Enterprise network analyzer zone controller system and method
View Patent ↗A system, method and computer program product are provided for analyzing a network utilizing a zone controller. Initially, network traffic information is received from a plurality of host controllers. Further, the network traffic information is reported upon utilizing a plurality of network-based interfaces. The host controllers are related to a zone for facilitating the reporting.
1. A method for analyzing a network utilizing a zone controller, comprising:
receiving network traffic information from a plurality of host controllers;
reporting on the network traffic information utilizing a plurality of network-based interfaces;
generating a map of a network based on the network traffic-information; and
providing intrusion detection services based on network traffic information; wherein the host controllers are related to a zone.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising synchronizing a clock with the host controllers.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the network traffic information is originally collected by a plurality of agents coupled to the host controllers.
4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the network traffic information is collected from a plurality of zone controllers coupled to the host controllers.
5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the intrusion detection services are performed by the host controllers and the zone controllers.
6. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the host controllers and the zone controllers operate based on user-configurable business rules.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising identifying a zone associated with each of the host controllers.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , and further comprising reporting on the network traffic information relating to each of the zones.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein a fee associated with the reporting is determined based on a number of agents, the host controllers, and zone controllers.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the fee is reoccurring.
11. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein a report is generated including a plurality of objects in a tree representation.
12. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising receiving a plurality of the maps from the host controllers.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , and further comprising reporting on the network traffic information utilizing the maps.
14. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising offloading the network traffic information to a database.
15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the map includes a correlation among computers of the network and the network traffic information associated therewith.
16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap capability is utilized.
17. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the intrusion detection services include scanning the network traffic information and detecting intrusions in the network based on the scanned network traffic information.
18. A computer program product for analyzing a network utilizing a zone controller, comprising:
computer code for receiving network traffic information from a plurality of host controllers;
computer code for reporting on the network traffic information utilizing a plurality of network-based interfaces;
computer code for generating a map of a network based on the network traffic-information; and
computer code for providing intrusion detection services based on network traffic information; wherein the host controllers are related to a zone.
19. The computer program product as recited in claim 18 , and further comprising computer code for synchronizing a clock with the host controllers.
20. The computer program product as recited in claim 18 , wherein the network traffic information is originally collected by a plurality of agents coupled to the host controllers.
21. The computer program product as recited in claim 18 , and further comprising computer code for identifying a zone associated with each of the host controllers.
22. The computer program product as recited in claim 21 , and further comprising computer code for reporting on the network traffic information relating to each of the zones.
23. The computer program product as recited in claim 18 , and further comprising computer code for receiving a plurality of the maps from the host controllers.
24. The computer program product as recited in claim 23 , and further comprising computer code for reporting on the network traffic information utilizing the maps.
25. The computer program product as recited in claim 18 , and further comprising computer code for offloading the network traffic information to a database.
26. A system for analyzing a network utilizing a zone controller, comprising:
logic for receiving network traffic information from a plurality of host controllers;
logic for reporting on the network traffic information utilizing a plurality of network-based interfaces;
logic for generating a map of a network based on the network traffic-information; and
logic for providing intrusion detection services based on network traffic information; wherein the host controllers are related to a zone.
27. The system as recited in claim 26 , and further comprising logic for synchronizing a clock with the host controllers.
28. The system as recited in claim 26 , wherein the network traffic information is originally collected by a plurality of agents coupled to the host controllers.
29. The system as recited in claim 26 , and further comprising logic for identifying a zone associated with each of the host controllers.
30. The system as recited in claim 29 , and further comprising logic for reporting on the network traffic information relating to each of the zones.
31. The system as recited in claim 26 , and further comprising logic for receiving a plurality of the maps from the host controllers.
32. The system as recited in claim 31 , and further comprising logic for reporting on the network traffic information utilizing the maps.
33. The system as recited in claim 26 , and further comprising logic for offloading the network traffic information to a database.
34. A system for analyzing a network utilizing a zone controller, comprising:
means for receiving network traffic information from a plurality of host controllers;
means for reporting on the network traffic information utilizing a plurality of network-based interfaces;
means for generating a map of a network based on the network traffic-information; and
means for providing intrusion detection services based on network traffic information; wherein the host controllers are related to a zone.
35. A method for analyzing a network utilizing a zone controller, comprising:
(a) synchronizing a clock with a plurality of host controllers;
(b) receiving network traffic information from the host controllers;
identifying a zone associated with each of the host controllers;
(d) receiving maps from the host controllers;
(e) reporting on the network traffic information relating to each of the zones utilizing a plurality of network-based interfaces and the maps;
(f) offloading the network traffic information to a database;
(g) generating a map of a network based on the network traffic-information; and
(h) providing intrusion detection services based on network traffic information.