Automated network mapping and topology verification

Abstract

The current military reliance on computer networks for operational missions and administrative duties makes network stability and security a high priority for military units. The rapid rate at which technology changes means that constant and continued training is required for the skilled professionals who maintain and secure these computer networks. Current training methods are insufficient at representing the complex nature of the typical modern military computer network and the continually evolving nature of the attacks to networks. The Mapping, Awareness, and Virtualization Network Administrator Training Tool (MAVNATT) is a proposed system designed to replicate operational computer networks, through virtualization, providing a stable, accurate, and safely partitioned training environment that can closely mimic the configuration and functionality of any operational network. This research provides a solution for the mapping module of the MAVNATT system in the form of an application. During testing, we successfully developed network plans, visualized and verified those plans, scanned live networks for comparison and validation against those plans, and exported the network configurations for import by the MAVNATT awareness and virtualization modules. The mapping application was developed on a foundational framework that facilitates expansion and increased functionality during future research.