Decision optimization mechanism for device classification

A system, comprising:

• a computer-readable memory;
• and
• a processing device, operatively coupled to the computer-readable memory, to:
• obtain a first classification of a device on a network from a first source;
• obtain a second classification of the device on the network from a second source wherein the first classification and the second classification are different, and wherein the first source determines the first classification based on a fingerprint in network traffic and the second source determines the second classification based on applying a machine learning algorithm to the network traffic;
• select a source selection algorithm including to select a depth based algorithm, based at least on a property of the first classification or the second classification;
• determine a classification result of the device based on applying the source selection algorithm to select at least one of the first classification or the second classification, including to apply the depth based algorithm to select one of the first classification or the second classification based on a depth of the first classification and a depth of the second classification, wherein the classification result indicates at least a role or a vendor of the device;
• and
• store the classification result to the computer-readable memory, wherein a new classification is obtainable from a new source in response to the new source being added to a source configuration file, wherein the source configuration file identifies a plurality of sources that a respective classification is obtainable from, and identifies a respective property name that is associated with each of the plurality of sources.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

• obtain a first classification of a device on a network from a first source;
• obtain a second classification of the device on the network from a second source wherein the first classification and the second classification are different, and wherein the first source determines the first classification based on a fingerprint in network traffic and the second source determines the second classification based on applying a machine learning algorithm to the network traffic;
• select a source selection algorithm including to select a depth based algorithm, based at least on a property of the first classification or the second classification;
• determine a classification result of the device based on applying the source selection algorithm to select at least one of the first classification or the second classification, including to apply the depth based algorithm to select one of the first classification or the second classification based on a depth of the first classification and a depth of the second classification, wherein the classification result indicates at least a role or a vendor of the device;
• and
• storing the classification result to computer-readable memory, wherein a new classification is obtainable from a new source in response to the new source being added to a source configuration file, wherein the source configuration file identifies a plurality of sources that a respective classification is obtainable from, and identifies a respective property name that is associated with each of the plurality of sources.