Abstract: A method for visualizing and analyzing a field area network, which includes obtaining, network, traffic data that includes atomic communications and packet detail from a packet intercept system on a field area. This field area network includes a number of network nodes. The method also includes a processor extracting connectivity and routing information from the traffic data, where the connectivity and routing information includes packet information and node information, determining network characteristics based on the extracted connectivity and routing information, retaining the network characteristics in a data structure, and importing the data structure into a computer readable storage medium that is accessible to the processor.

Abstract: A method for visualizing and analyzing a field area network, which includes obtaining, network, traffic data that includes atomic communications and packet detail from a packet intercept system on a field area. This field area network includes a number of network nodes. The method also includes a processor extracting connectivity and routing information from the traffic data, where the connectivity and routing information includes packet information and node information, determining network characteristics based on the extracted connectivity and routing information, retaining the network characteristics in a data structure, and importing the data structure into a computer readable storage medium that is accessible to the processor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for monitoring a utility meter network. The method includes receiving data from a front-end utility application suite that communicates with one or more utility meters and storing the data in one or more databases. The method includes organizing the data according to the utility meter from which the data originated and processing the data using one or more rules to detect patterns and correlations indicative of one or more suspicious events. In some embodiments, the processed data is stored in a database and a report is produced if patterns and correlations indicative of one or more suspicious events are detected.