Cisco Technology, Inc.

Robin Edgard Martherus

Yedidya Dotan

Denis Knjazihhin

Sanjay Agarwal

Sachin Vasant

Burak Say

Jayaraman R Iyer

Samir Dilipkumar Saklikar

Morteza Ansari

Jyoti Verma

Shawn Henry

Guy Telner

One or more lower-level attributes of a first network policy are translated to one or more higher-level attributes of the first network policy, and one or more lower-level attributes of a second network policy are translated to one or more higher-level attributes of the second network policy. The first network policy controls how first network traffic is handled, and the second network policy controls how second network traffic is handled. The one or more higher-level attributes of the first network policy are compared with the one or more higher-level attributes of the second network policy. Based on the comparing, it is determined whether the first network traffic and the second network traffic are handled in a functionally equivalent manner. If not, the first network policy is dynamically updated to generate an updated first network policy that causes the first network traffic to be handled in the functionally equivalent manner.

Network policy architecture

A management entity generates for display multiple icons, each icon representing an actor or a resource in a networking environment, and defines a generic security policy by receiving user input in the form of a line drawn between a first icon representing an actor and a second icon representing a resource to control abilities between the actor and the resource. The management entity translates the generic security policy to multiple native security policies each of which is based on a corresponding one of multiple native policy models associated with corresponding ones of multiple security devices, and supply data descriptive of the multiple native security policies to the corresponding ones of the security devices to configure the corresponding ones of the security devices to implement the native security policies.

Security policy unification across different security products

A management entity imports information included in security policies from security devices configured to operate in accordance with respective ones of the security policies. The information is classified into security policy classifications based on commonality in the information across the security policies. The security policy classifications are displayed as selectable security policy classifications. An entry of a policy template name and selections of multiple security policy classifications are received. The security policies in the multiple selected security policy classifications are assigned to a security policy template identified by the entered policy template name.

Classification of security policies across multiple security products

A management entity receives from multiple security devices corresponding native security policies each based on a native policy model associated with the corresponding security device. Each security device controls access to resources by devices associated with the security device according to the corresponding native security policy. The management entity normalizes the received native security policies across the security devices based on a generic policy model, to produce a normalized security policy that is based on the generic policy model and representative of the native security polices.

A management entity discovers security devices connected to a network. Each security device controls access to resources by devices associated with the security device according to a corresponding native security policy that is based on a corresponding native policy model associated with the security device. The management entity imports the native security policies from the corresponding security devices over the network, and normalizes the imported native security policies across the security devices based on a generic policy model, to produce normalized security policies that are based on the generic policy model and representative of the native security polices. The management entity receives security events from the security devices, and processes the received security events among the security devices based on the normalized security policies.

Management of security policies across multiple security products

A management entity displays a plurality of icons, each icon representing an actor or a resource in a networking environment. The management entity defines security policy by receiving user input in the form of lines drawn between icons representing actors and resources to control abilities between actors and resources.

Generalized security policy user interface

A management entity connects with multiple security devices across a network. Each security device operates in accordance with one or more security policies. The management entity imports, over the network, data describing the security policies from the multiple security devices. The management entity classifies the imported security policies into security policy classifications based on commonality in information included in the security policies across the multiple security devices.

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Gilbert, AZ, United States of America

Robin Edgard Martherus