Modeling and Analysis of Computer Networks
A computer network may be modeled using a declarative definition that includes classes and relationships between classes. A discovery tool may populate a database with instances of the classes and enable an analysis tool to apply a constraint model so that a subset of possible alternatives may be defined. In some cases, further analysis may be performed on items contained in the subset.
1 . A method comprising:
defining a database model having class definitions and relationship definitions, said relationship definitions comprising relationships between at least two of said classes, said database model defining computing devices attached to a network;
populating said database with instances of said computing devices; and
analyzing said database by defining a constraint model, applying said constraint model to said database, and determining a subset of matching instances.
2 . The method of claim 1 , said classes comprising software items.
3 . The method of claim 2 , said software items comprising services.
4 . The method of claim 2 , said software items comprising applications installed on one of said computing devices.
5 . The method of claim 1 , a first of said classes being a subset of a second of said classes, said second of said classes having a set of properties, said set of properties being applied to said first set of classes through inheritance.
6 . The method of claim 1 , said analyzing further comprising a detailed analysis on each member of said subset of matching instances.
7 . The method of claim 1 , said populating said database being performed by crawling a network, discovering a device, and analyzing said device to determine said instances.
8 . The method of claim 1 , said constraint model defining a set of requirements for a proposed change to at least one of said computing devices.
9 . A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 1 .
10 . A system comprising:
a database comprising instances of a database model, said instances comprising data from a plurality of computing devices attached to a network, said database having a database model comprising class definitions and relationship definitions, said relationship definitions comprising relationships between at least two of said classes;
a crawler adapted to traverse said network, detect said computing devices, and populate said database with said instances;
an analyzer adapted to apply a constraint model against said database to determine a subset of matching instances.
11 . The system of claim 10 , said classes comprising software items.
12 . The system of claim 11 , said software items comprising services operating on said computing devices.
13 . The system of claim 11 , said software items comprising applications installed on said computing devices.
14 . The system of claim 10 , at least one of said classes being related by inheritance to a second of said classes.
15 . A method comprising:
populating a database, said database being defined by a database model having classes and relationships, said populating comprising:
traversing a network;
detecting a device attached to said network;
analyzing said device to determine instances of said classes and relationships; and
storing said instances in said database; and
analyzing said database by defining a constraint model, applying said constraint model to said database, and determining a subset of matching instances.
16 . The method of claim 15 , said classes comprising software items.
17 . The method of claim 16 , said software items comprising services.
18 . The method of claim 16 , said software items comprising applications installed on said device.
19 . The method of claim 15 , at least one of said classes being related by inheritance to a second of said classes.
20 . A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 15 .