US 2019/0356557 A1 · PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT IN A PACKET-SWITCHED COMMUNICATION NETWORK

Abstract

A method for performance measurement in packet switched communication networks includes generating a flow of artificial packets having predefined packets lengths, which is then aggregated to the packet flow to be measured by an aggregator. The artificial packets are configured to follow the packet flow to be measured, starting from the point where aggregation is performed. Two measurement points are then provided after the aggregator, which identify the artificial packets based on their packet lengths and provide respective raw performance measurements indicative of the actual positions of the artificial packets in the aggregated packet flow. The raw performance measurements are then used for providing the performance measurements. Since the artificial packets are identified based on their packet lengths, no inspection of the packets' content is needed for identification purposes. The artificial packets may therefore be identified even if their content is uninspectable.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for performing a performance measurement on a packet flow transmitted along a path through a packet switched communication network, said method comprising:

a) generating a flow of artificial packets having predefined packet lengths;
b) aggregating said flow of artificial packets with said packet flow at a node of said communication network located along said path, so as to provide an aggregated packet flow which is transmitted along at least a length of said path starting from said node;
c) at a first measurement point located along said length of said path, identifying said artificial packets based on said predefined packet lengths and providing a first raw performance measurement indicative of actual positions of said artificial packets in said aggregated packet flow;
d) at a second measurement point located along said length of said path, identifying said artificial packets based on said predefined packet lengths and providing a second raw performance measurement indicative of actual positions of said artificial packets in said aggregated packet flow;
and
e) performing a performance measurement of said packet flow using said first and second raw performance measurements.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Performance measurement in a packet-switched communication network

Life of this patent

Performance measurement in a packet-switched communication network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15