Identifying mismatches between a logical model and node implementation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10554493-B2
Application number	US-201715661899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2017
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media analyzing memory usage in a network node. A network assurance appliance may be configured to obtain reference concrete level rules for a node in the network, obtain implemented concrete level rules for the node from the node in the network, compare the reference concrete level rules with the implemented concrete level rules, and determining that the implemented concrete level rules are not appropriately configured based on the comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
obtaining reference concrete level rules for a node in a network, comprising:
receiving a global logical model containing instructions on how endpoints connected to the network communicate within the network;
creating the reference concrete level rules from the global logical model, the reference concrete rules being specific to operability of the node;

obtaining, from the node in the network, implemented concrete level rules for the node;
comparing the reference concrete level rules with the implemented concrete level rules; and
determining that the implemented concrete level rules are not appropriately configured based on the comparing;
wherein:
concrete rules are (a) allow rules that define conditions to allow data flow and (b) deny rules that define conditions to deny data flow;
the reference concrete level rules are the correct allow and deny rules of the node; and
the implemented concrete level rules are the actual allow and deny rules being executed by the node.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a logical model for the network from a controller for the network;
generating, based on the logical model for the network, a logical model for the node; and
generating, based on the logical model for the node the reference concrete level rules for the node.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising querying the node in the network for the implemented concrete level rules for the node.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing a number of reference concrete level rules with a number of implemented concrete level rules.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the node is a leaf node.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the reference concrete level rules are access control rules.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising notifying a network administrator that the implemented concrete level rules are not appropriately configured.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising recording the occurrence of a misconfiguration of the implemented concrete level rules along with a time stamp.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising restarting the node.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, from a controller, reference rule identifiers for the reference concrete level rules for the node in the network;
obtaining, from the node, implemented rule identifiers associated with hardware level entries stored on the node; and
determining that the hardware level entries stored on the node are not appropriately configured based on the reference rule identifiers and the implemented rule identifiers.

11. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
at least one computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
obtaining reference concrete level rules for a node in a network, comprising:
receiving a global logical model containing instructions on how endpoints connected to the network communicate within the network;
creating the reference concrete level rules from the global logical model, the reference concrete rules being specific to operability of the node;

obtaining, from the node in the network, implemented concrete level rules for the node;
comparing the reference concrete level rules with the implemented concrete level rules; and
determining that the implemented concrete level rules are not appropriately configured based on the comparing;
wherein:
concrete rules are (a) allow rules that define conditions to allow data flow and (b) deny rules that define conditions to deny data flow;
the reference concrete level rules are the correct allow and deny rules of the node; and
the implemented concrete level rules are the actual allow and deny rules being executed by the node.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
obtaining a logical model for the network from a controller for the network;
generating, based on the logical model for the network, a logical model for the node; and
generating, based on the logical model for the node the reference concrete level rules for the node.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising querying the node in the network for the implemented concrete level rules for the node.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising comparing a number of reference concrete level rules with a number of implemented concrete level rules.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the node is a leaf node.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed, cause a system to perform operations comprising:
obtaining reference concrete level rules for a node in a network, comprising:
receiving a global logical model containing instructions on how endpoints connected to the network communicate within the network;
creating the reference concrete level rules from the global logical model, the reference concrete rules being specific to operability of the node;

obtaining, from the node in the network, implemented concrete level rules for the node;
comparing the reference concrete level rules with the implemented concrete level rules; and
determining that the implemented concrete level rules are not appropriately configured based on the comparing;
wherein:
concrete rules are (a) allow rules that define conditions to allow data flow and (b) deny rules that define conditions to deny data flow;
the reference concrete level rules are the correct allow and deny rules of the node; and
the implemented concrete level rules are the actual allow and deny rules being executed by the node.

17. The medium of claim 16 , further comprising:
obtaining a logical model for the network from a controller for the network;
generating, based on the logical model for the network, a logical model for the node; and
generating, based on the logical model for the node the reference concrete level rules for the node.

18. The medium of claim 16 , further comprising querying the node in the network for the implemented concrete level rules for the node.

19. The medium of claim 16 , further comprising comparing a number of reference concrete level rules with a number of implemented concrete level rules.

20. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the node is a leaf node.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Kompella Ramana Rao
• Nagarajan Chandra
• Monk John Thomas
• Ghantasala Purna Mani Kumar

Classifications

• H04L41/0859

  by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions · CPC title

• H04L41/0853

  by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information · CPC title

• H04L63/0263

  Rule management · CPC title

• H04L63/20

  for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227) · CPC title

• H04L63/101

  Access control lists [ACL] · CPC title