The present invention relates to a method, apparatus or software for managing propagation of the performance from a node in a network.
Network management systems are commonly applied to manage the performance of a network. Such systems may be employed in many different types of network such as computer or communications networks, virtual networks, social networks and to any such network provided in a virtual world. One function of network management systems is to identify undesirable performance or behaviors originating from one or more nodes in the network so as to enable the performance or behavior to be corrected or otherwise managed. Often, undesirable performance from one node will have an influence on performance at neighbouring or connected nodes.
Network management systems are provided that enable a node exhibiting undesirable performance or behavior to be excluded or isolated from the network. For example, in a communications network, the node, in the form of a computer, may be disconnected from the network. Similarly, in a social network, a node, in the form of a participant, may be excluded from a social network by having their access rights revoked. However, such systems do not provide a mechanism for managing such undesirable behavior while maintaining the node exhibiting the behavior within the network.
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for managing propagation of the performance of a node in a network, the method comprising the steps of:
The relative positions may be reorganized to reduce the probability of propagation. The relative positions may be reorganized to increase the probability of propagation. The relative positions of the nodes on the network may represent relative physical positions of the nodes in a physical geography. The network connections between the nodes may represent possible routes of the propagation of the performance between the nodes. The probability of the propagation may be determined, at least in part, by one or more features of the network connections. At least one of the performance measures may be a measure of human behavior. The probability of the propagation between nodes may be determined, at least in part, by one or more features of the respective nodes.
Another embodiment provides apparatus for managing propagation of the performance of a node in a network, the being operable to:
A further embodiment provides a group of one or more programs arranged to enable a group of one or more programmable devices to perform a method for managing propagation of the performance of a node in a network, the method comprising the steps of:
Another embodiment provides a group of one or more programs arranged to enable a group of one or more programmable devices to provide apparatus for managing propagation of the performance of a node in a network, the being operable to:
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
a and 4b are illustrations of an example of the reorganisation of the network of
With respect to
With reference to
The behavior definitions 303 define:
The influence reduction rules 304 define the action performed by the network management application program 301 in response to a given node exhibiting a behavior score above the defined threshold for the given behavior. The rules 304 are arranged to reduce the effect that the behavior of an offending node may have on its neighbouring nodes. For example, a node may be assigned or restricted to workstations more distant from workstations occupied by other nodes or least well connected to workstations occupied by other nodes via the physical communications routes 203.
a and 4b illustrate an example of the application of an influence reduction rule 304. With reference to
The processing performed by the network management application program 301 when monitoring the behavior of nodes on the network will now be described in further detail with reference to
Thus embodiments of the invention enable undesirable performance or behavior in a network to be identified and its effect minimised by reorganising the network.
In another embodiment, the network comprises fixed nodes and the performance or behavior being monitored propagates via the management network itself as opposed to the physical communications paths described above. For example, the performance may be the network traffic volume or routing distance of messages emanating from a given node. In this embodiment, the network connection may be reconfigured in response to a given node exhibiting the monitored behavior. The network connections may be virtual or physical.
In a further embodiment, the network may be arranged within a virtual world or other virtual environment. For example, the network may be made up of nodes in the form of virtual world entities such as avatars. In such a virtual world space, a dynamic network map is generated based on the proximity of entities on a real map or scene graph. Such map data is commonly produced by virtual world or game engines. Thus, node interconnections in the network may be identified via proximity within the virtual space and bound according to physics engine rules. For example, two avatars next to each other will have a connection. However, if a virtual wall is defined between the two avatars then no connection would be present.
As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the propagation potential of a given node's behavior or performance on other nodes may be reduced by a number of mechanisms such as: redistributing nodes within the network, distancing an offending node from other nodes, distancing other nodes from the offending node, adding further nodes to effectively dilute the undesirable behavior, relocating the offending node near to other less easily influenced nodes. Instead of assigning nodes to particular network locations, the network may be divided into zones with restricted access to designated zones based on node behavior.
In another embodiment, desirable behavior is monitored and in response to the detection of a node exhibiting such behavior, the network is rearranged so as to increase the propagation potential for the behavior.
In a further embodiment, no behavior score threshold is implemented and any demonstration of the monitored behavior results in network reorganisation. In another embodiment a measure of node connectivity based on Eigenvector value or reach is used to determine the potential propagation of a behavior. In a further embodiment, nodes may be rated based on historical behavior records or by a heuristic based on a known characteristic. The rating may then be used in determining the potential propagation of a behavior of the node and thus enables the network to be organized so as to reduce the possibility of undesirable behavior occurring. In another embodiment, the behavior is monitored for a group of nodes. In a further embodiment, two or more behaviors are monitored for one or a group of nodes and the behaviors may all contribute to the behavior score for the nodes. In another embodiment, the monitored behavior or its propagation are represented graphically. In a further embodiment, the behavior definition defines a trigger instead of a threshold and a behavior score. In other words, a single occurrence of a behavior results in a reorganisation of the network. For example, the trigger may be set for the propagation of a keyword between nodes in the network.
As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the network nodes are effectively sensors through which the monitored behavior or performance is detected. The nodes may be computers, simple switches or other transducers or manual input.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the apparatus that embodies a part or all of the present invention may be a general purpose device having software arranged to provide a part or all of an embodiment of the invention. The device could be single device or a group of devices and the software could be a single program or a set of programs. Furthermore, any or all of the software used to implement the invention can be communicated via any suitable transmission or storage means so that the software can be loaded onto one or more devices.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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07110883.1 | Jun 2007 | GB | national |