Patent ID: 7885204
Filing Date: 2011-02-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for testing a resource available in a network, wherein the testing is performed in a test network, the method comprising: obtaining in a network management device (NMD), a topology-related data file having information about a topology of the network, wherein the information about the topology of the network comprises relationships between network elements in the network, and availability of network elements in the network; converting the topology-related data file from a base format into a format compatible with the test network if the topology-related data file is obtained by being discovered in the network; traversing the network to generate the topology-related data file in the format compatible with the test network, the generated topology-related data file being modifiable using an application program interface (API) on the NMD to add information about an interface available in a server, wherein the traversing is performed if the topology-related data file is not discovered in the network; identifying attributes of the network topology for testing the resource by accessing at least one of the generated topology-related data file and the converted topology-related data file from the network, wherein the identified attributes comprise connection information regarding connections between the resource to be tested and other network elements in the network; comparing the identified attributes from the network with attributes of the topology of the test network to determine a best match of network elements in the test network; and creating a test-bed for testing the resource using the test network, the test-bed being created based on the attribute comparison and the best match, wherein the test-bed comprises a platform in the test network that replicates an operational environment of the resource, and wherein the test network is separate from the network having the resource.