Policy management and conflict resolution in computer networks

A method for determining and resolving conflicts among multiple policies applied in real time for determining an enforceable policy applicable to one or more network devices, the method comprising:

• creating a plurality of policy object sets, a policy object set being created by attaching at least one rule to one or more objects representing network devices or groups of network devices;
• determining whether a conflict exists among an intersection of policy object sets wherein a conflict exists when two or more of the policy object sets operate on the same or an intersecting set of objects and have overlapping enforcement schedules;
• and
• resolving any conflict at the specific point of set intersection to produce one or more enforceable policies.

A method for determining and resolving conflicts among multiple policies applied in real time for determining an enforceable configuration policy applicable to one or more network devices, comprising the steps of:

• providing a data structure including configuration records and domain elements, the domain elements representing network devices and groups of network devices;
• attaching at least one of the configuration records to at least one domain element to produce multiple configuration policies;
• and
• determining whether any conflicts exist among the multiple configuration policies, wherein a conflict exists when two or more of the multiple configuration policies operate on the same or an intersecting set of domain elements and have overlapping enforcement schedules and resolving the conflicts to produce one or more enforceable configuration policies.

A method of determining connectivity in a communications network between a source and a destination, the method comprising:

• partitioning the network into a plurality of groups;
• providing policies applicable to at least one of the source, destination and select groups of network devices;
• for a desired connection between a source and a destination determining and resolving conflicts among multiple policies applied in real time for the desired connection including:
• collecting the policies applicable to the source and any groups associated with the source to determine an outbound policy term;
• collecting the policies applicable to the destination and any groups associated with the destination to determine an inbound policy term;
• resolving any conflicts between the inbound and outbound policy terms to determine an operating policy;
• and
• applying the operating policy for a duration of an allowed communication between the source and destination.