Discovering and grouping application endpoints in a network environment
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsSachin Waman Danait, Kannan Ponnuswamy, Paul John Lesiak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example method for discovering and grouping application endpoints in a network environment is provided and includes discovering endpoints communicating in a network environment, calculating affinity between the discovered endpoints, and grouping the endpoints into separate endpoint groups (EPGs) according to the calculated affinity, each EPG comprising a logical grouping of similar endpoints for applying common forwarding and policy logic according to logical application boundaries. In specific embodiments, the affinity includes a weighted average of network affinity, compute affinity and user specified affinity.
Claims20
A method executed by a network element in network environment, comprising:
- discovering endpoints communicating in a network environment;
- calculating affinity between the discovered endpoints;
- and
- grouping the endpoints into separate endpoint groups (EPGs) according to the calculated affinity, each EPG comprising a logical grouping of similar endpoints for applying common forwarding and policy logic according to logical application boundaries.
Non-transitory tangible media that includes instructions for execution, which when executed by a processor of a network element, is operable to perform operations comprising:
- discovering endpoints communicating in a network environment;
- calculating affinity between the discovered endpoints;
- and
- grouping the endpoints into separate EPGs according to the calculated affinity, each EPG comprising a logical grouping of similar endpoints for applying common forwarding and policy logic according to logical application boundaries.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a collection engine;
- a grouping analysis module;
- a reporting module;
- a memory element for storing data;
- and
- a network processor, wherein the network processor executes instructions associated with the data, wherein the network processor and the memory element cooperate, such that the apparatus is configured for:
- discovering endpoints communicating in a network environment;
- calculating affinity between the discovered endpoints;
- and
- grouping the endpoints into separate EPGs according to the calculated affinity, each EPG comprising a logical grouping of similar endpoints for applying common forwarding and policy logic according to logical application boundaries.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.