Temporal graph system to facilitate network data flow analytics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018367414-A1
Application number	US-201715828306-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 20, 2017
Publication date	Dec 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for performing network analysis comprising: receiving telemetry information for a computer network, the telemetry information comprising network device state information for internetworking devices in the computer network and network traffic flow information for data packet flows through the computer network; transforming the telemetry information into a temporal graph that is digitally stored in computer memory; receiving, from a client computing device, a request for network analytics information for the computer network; in response to receiving the request for network analytics information, generating network analytics information for the computer network based on the temporal graph and sending the network analytics information to the client computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving telemetry information for a computer network, the telemetry information comprising network device state information for internetworking devices in the computer network and network traffic flow information for data packet flows through the computer network; transforming the telemetry information into a temporal graph that is digitally stored in computer memory; receiving, from a client computing device, a request for network analytics information for the computer network; in response to receiving the request for network analytics information, generating network analytics information for the computer network based on the temporal graph and sending the network analytics information to the client computing device.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein generating the network analytics information comprises generating a snapshot of the temporal graph, wherein the snapshot is associated with a particular time.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein generating the snapshot comprises:
generating a first version of the snapshot associated with a first time;
temporally traversing the first version of the snapshot to generate a second version of the snapshot associated with a second time, wherein the second time is different from the first time.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein generating the network analytics information comprises retrieving historical data for one or more graph elements in the temporal graph, wherein the historical data corresponds to a particular time period.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the historical data includes one or more of: existence history, creation history, modification history, and deletion history.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the request specifies a particular graph element and the historical data is for one or more graph elements spatially connected to the particular graph element.

7 . The method of claim 4 wherein historical data includes data identifying a plurality of versions of a particular graph element, wherein each version of the plurality of versions is associated with a different time.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the request specifies a particular condition and generating the network analytics information comprises:
identifying a first set of one or more graph elements that satisfy the particular condition;
generating network analysis information based on the first set of one or more graph elements.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein identifying the first set of one or more graph elements comprises:
identifying a second set of one or more graph elements;
temporally traversing the second set to identify the first set.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the request includes a command in a graph traversal language and wherein generating the network analytics information comprises processing the command.

11 . A computer system comprising:
one or more processors; one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause: receiving telemetry information for a computer network, the telemetry information comprising network device state information for internetworking devices in the computer network and network traffic flow information for data packet flows through the computer network; transforming the telemetry information into a temporal graph that is digitally stored in computer memory; receiving, from a client computing device, a request for network analytics information for the computer network; in response to receiving the request for network analytics information, generating network analytics information for the computer network based on the temporal graph and sending the network analytics information to the client computing device.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein generating the network analytics information comprises generating a snapshot of the temporal graph, wherein the snapshot is associated with a particular time.

13 . The system of claim 12 wherein generating the snapshot comprises:
generating a first version of the snapshot associated with a first time;
temporally traversing the first version of the snapshot to generate a second version of the snapshot associated with a second time, wherein the second time is different from the first time.

14 . The system of claim 11 wherein generating the network analytics information comprises retrieving historical data for one or more graph elements in the temporal graph, wherein the historical data corresponds to a particular time period.

15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the historical data includes one or more of: existence history, creation history, modification history, and deletion history.

16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the request specifies a particular graph element and the historical data is for one or more graph elements spatially connected to the particular graph element.

17 . The system of claim 14 wherein historical data includes data identifying a plurality of versions of a particular graph element, wherein each version of the plurality of versions is associated with a different time.

18 . The system of claim 11 wherein the request specifies a particular condition and generating the network analytics information comprises:
identifying a first set of one or more graph elements that satisfy the particular condition;
generating network analysis information based on the first set of one or more graph elements.

19 . The system of claim 18 wherein identifying the first set of one or more graph elements comprises:
identifying a second set of one or more graph elements;
temporally traversing the second set to identify the first set.

20 . The system of claim 11 wherein the request includes a command in a graph traversal language and wherein generating the network analytics information comprises processing the command.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Raghavendra Arun Kumar
• NARAYANAN Bhalaji

Classifications

• H04L41/145

  involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network · CPC title

• H04L43/026

  using flow identification · CPC title

• H04L43/067

  using time frame reporting · CPC title

• G06T11/26

  Drawing of charts or graphs · CPC title

• H04L41/142

  using statistical or mathematical methods · CPC title