System, apparatus and method for providing improved performance of aggregated/bonded network connections with cloud provisioning
A network system for improving network communication performance is disclosed. The system includes 1) at least one network bonding/aggregation computer system that includes: (i) at least one client site network component bonding or aggregating one or more diverse network connections; and (ii) at least one network server component configured to interoperate with the client site network component; and 2) a cloud-based network manager that includes: a data collection utility, a network performance analysis utility, and a network configuration utility.
1. A network system for improving network communication performance between at least a first client site and a second client site, wherein the first client site and the second client site are at a distance from one another that would usually require long haul network communication, the system comprising:
(a) at least one network bonding/aggregation computer system configured to
bond or aggregate one or more diverse network connections between at least one client site network component and at least one network server component to configure a bonded/aggregated connection that has increased throughput; and
(b) a cloud-based network manager comprising:
(i) a data collection utility configured to collect network performance data from a variety of sources or network points in real-time or near real-time;
(ii) a network performance analysis utility configured to analyze the collected network performance data dynamically in real-time or near real-time; and
(iii) a network configuration utility configured to reconfigure at least one of: the at least one client site network component, the at least one network server component, the one or more diverse network connections, and the bonded/aggregated connection based on the analyzed collected network performance data.
2. The network system of claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based network manager comprises an electronic portal configured to display at least one of: the collected network performance data and an analysis output of the network performance analysis utility.
3. The network system of claim 1 , wherein the network performance analysis utility generates data required to modify network paths in the bonded/aggregated connection.
4. A network device for improving network communication performance between at least a first client site and a second client site, wherein the first client site and the second client site are at a distance from one another that would usually require long haul network communication, the device configuring a cloud-based network manager comprising:
(i) a data collection utility configured to collect network performance data from a variety of sources or network points in real-time or near real-time;
(ii) a network performance analysis utility configured to analyze the collected network performance data dynamically in real-time or near real-time; and
(iii) a network configuration utility configured to reconfigure network components selected from the group of: at least one client site network component, at least one network server component, one or more diverse network connections, and at least one bonded/aggregated network connection based on the analyzed collected network performance data, the at least one bonded/aggregated network connection between the at least one client site network component that is implemented at least at the first client site, the at least one client site network component bonding or aggregating the one or more diverse network connections to configure the at least one bonded/aggregated network connection with increased throughput; and the at least one network server component, configured to interoperate with the at least one client site network component, the at least one network server component including a server/concentrator that is implemented at an access point to a high-performing network interconnected with the second client site.
5. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the cloud-based network manager comprises an electronic portal configured to display at least one of: the collected network performance data and an analysis output of the network performance analysis utility.
6. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the network performance analysis utility generates data required to modify network paths in the at least one bonded/aggregated network connection between the first client site and the second client site.
7. The network device of claim 6 , wherein the network performance analysis utility determines a network performance score based on the network performance data.
8. The network device of claim 7 , wherein the network performance score is a Quality of Experience score.
9. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the Quality of Experience score is determined based on one at least one of: Mean Opinion Score (MOS) standard, latency, jitter and loss.
10. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the data collection utility is configured to collect at least one of: Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) data, Netflow data, IP traffic data, on-device statistics from the at least one client site network component, on-device statistics from the at least one network server component, device configuration data, and log data.
11. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one client site network component and the at least one network server component are configured to interoperate to generate and maintain a network overlay for managing network communications between the first client site and the access point, wherein, between the at least one client site network component and the at least one network server component, data traffic is carried over the at least one bonded/aggregated network connection, and, between the access point and the second client site, the at least one network server component terminates the at least one bonded/aggregated network connection and passes the data traffic to the high-performing network.
12. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the network configuration utility is configured to control the network overlay to reconfigure one or more network server components or one or more network paths.
13. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the network configuration utility is configured to reconfigure a managed network path comprising the at least one bonded/aggregated network connection and at least one network path carried over the high-performing network.
14. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the network configuration utility is configured to store the collected network performance data in at least one electronic data store.
15. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the network configuration utility is configured to provision one or more network devices automatically between the first client site and the second client site.
16. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the network configuration utility is configured to reconfigure the at least one client site network component automatically:
(a) to collect the network performance data; and
(b) to initiate the configuration of a network overlay to include the at least one network server component to improve network performance.
17. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the network configuration utility is configured to apply predictive analytics to facilitate reconfiguration.
18. The network device of claim 17 , wherein the predictive analytics comprise pattern recognition and machine learning techniques.
19. The network device of claim 18 , wherein the network performance analysis utility automatically generates rules for responding to network performance issues.
20. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the network performance analysis utility is configured to detect network attacks or network vulnerabilities.