Automatically connecting remote network equipment through a graphical user interface

摘要

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for designing a test network in an integrated application, and configuring remote network devices through a network design application to test a network design. One embodiment of the present claimed subject matter is provided as a system for automatically configuring remote network devices to simulate a network connection. The system includes a plurality of computing devices which are physically coupled to one or more network devices, wherein the network devices are automatically configured to comprise a test network corresponding to a remote test network topology design.

主权项

1. A system for configuring remote network devices to simulate a network connection between a plurality of physical devices, the system comprising:
a plurality of physical network devices that respectively include specific port configurations, including a first physical network device comprising a first specific port configuration and a second physical network device comprising a second specific port configuration; a graphical user interface operable to be instantiated remotely from the plurality of physical network devices and comprising an inventory of virtual network devices that respectively have predetermined and unique associations with specific physical network devices of the plurality of physical network devices, the graphical user interface operable to:
create a test network topology design comprising a plurality of graphical representations that specifically indicate the plurality of physical network devices and the specific port configurations included therewith, the plurality of graphical representations including a first virtual network device and a second virtual network device from the inventory of virtual network devices, the first virtual network device having a predetermined and unique association with the first physical network device and the first specific port configuration included therewith, and the second virtual network device having a predetermined and unique association with the second physical network device and the second specific port configuration included therewith, andupon creation of the test network topology design, remove the first and second virtual network devices from the inventory included at the graphical user interface and respectively having the predetermined and unique associations with the first and second physical network devices; a first network client physically coupled to the first physical network device; and a second network client physically coupled to the second physical network device, wherein the first network client and the second network client are operable to couple the first physical network device with the second physical network device by simulating one or more physical cables that connect the first physical device to the second physical device based on information provided to the first and second virtual network devices about specific connections between the first and second specific port configurations of the first and second physical network devices through the graphical user interface to generate a simulated test network corresponding to the test network topology design.