Techniques for dynamic network strengthening

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12301415-B2
Application number	US-202318207007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2023
Priority date	May 29, 2019
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for network strengthening, such as by detecting issues with one or more network components and reconfiguring one or more upstream or downstream network components to preempt issues with the one or more upstream or downstream network components, for instance. Some embodiments are particularly directed to a tool (e.g., strengthening agent) that implements pre-scripted or dynamic hardening of up and downstream dependencies of a network component in response to an issue identified with the network component. In many embodiments, up and downstream components of a network component may be reconfigured while the issue with the network component is being addressed to preempt issues with the up and downstream components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
access an impact map associated with a network component of a network of network components, the impact map comprising data indicating one or more upstream or downstream components of the network component being affected by an event that affects operation of the network component;
detect the event affecting the operation of the network component; and
implement at least one preemptive action on the network component to prevent communication issues between the network component and the one or more upstream or downstream components due to effects on the operation of the network component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data indicating the one or more upstream or downstream components affected by the event includes one or more log entries for each of the network component and the one or more upstream or downstream components.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the impact map comprises one or more dependency chains indicating either or both of an upstream or downstream dependency for an associated component.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein detecting the event affecting the operation of the network component includes the processor being caused to detect an up or down spike in traffic to or from the network component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein detecting the event affecting the operation of the network component includes the processor being caused to detect one or more logged errors associated with the network component or the one or more downstream components.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one preemptive action implemented on the network component includes the processor being caused to autoscale an instance of an application programming interface (API), create or destroy an instance of an API, create a dark instance of an API, or route traffic of an API.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein autoscaling the instance of the API includes the processor caused to autoscale additional instances of a first API in response to a failure of a second API that performs a same or similar function as the first API.

8. A method comprising:
receiving an impact chain associated with a first network device of a network, the impact chain comprising data indicating that one or more second network devices of the network, the one or more second network devices being upstream or downstream from the first network device, is affected by an event that affects operation of the first network device;
processing the data to identify the event affecting the operation of the first network component, wherein processing the data includes processing traffic patterns or logging data associated with the one or more second network devices; and
implementing at least one corrective action to correct the event on the first network device to prevent communication issues between the first network device and the one or more second network devices.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the data indicating the one or more second network devices affected by the event includes one or more log entries for each of the one or more second network devices indicating a communication error with the first network device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the impact chain comprises one or more dependency chains indicating either or both of an upstream or downstream dependency between the first network device and a corresponding second component of the one or more second network devices.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein processing the traffic patterns includes detecting an up or down spike in traffic to or from the first network device.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein processing the logging data includes detecting one or more logged errors associated with the first network device or the one or more second network devices.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action implemented on the first network device includes the autoscaling an instance of an application programming interface (API), creating or destroying an instance of an API, creating a dark instance of an API, or routing traffic of an API.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein autoscaling the instance of the API includes the autoscaling additional instances of a first API in response to a failure of a second API that performs a same or similar function as the first API.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processing circuit of a network node, cause the network node to:
communicate with a database to obtain an impact chain associated with a network component of a network of network components, the impact chain comprising data indicating one or more upstream or downstream components of the network component affected by an event that affects operation of the network component;
process the data to detect the event affecting the operation of the network component;
determine at least one preemptive action to implement on the network component, the preemptive action configured to prevent communication issues between the network component and the one or more upstream or downstream components of the network; and
send instructions to the network component to implement the at least one preemptive action.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the data indicating the one or more upstream or downstream components affected by the event includes one or more log entries for each of the one or more upstream or downstream components.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the impact chain comprises one or more dependency chains indicating either or both of an upstream or downstream dependency for an associated component.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein processing the data to detect the event affecting the operation of the network component includes the network node being caused to detect an up or down spike in traffic to or from the network component.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein processing the data to detect the event affecting the operation of the network component includes the network node being caused to detect one or more logged errors associated with the network component.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one preemptive action to be implemented on the network component includes autoscaling an instance of an application programming interface (API), creating or destroying an instance of an API, creating a dark instance of an API, or routing traffic of an API.

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Barnum Eric K
• Pinos Bryan
• Helbing Lindsay

Classifications

• H04L41/046 Primary

  comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor · CPC title

• H04L41/0873

  Checking configuration conflicts between network elements · CPC title

• H04L41/0886

  Fully automatic configuration · CPC title

• H04L41/0836

  to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime · CPC title

• H04L41/0816 Primary

  the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events · CPC title