System and method for determining network relationships with unreliable data
A system and method for determining network relationships with unreliable data. An identifier of an addressable network element may be associated with a non-addressable network element. A first set of data is generated that associates a first identifier of each of a plurality of first addressable network elements in the network to one of a plurality of non-addressable network elements in the network to which the first addressable network elements are connected. A second data is generated that associates the first identifier of each of the plurality of the first addressable network elements to one of a plurality of second identifiers of a second addressable network element. When at least a threshold measure of the first set of first identifiers matches the second set of first identifiers, the second identifier is associated with the non-addressable network element.
1. A method of establishing a relationship between an addressable network element and a non-addressable network element comprising:
a processor acquiring first data from a first datastore, wherein the first data associates a first identifier of each of a plurality of first addressable network elements in the network to one of a plurality of non-addressable network elements in the network to which the first addressable network elements are connected;
the processor acquiring second data from a second datastore, wherein the second data associates the first identifier of each of the plurality of the first addressable network elements to one of a plurality of second identifiers of a second addressable network element;
the processor using the first data to identify a first set of first identifiers associated with a particular non-addressable network element;
the processor using the second data to identify a second set of first identifiers associated with a particular second identifier of a particular second network device;
the processor comparing the first and second sets of first identifiers; and
the processor storing the particular second identifier in association with the particular non-addressable network element when at least a threshold measure of the first set of first identifiers matches the second set of first identifiers, wherein the threshold measure is less than one.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-addressable network element is a network node, wherein the first identifier is a MAC address of a cable modem, wherein the second identifier is a port identifier on a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and wherein the method associates a particular cable modem CMTS port identifier with a particular network node.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first datastore is a subscriber account datastore and the second datastore is a cable modem termination system datastore.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-addressable network element is a network node, wherein the first identifier is a MAC address of a set-top box (STB), wherein the second identifier is a video on demand (VOD) demodulator identifier and wherein the method associates a particular VOD demodulator identifier with a particular network node.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first datastore is a subscriber account datastore and the second datastore is a STB datastore.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-addressable network element is a network node, wherein the first identifier is a MAC address of a set-top box (STB), wherein the second identifier is a video on demand (VOD) service group identifier and wherein the method associates a particular VOD service group identifier with a particular network node.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first datastore is a subscriber account datastore and the second datastore is a VOD transaction datastore.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a second processor generating a graphical representation of the relationship of the association of the second identifier with the non-addressable network element.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
the second processor sending the graphical representation to a display device; and
displaying the graphical representation on the display device.
10. A correlator apparatus for establishing a relationship between of an addressable network element and a non-addressable network element comprising:
a memory, wherein the memory comprises software executable instructions; and
a processor, wherein the processor accesses the software executable instructions in the memory, and wherein the processor is configured with the software executable instructions that cause the correlator to perform operations comprising:
acquiring first data from a first datastore, wherein the first data associates a first identifier of each of a plurality of first addressable network elements in the network to one of a plurality of non-addressable network elements in the network to which the first addressable network elements are connected;
acquiring second data from a second datastore, wherein the second data associates the first identifier of each of the plurality of the first addressable network elements to one of a plurality of second identifiers of a second addressable network element;
using the first data to identify a first set of first identifiers associated with a particular non-addressable network element;
using the second data to identify a second set of first identifiers associated with a particular second identifier of a particular second network device;
comparing the first and second sets of first identifiers; and
storing the particular second identifier in association with the particular non-addressable network element when at least a threshold measure of the first set of first identifiers matches the second set of first identifiers, wherein the threshold measure is less than one.
11. The correlator apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the non-addressable network element is a network node, wherein the first identifier is a MAC address of a cable modem, wherein the second identifier is a port identifier on a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and wherein the correlator apparatus associates a particular CMTS port identifier with a particular network node.
12. The correlator apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first datastore is a subscriber account datastore and the second datastore is a cable modem termination system datastore.
13. The correlator apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the non-addressable network element is a network node, wherein the first identifier is a MAC address of a set-top box (STB), wherein the second identifier is a video on demand (VOD) demodulator identifier and wherein the correlator apparatus associates a particular VOD demodulator identifier with a particular network node.
14. The correlator apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first datastore is a subscriber account datastore and the second datastore is a STB datastore.
15. The correlator apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the non-addressable network element is a network node, wherein the first identifier is a MAC address of a set-top box (STB), wherein the second identifier is a video on demand (VOD) service group identifier and wherein the correlator apparatus associates a particular VOD service group with a particular network node.
16. The correlator apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first datastore is a subscriber account datastore and the second datastore is a VOD transaction datastore.
17. The correlator apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured with the software executable instructions that cause the correlator to perform operations comprising generating a graphical representation of the relationship of the association of the second identifier with the non-addressable network element.
18. The correlator apparatus of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured with the software executable instructions that cause the correlator to perform operations comprising:
sending the graphical representation to a display device; and
displaying the graphical representation on the display device.