# US 10,484,265 B2 · Dynamic update of virtual network topology

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,484,265 B2
- Document ID: US10484265B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/499,452
- Filed: 2017-04-27
- Published: 2018-11-01
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-04-27
- Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
- Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
- Inventors: Tsong-Ho Wu; Wen-Jui Li; Wai Lai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484265B2

## CPC

- H04L 45/64: using an overlay routing layer
- H04L 41/122: of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
- H04L 45/036: Updating the topology between route computation elements, e.g. between OpenFlow controllers
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

An IP network topology update system may update IP network topology in near real-time and on-demand with minimum overheads. It identifies likely impact area (e.g., layer 2 or layer 3), objects (e.g., link or node such a device), and timing (e.g., what topology objects located where or when the topology update process should be performed) in the IP Layer 3 network and its underlying SDN Layer 2 network under virtualized networking infrastructure as candidates of impacts for topology update.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:
obtaining an alert, the alert comprising information affecting a virtual topology;
determining that the alert is a parent event during a time duration, the time duration computed based on a pairing of a time of an onset alarm and a time of a clear alarm associated with a same alarm identifier from a same device;
based on the determining that the alert is a parent event, determining an object associated with the parent event;
obtaining other parent events that are associated with the object;
based on the other parent events that are associated with the object, determining an impact area that the parent event affects; and
based on the determined impact area, performing a topology update for the impact area.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, the operations further comprising:
providing instructions to display the topology update on a display of a device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impact area comprises a layer 2 area or a layer 3 area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a virtual network device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a physical network device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a physical link.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a virtual link.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
obtaining, by a server, an alert, the alert comprising information affecting a virtual topology;
determining, by the server, that the alert is a parent event during a time duration, the time duration computed based on a pairing of a time of an onset alarm and a time of a clear alarm associated with a same alarm identifier from a same device;
based on the determining that the alert is a parent event, determining, by the server, an object associated with the parent event;
obtaining, by the server, other events that are associated with the object;
based on the other events that are associated with the object, determining, by the server, an impact area that the parent event affects; and
based on the determined impact area, performing a topology update for the impact area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
displaying the topology update on a display of a device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the impact area comprises a layer 2 area or a layer 3 area.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the object comprises a virtual network device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the object comprises a physical network device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the object comprises a physical link.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the object comprises a virtual link.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause said computing device to effectuate operations comprising:
obtaining an alert, the alert comprising information affecting a virtual topology;
determining that the alert is a parent event during a time duration, the time duration computed based on a pairing of a time of an onset alarm and a time of a clear alarm associated with a same alarm identifier from a same device;
based on the determining that the alert is a parent event, determining an object associated with the parent event;
obtaining other events that are associated with the object;
based on the other events that are associated with the object, determining an impact area that the parent event affects; and
based on the determined impact area, performing a topology update for the impact area.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:
displaying the topology update on a display of a device, wherein the topology update comprises a layer 2 topology or a layer 3 topology.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the impact area comprises a layer 2 area or a layer 3 area.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the object comprises a virtual network device.