Methods, systems, and computer program products for modeling a secure production network

Methods, systems, and computer program products for modeling a secure production network are provided. A method includes generating a test network for emulating production operations, capturing and analyzing data traffic occurring over the secure production network and a non-secure production network, and determining data flow requirements for isolating the secure production network and the non-secure production network from the test network. The data flow requirements are determined from results of data traffic capture and analysis. The method also includes generating business log from the data flow requirements and applying the business logic to a firewall associated with the test network. The business logic permits transmission of a subset of secure production data to the test network and prevents receipt of incoming transmission at the secure production network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to data handling and analysis and, in particular, to methods, systems, and computer program products for modeling a secure production network.

Computer information management (CIM) systems used in automated IC fabrication facilities (Fabs), such as a facility for processing 300 mm wafers, may include an automated manufacturing execution system (MES), an automated material handling system (AMHS), and an automated real time dispatcher (RTD). In such automated facilities, the basic goals are generally the same: to operate the overall facility with very high degree of efficiency, quality and flexibility, in order to maximize productivity and return-on-investment. Often times, this in turn requires optimizing product mix and output, while minimizing downtime.

Minimizing downtime in an active production system environment can be challenging. Manufacturing equipment requires general maintenance and repairs that consumes valuable production time. In addition, new and updated applications used in facilitating the manufacturing process in a fabrication facility oftentimes interfere with production during installation and testing. For example, MES tools (e.g., IBM's® SiView products) utilize databases to store real time data and communicate information to automated systems in the facility. When updating/testing MES and supporting applications (e.g., Murata's® Automated Material Handling System), access to real time data and supporting applications need to be enabled on a live network. Scripts may be used for testing real time data. However, when these test systems access the MES and interact with production activities, there may be adverse effects on the daily manufacturing quota (e.g., degradation of the availability commitment of the MES).

What is needed, therefore, is a way to access real time production data from a test environment without impacting production systems or environments.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention include a method for modeling a secure production network. The method includes generating a test network for emulating production operations, capturing and analyzing data traffic occurring over the secure production network and a non-secure production network, and determining data flow requirements for isolating the secure production network and the non-secure production network from the test network. The data flow requirements are determined from results of data traffic capture and analysis. The method also includes generating business logic from the data flow requirements and applying the business logic to a firewall associated with the test network. The business logic permits transmission of a subset of secure production data to the test network and prevents receipt of incoming transmissions at the secure production network.

Additional embodiments include a system for modeling a secure production network. The system includes a host system. The system also includes a network analyzer and a network isolation application executing on the host system. The network analyzer and network isolation application implement a method. The method includes generating a test network for emulating production operations, capturing and analyzing data traffic occurring over the secure production network and a non-secure production network, and determining data flow requirements for isolating the secure production network and the non-secure production network from the test network. The data flow requirements are determined from results of data traffic capture and analysis. The method also includes generating business logic from the data flow requirements and applying the business logic to a firewall associated with the test network. The business logic permits transmission of a subset of secure production data to the test network and prevents receipt of incoming transmissions at the secure production network.

Further embodiments include a computer program product for modeling a secure production network. The computer program product includes instructions for causing a computer to implement a method. The method includes generating a test network for emulating production operations, capturing and analyzing data traffic occurring over the secure production network and a non-secure production network, and determining data flow requirements for isolating the secure production network and the non-secure production network from the test network. The data flow requirements are determined from results of data traffic capture and analysis. The method also includes generating business logic from the data flow requirements and applying the business logic to a firewall associated with the test network. The business logic permits transmission of a subset of secure production data to the test network and prevents receipt of incoming transmissions at the secure production network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with exemplary embodiments, systems, methods, and computer program products for secure production network modeling are provided. The secure production network modeling provides a means for securing and isolating production systems and networks in a manufacturing environment such that performance data can be securely extracted for testing and compliance of production system applications and upgrades. Real time production data is accessed from a test environment without impacting production systems or environments.

Turning now toFIG. 1, a portion of an exemplary system upon which the secure production network modeling may be implemented will now be described. The system ofFIG. 1may be a manufacturing facility, e.g., semiconductor manufacturing facility for 300 mm wafers). The system ofFIG. 1includes an intermediate server102(also referred to herein as “host system”) in communication with a secure production network104, a non-secure production network106, and a test network108. Secure production network104is isolated from non-secure production network106and test network108via the secure production network modeling processes as described further herein.

Secure production network104, non-secure production network106, and test network108, each includes a server118,124, and128, respectively. Each of servers102,118,124, and128may be implemented using one or more computer processing devices operating in response to computer programs stored in a storage medium accessible by the servers102,118,124, and128. One or more of the servers102,118,124, and128may operate as network servers (e.g., a web server) to communicate with others of the servers. As indicated above, servers124and128firewalls110and112, respectively, to prevent unauthorized access to the servers and enforce any limitations on authorized access. Firewalls110and112may be implemented using conventional hardware and/or software as is known in the art.

One or more of the servers102,118,124, and128may also operate as an application server. As indicated above, each of the servers execute one or more computer programs to provide secure production network modeling functions. As previously described, it is understood that separate servers may be utilized to implement the network server functions and the application server functions. Alternatively, the network server, the firewall, and the application server may be implemented by a single server executing computer programs to perform the requisite functions.

In exemplary embodiments, intermediate server102performs functions for establishing one or more networks that include specified network devices and isolating one or more networks from other designated networks as described herein. By isolating network devices, the various network devices and processes can be emulated in a test environment that enables access to real production data while maintaining the integrity of this data in the production environment. Intermediate server102implements one or more applications for performing these functions. As depicted in the system ofFIG. 1, intermediate server102implements a network analyzer114and network isolation application116. Network analyzer114monitors network communications and captures network traffic from production server118and non-secure production server124as described herein. Network analyzer114may be implemented using a sniffer or similar technique for capturing the network traffic. In exemplary embodiments, network isolation application116analyzes the data captured by the network analyzer114and identifies data flows required in order to create, isolate, and implement a test network. These features are described further inFIG. 2.

In addition, the network isolation application116may include a user interface component for entering information used in identifying and isolating secure production systems and for facilitating secure communications among the networks ofFIG. 1.

Production server118implements one or more applications used in a manufacturing environment. As shown in the system ofFIG. 1, production server118executes a manufacturing execution system (MES) application120which may be a collective body of various applications as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In addition, production server120may execute applications, such as automated material handing system (AMHS), material control system (MCS), and other types of manufacturing software.

Production server118is in communication with a storage device122. Storage device122may be implemented using a variety of devices for storing electronic information. It is understood that the storage device108may be implemented using memory contained in the production server118or that it may be a separate physical device. The storage device122is logically addressable as a consolidated data source across a distributed environment that includes network104. Information stored in the storage device122may be retrieved and manipulated via the production server118and intermediate server102. The data repository includes one or more databases containing, e.g., production data, among other data. Production data may include manufacturing plans, process routes/steps, process materials, manufacturing schedules, etc.

In exemplary embodiments, server124implements applications that are used in support of production operations (e.g., operating systems, utilities, office applications, etc.). These applications are collectively referred to herein as non-secure applications126. Non-secure production server124is isolated from networks104and108via a firewall thereby restricting access thereto.

In exemplary embodiments, test server128performs diagnostics and testing of applications associated with secure production network104and non-secure production network106. Test server128may be implemented using various database management products, e.g., Oracle™ or IBM's® DB2. Test server128is in communication with a storage device130. Storage device130may be implemented using a variety of devices for storing electronic information. It is understood that the storage device130may be implemented using memory contained in the test server128or that it may be a separate physical device. The storage device130is logically addressable as a consolidated data source across a distributed environment that includes intermediate server102. Information stored in the storage device130may be retrieved and manipulated via the test server128. The data repository includes one or more databases containing, e.g., test data received from source production network104. Test data refers to a subset of real production data from secure production network104that is fed to the test server28and is used for application testing in the test environment of test network108. The test server128may run test scripts or network threads on the test data. The test scripts and network threads are protected from the secure production network104as described further herein.

While only three networks104-108are shown in the system ofFIG. 1, it will be understood that the secure production network modeling processes may provide a multi-tiered network infrastructure consisting of several networks used in implementing the network modeling processes (e.g., engineering test network, vendor tool test network, various application support networks, etc.).

The networks104,106, and108may be any type of known network including, e.g., a local area network (LAN), a virtual private network (VPN), and an intranet. The networks104-108may be implemented using a wireless network or any kind of physical network implementation known in the art.

As indicated above, the secure production network modeling processes enable access of real time production feed data from within a test environment without impacting production systems or environments. The secure production network modeling replicates a portion of the production environment in the test environment. The replication is facilitated via the network analyzer114and network isolation application116as described inFIG. 2.

Turning now toFIG. 2, a flow diagram describing a process for modeling a secure production network in accordance with exemplary embodiments will now be described. At step202, the production servers to be secured in the manufacturing environment are identified. This identification may be implemented by determining which production systems have access to and/or manipulate live production data. At step204, the production servers identified in step202are migrated to a secure production network104. This migration may be implemented, e.g., using spreadsheet program functions and macros to isolate network subnets and flagging those subnets which are identified in a list of subnets in which network communications should be controlled.

At step206, firewall110is implemented on non-secure production server124. At step208, network data capture and analysis is initiated on secure production server traffic in network104and also on non-secure production server traffic in non-secure production network106via network analyzer114. For example, a port on the server118that is not utilized may be defined for use in transferring a portion or subset of the secure production data in real time to the test network108. In exemplary embodiments, the traffic that is captured is TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) traffic. Large-scale server implementations require support infrastructure services that support, e.g., the design, installation, and operation of a network including network monitoring, security, and access, to name a few. These support services are run from the non-secure production network106for supporting the secure production environment (i.e., network104), the non-secure production environment (i.e., network106), and also the test network108. The captured traffic may include all TCP/IP communications from the non-secure production network106to the secure production network104and the test network108. The TCP/IP traffic captured contains infrastructure services network connections from the non-secure production environment106to the secure production environment104and test environment108, and production database data from the secure production network104(e.g., from storage device122) to the non-secure production network106, and also contains communication data from the secure production environment104to the test environment108. The captured data contains TCP/IP data that includes connection information relating to testing scripts that are run on the test environment. As described further herein, business logic in, e.g., spreadsheet form, identifies the traffic flows from test to production (e.g., specifically related to the test database communication to the secure production database server). The spreadsheet identifies the infrastructure services communication from the non-secure production environment106to the secure production environment104and the test environment108.

At step210, the network isolation application116generates business logic that identifies data flows for test isolation resulting from the data capture and analysis of step208. In exemplary embodiments, the networks are isolated by running the business logic in the spreadsheet to identify the infrastructure services network communication, the required data path from the intermediate server102to the test and non-production environments,108and106, respectively. The logic applied to the spreadsheet may also identify the required infrastructure services communication from the non-secure production environment106to the secure production environment104and the test environment108, as well as the return paths. The business logic on the spreadsheet may also identify the communications that are required to be blocked (e.g., the data path from the test data in storage device130to production data in storage device122). The firewalls may be configured with the appropriate rule base to allow the bi-directional communication between non-production environment106to the production environment104and also to the test environment108for allowing these infrastructure services. The isolation logic enables the data transfer of live production data from the intermediate server102to the test data storage device130. In exemplary embodiments, the firewall112blocks all communications initiated from the test or non-secure production environments,108and106, respectively, to the secure production environment104for directly accessing the secure production data in storage device122.

At step212, test server128is created and firewall112is implemented to restrict access to the server128. Network address translation (NAT) may be used to implement firewall112. Firewall112is configured to allow the defined port (from step208) to be passed through the NATTED environment, such that the production data is transferred to the test server128during testing.

At step214, the business logic generated in step210is applied to the firewall112of the test server128. The test server128is now capable of receiving a production data feed from secure production server118and is prevented from initiating the transfer of data to the secure production server118, thereby preserving the integrity of the production data in storage122and prevent interruption or interference with the operation performed by the secure production server118.

As described above, embodiments can be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. In exemplary embodiments, the invention is embodied in computer program code executed by one or more network elements. Embodiments include computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. Embodiments include computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.