Network Operations (NetOps) Data Transport Optimization Engine - MP 89-09

Given limited network bandwidth and the amount of network operational data that must be transmitted, Metron, Inc. will develop a system that reduces the data into its principal components before transmission. In this proposal, we present a unique expert-system optimization tool that functions both to combine together multiple data sources using a common interface and to dynamically extract and condense relevant network data by determining the orthogonal bases for high informational content. This tool combines the programmed knowledge of network experts with advanced mathematical techniques for rapid automated informational content data mining. Furthermore, the system will translate data from disparate network management tools using a simple industry-standard interface to allow interoperability between these tools. The focus of this effort will be to demonstrate an inference engine that will dynamically determine the informational content of tactical data and extract the most significant and relevant information for transmission. A separate object-oriented algorithm will use a layered approach to translate data output from various network management tools. This translation layer is key to allowing the optimization engine to perform cross-analysis of data from a variety of tools.