of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a soak command to persist the configuration change; and

taking a third snapshot of the performance indicators before applying the configuration change.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a change listener;

monitoring instrumentation;

a memory element for storing data; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes instructions associated with the data, wherein the processor and the memory element cooperate, such that the apparatus is configured for;

receiving, at the change listener, a change request for a configuration change of the apparatus;

invoking, by the change listener, a change agent in the apparatus;

creating, by the change agent, a change impact monitor in the apparatus according to a profile associated with the configuration change;

interacting, by the change impact monitor, with the monitoring instrumentation in the apparatus;

taking, by the monitoring instrumentation, a first snapshot of performance indicators when the configuration change is applied;

taking, by the monitoring instrumentation, a second snapshot of the performance indicators a predetermined duration after applying the configuration wherein the predetermined duration is timed by a change impact assessment timer operated by the change impact monitor;

computing a rate from differences in the performance indicators between the first snapshot and the second snapshot and the predetermined duration; and

generating, by the change agent, a change impact notification describing the first snapshots the second snapshot and the rate.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further configured for starting the change impact assessment timer after taking the first snapshot, wherein the second snapshot is taken when the change impact assessment timer expires, wherein the change impact assessment timer is configured for the predetermined duration.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further configured for:

receiving a soak command to persist the configuration change; and

taking a third snapshot of the performance indicators before applying the configuration change.