Systems and methods for configuring a probe server network using a reliability model

• US 9,577,910 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Inventors: Djuric, Mirko, Periasamy, Velmurugan, Choppala, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Uzma
• Application Number:
  US14/050,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 plurality of network components, wherein the plurality of network components include a plurality of probe servers, a plurality of name servers, and a plurality of connections between the plurality of probe servers and the plurality of name servers;

accessing a set of reliability data for the network;

providing a network model based on the network topology map and the set of reliability data, wherein the network model includes the plurality of network components arranged according to a plurality of pyramids each containing (1) one name server of the plurality of name servers at an apex of the pyramid, (2) two or more probe servers of the plurality of probe servers at a base of the pyramid, and (3) two or more connections of the plurality of connections that connect the name server, without any other of the plurality of name servers intervening, to the two or more probe servers;

generating network model results for the network based on the network model;

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

updating the network model to include the minimum number of probe servers required to support the target service level for the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes a managed domain name system network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the network model to provide at least one failure perception moment indicating a failure of one network component of the plurality of network components, wherein the failure of the one network component is independent of any failure of any other of the plurality of network components; and

providing the at least one failure perception moment in the network model results.

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 plurality of probe servers required to support the target service level.

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

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the network model applies a rule that a name server is out of service only when at least two probe servers of the plurality of 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 at least one of a predicted failure rate for the plurality of probe servers, a predicted failure rate for the plurality of name servers, a predicted failure rate for the plurality of connections, or an observed distribution of failures of the plurality of network components 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 plurality of name servers;

a second interface to a plurality of probe servers, the plurality of probe severs being connected to the plurality of name servers via a plurality of connections;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor that communicates with the plurality of name servers and the plurality of probe servers via the first interface and the second interface, respectively, and executes the instructions to;

access a network topology map for a network comprising a plurality of network components, wherein the plurality of network components include the plurality of probe servers, the plurality of name servers, and the plurality of connections,

access a set of reliability data for the network,

provide a network model based on the network topology map and the set of reliability data, wherein the network model includes the plurality of network components arranged according to a plurality of pyramids each containing (1) one name server one of the plurality of name servers at an apex of the pyramid, (2) two or more probe servers of the plurality of probe servers at a base of the pyramid, and (3) two or more connections of the plurality of connections that connect the name server, without any other of the plurality of name servers intervening, to the two or more probe servers,

generate network model results for the network based on the network model,

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

update the network model to include the minimum number of probe servers required to support the target service level for the network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the network includes a managed domain name system network.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

operate the network model to provide at least one failure perception moment indicating a failure of one network component of the plurality of network components, wherein the failure of the one network component is independent of any failure of any other of the plurality of network components; and

provide the at least one failure perception moment in the network model results.

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 further executes the instructions to identify, based on the network model, a maximum number of probe servers for use in the plurality of probe servers required to support the target service level.

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

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the network model applies a rule that a name server is out of service only when at least two probe servers of the plurality of 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 at least one of a predicted failure rate for the plurality of probe servers, a predicted failure rate for the plurality of name servers, a predicted failure rate for the plurality of connections, or an observed distribution of failures of the plurality of network components 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.