Bit-rate extraction for encrypted video

A data processing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory, coupled to the one or more processors, storing code, wherein execution of the code by the one or more processors causes the data processing system to perform operations comprising:
• monitoring a media stream that is streamed over a network, from a server to a client, by the data processing system that is separate from the server and the client;
• determining a traffic pattern of the monitored stream over time, including a communication bit-rate of the monitored media stream as a function of time;
• identifying in the traffic pattern, a sequence of traffic bursts;
• determining times of bursts in the sequence of traffic bursts;
• measuring a time between successive traffic bursts in the sequence;
• estimating respective data volumes of one or more traffic bursts of the sequence;
• and
• deriving a given media bit rate of the media stream from a ratio between the estimated data volumes and the measured time between bursts;
• and
• allocating bandwidth in the network or selecting a quality of service policy to be applied in the network based on an assessment of video quality experienced by a user responsive to the derived media bit-rate.