# US 2014/0156840 A1 · Session Layer For Monitoring Utility Application Traffic > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156840 A1 - Document ID: US20140156840A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/175,284 - Filed: 2014-02-07 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-29 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Navindra Yadav; Atul Mahamuni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156840A1 ## CPC - H04L 43/18: Protocol analysers - H04L 43/04: Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation - H04L 43/08: Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters - H04L 43/0876: Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level - H04L 43/0829: Packet loss - H04L 43/0852: Delays - H04L 43/087: Jitter - H04L 43/106: using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps - H04L 43/16: Threshold monitoring - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Techniques are provided to facilitate monitoring of utility application traffic streams. At a network device that routes utility application traffic for utility devices, control information is received, where the control information is configured to cause the network device to monitor utility application traffic that passes through the network device. The network device monitors a header inserted into utility application traffic messages based on the control information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: at each network device of a plurality of network devices which routes utility application traffic, receiving control information indicating one or more thresholds for application specific flow metrics associated with utility application traffic streams, the control information configured to cause each network device to monitor utility application traffic messages that pass through each network device from a specific first utility device to a specific second utility device via a particular utility application traffic stream; monitoring the utility application traffic with respect to the one or more thresholds by monitoring a header inserted into the utility application traffic messages based on the received control information; and identifying the utility application traffic from the specific first utility device to the specific second utility device based on the header. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring metadata associated with a particular utility application traffic flow. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises evaluating a sequence number and a timestamp contained in the header of utility application traffic messages. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises: collecting performance metrics for the particular utility application traffic stream specified by the control information; detecting a route change at the network device that affects an output interface at the network device through which the particular utility application traffic stream is routed; and associating the performance metrics collected for the particular utility application traffic stream after the route change. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises: collecting performance metrics for the particular utility application traffic stream; detecting at least one packet drop for the particular utility application traffic stream and a cause of the packet drop; and further comprising sending to a network management device a message containing information indicating the cause of the packet drop. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control information is configured to cause the network device to automatically adjust monitoring parameters based on utility application traffic type, and further comprising automatically configuring one or more monitoring parameters for the utility application traffic based on the control information and the utility application traffic type. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising generating an alert when the utility application traffic crosses loss, delay and/or jitter thresholds, and sending the alert from the network device to a network management device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises: receiving control information to monitor utilization of processing and memory resources used for monitoring utility application traffic; monitoring comprises monitoring processing and memory resource utilization with respect to a threshold; and denying a new request to monitor utility application traffic or terminating lower priority monitoring tasks to be performed to allow for higher priority monitoring tasks when the processing and memory resource utilization crosses the threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving the control information from a network management station. ### Claim 10 An apparatus comprising: a network interface unit configured to enable communications over a network and to receive control information indicating one or more thresholds for application specific flow metrics associated with utility application traffic streams; switch hardware configured to route packets in the network; a processor coupled to the network interface unit and switch hardware, the processor configured to: monitor utility application traffic messages in the network from a specific first utility device to a specific second utility device via a particular utility application traffic stream in order to monitor the utility application traffic with respect to the one or more thresholds contained in the control information by monitoring a header inserted into the utility application traffic messages based on the received control information; and identify the utility application traffic from the specific first utility device to the specific second utility device based on the identifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to monitor metadata associated with a particular utility application traffic flow. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to monitor the utility application traffic messages by evaluating a sequence number and a timestamp contained in the header of utility application traffic messages. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to cause the plurality of network devices to automatically adjust monitoring parameters based on utility application traffic type, and to automatically configure one or more monitoring parameters for the utility application traffic based on the control information and the utility application traffic type. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to generate an alert when the utility application traffic crosses loss, delay and/or jitter thresholds, and to send the alert to a network management device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain control information configured to monitor utilization of processing and memory resources used for monitoring utility application traffic; monitor processing and memory resource utilization with respect to a threshold; and deny a new request to monitor utility application traffic or terminate lower priority monitoring tasks to be performed to allow for higher priority monitoring tasks when the processing and memory resource utilization crosses the threshold. ### Claim 16 One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to: obtain control information indicating one or more thresholds for application specific flow metrics associated with utility application traffic streams, configured to cause a processor in a network device to monitor utility application traffic messages in a network from a specific first utility device to a specific second utility device via a particular utility application traffic stream; monitor the utility application traffic with respect to the one or more thresholds contained in the control information by monitoring a header inserted into the utility application traffic messages based on the received control information; and identify the utility application traffic from the specific first utility device to the specific second utility device based on the identifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the instructions that are operable to monitor comprise instructions that are operable to monitor the utility application traffic messages by evaluating a sequence number and a timestamp contained in the header of utility application traffic messages. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer readable storage media of claim 16, and further comprising instructions that are operable to cause the processor to automatically adjust monitoring parameters based on utility application traffic type, and to automatically configure one or more monitoring parameters for the utility application traffic based on the control information and the utility application traffic type. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer readable storage media of claim 16, and further comprising instructions that are operable to generate an alert when the utility application traffic crosses the loss, delay and/or jitter thresholds, and to send the alert from the network device to a network management device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer readable storage media of claim 16, and further comprising instructions that are operable to: obtain control information to monitor utilization of processing and memory resources used for monitoring utility application traffic; monitor processing and memory resource utilization with respect to a threshold; and deny a new request to monitor utility application traffic or terminate lower priority monitoring tasks to be performed to allow for higher priority monitoring tasks when the processing and memory resource utilization crosses the threshold.