Method and apparatus for determining and resolving missing topology features of a network for improved topology accuracy
US7076564B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 11, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 23, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/586
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention describes a method and apparatus for resolving anomalies within a network topology map that typically occur when a derived topology map fails, for a variety of reasons, to include devices resident on the network. The method of the present invention discovers missing devices by identifying a conflicting link within a received topology map, the conflicting link comprising a source and one or more conflicting destinations. The conflicting link is resolved through the use of one or more virtual devices within the topology map. The conflicting link is replaced with a link to a virtual device based upon the resolution of the conflicting link, thereby eliminating the anomaly in the topology map. The step of resolving the conflicting link may also comprise the steps of determining a number of conflicting destinations from the source of the conflicting link, resolving the source of the conflicting link, and resolving the conflicting destination. In order to reduce the number of virtual devices inserted to the topology, the method may further include identifying a link between two virtual devices and merging the virtual devices.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.