Method and apparatus for monitoring a network environment

A method comprising:

• collecting recent data associated with operation of a network device;
• analyzing the network device by comparing the collected recent data with dynamically configured cognitive signatures, the dynamically configured cognitive signatures being adjustable to account for selected network activity in order to represent normal operation modes of the network device;
• and
• determining whether a problem exists based on the analyzed network device.

A network device comprising:

• a data collection module to collect recent data associated with operation of a network environment;
• a cognitive signature module coupled to the data collection module and to configure dynamically cognitive signatures associated with the network environment, the cognitive signatures being adjustable to account for selected network activity in order to represent normal operation modes of the network environment;
• and
• an analysis module coupled to the data collection module and the cognitive signature module and to compare the data collected by the data collection module with the cognitive signatures associated with operation of the network environment;
• and wherein the analysis module is to determine whether a problem exists based on the comparison of the data collected by the data collection module with the cognitive signatures.

A network device comprising:

• means for collecting recent data associated with operation of a network environment;
• means for analyzing the network environment by comparing the data collected by the means for collecting recent data with dynamically configured cognitive signatures, the dynamically configured cognitive signatures being adjustable to account for selected network activity in order to represent normal operation modes of the network environment;
• and
• means for determining whether a problem exists based on the analysis performed by the means for analyzing the network environment.

A computer software product including a medium readable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform an operation comprising:

• collecting recent data associated with operation of a network environment;
• analyzing the network environment by comparing the collected recent data with dynamically configured cognitive signatures, the dynamically configured cognitive signatures being adjustable to account for selected network activity in order to represent normal operation modes of the network environment;
• and
• determining whether a problem exists based on the analysis of the network environment.