LiveMap: A Multi-Domain Network Flow Visualization and Analysis Tool

Networks, such as the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), are an interconnection of multiple networks in a complex mesh that require continuous real-time monitoring and management. As with any network, issues arise in ESnet that need to be analyzed and resolved in a timely manner. The issues in ESnet are complicated by application paths that cross multiple domains requiring visibility along the path that is administered by different entities and necessitates coordination to resolve issues. Existing tools have issues dealing with cross domain and require an IT expert to use and understand. New tools are needed to help users and operators communicate issues across domains, narrow down the problem to resolution and help with understanding the complex network for capacity planning and operational efficiencies including energy use. Referentia proposes an intelligent network management solution, LiveMap, to meet these needs by applying robust Internet-scale technologies such as BigTable to collect the large amounts of distributed performance data that can be quickly analyzed and efficiently visualized through a single pane-of-glass across multiple domains. LiveMap will incorporate scalable and distributed data gathering and machine-learning-based analysis coupled with a knowledge base built on ontology research done previously by Referentia. The framework will help to understand the real-time behavior of the complex network from the application flow, Quality of Service (QoS) and end-to-end measures from PerfSonar and other Service Level Agreement (SLA) measures to help pinpoint performance issues over multiple domains. The framework will be designed with the appropriate security and cross-domain technology for data gathering that leverages Referentias Department of Defense (DOD) accredited cross-domain expertise. LiveMap research will leverage patent-pending ideas in network visualization and analysis applied with internet-scale data-analysis layer built on PerfSONAR-like multi-domain data service infrastructure. LiveMap will allow operators in multiple domains to trace particular network flows to specific applications across multiple domains. The applications flow will be correlated to performance information per-domain and per-hop characteristics in an interactive network map that operates similarly to how Google Maps operates on geographical information. The intuitive visualization will leverage mental models to help operators quickly understand and resolve issues and also understand the behavior of the complex network for planning purposes. LiveMap will provide a single pane-of-glass interactive view to the network similar to how Google Maps provides for geographic maps with overlays for traffic congestions and can be extended to add other pertinent views. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: Optimizing the management and performance of network infrastructure to support critical business operations is emerging as a critical need in todays market. The network infrastructure is increasingly more complex to support collaboration, mobility, cloud based application and critical business operations. Increasingly use of transport that goes through public infrastructure or content delivery networks or private VPN services such as MPLS is becoming more common. The dependency on other entities for transport is driving the need for multi-domain monitoring from business to service provider, service provider to their customer and service provider to service provider that provide peering services. For cybersecurity, there are initiatives in DOE and other government agencies to provide coordinated response to cyber events which would benefit from a multi-domain monitoring solution. There is a need for service providers and agencies to be able to investigate large scale cybersecurity events and resolve them collaboratively across entities to protect national, regional and commercial cyber infrastructure and assets.