Mapping of network device connectivity using performance data
AssigneeLevel 3 Communications, LLC
InventorSteve R. Wakumoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for mapping connections within a computer network include collecting performance data, such as quantities of data sent and received, for interfaces of network devices included in the computer network. One or more statistical analyses are then applied to the performance data to determine likely pairings of interfaces. For example, ratios of the quantity of data sent by a first interface to data received by a second interface and the quantity of data received by the first interface to data sent by the second interface may be evaluated to see if each ratio falls within a margin of error. If so, the corresponding interfaces are considered connected and an entry in a connection database describing the network topology may be created.
Claims20
A method of mapping network connections comprising:
- obtaining, using a computing device communicatively coupled to a network, traffic data including quantities of data sent and received for each interface of a plurality of interfaces within the computer network;
- identifying, using the computing device, a potential connection between a pair of interfaces of the plurality of interfaces, wherein identifying the potential connection includes determining that quantities of data sent and received for a first interface of the pair of interfaces for a time period correspond to quantities of data received and sent, respectively, for a second interface of the pair of interfaces for the time period;
- and
- generating and storing, using the computing device, network topology data including a record corresponding to the potential connection, the record including an identifier for each of the first interface and the second interface.
A system for mapping network connections, the system comprising:
- a computing device configured to:
- obtain traffic data for a network including a plurality of interfaces, the traffic data corresponding to quantities of data sent and received from each of the plurality of interfaces;
- identify potential connections between one or more pairs of the plurality of interfaces, wherein identifying each potential connection includes determining that quantities of data sent and received for a first interface of the pair of interfaces for a time period correspond to quantities of data received and sent, respectively, for a second interface of the pair of interfaces for the time period;
- and
- automatically update a database of network topology data, wherein automatically updating the database includes adding or modifying a record of the database for each potential connection, each record including an identifier for each of the first interface and the second interface of the potential connection.
A method of identifying connections between devices of a network, the method comprising:
- obtaining, at a computing device, first performance data for a first interface of the network, the first performance data including each of a quantity of data sent through the first interface during a time period and a quantity of data received through the first interface during the time period;
- obtaining, at the computing device, second performance data for a second interface of the network, the second performance data including each of a quantity of data sent through the second interface during the time period and a quantity of data received through the second interface during the time period;
- identifying, using the computing device, a connection between the first interface and the second interface by determining each of a first ratio and a second ratio are within a margin of error, the first ratio being the quantity of data sent through the first interface to the quantity of data received by the second interface and the second ratio being the quantity of data sent from the second interface to the quantity of data received by the first interface.
- in response to identifying the connection, automatically updating a database record corresponding to the connection using the computing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.