Packet trace diagnostic system

A packet trace diagnostic system for monitoring and displaying packet transfers in a telecommunications network, the packet trace diagnostic system comprising:

• a control module for determining a packet trace to be monitored, the packet trace comprising a communications path between at least two communicating entities, the control module storing data packet transfer parameters relating to the determined packet trace;
• at least one monitoring module for monitoring data packets being transmitted along the communications path between the two communicating entities;
• a comparator module coupled to the control module and having an input for receiving data packet transfer parameters for monitored data packets the monitoring module and for comparing data packet transfer parameters for monitored data packets with the stored packet transfer parameters for determining whether the monitored data packets form part of a packet trace record relating to the packet trace to be monitored;
• a memory for storing such packet trace records;
• a display controller for normalising the stored packet trace records relating to the same packet trace;
• and
• a display for displaying the packet trace in the form of a diagram with each of the normalised packet trace records starting at the same point such that any differences between the normalised packet trace records are shown as jitter in the visualisation of the normalised packet trace records.