US 6,556,540 B1 · System and method for non-intrusive measurement of service quality in a communications network

Abstract

A network monitoring system and method is provided for determining service quality over a packet switching network. In one embodiment, the system comprises a processor coupled to a local interface, a memory coupled to the local interface, and operating logic stored in the memory, the operating logic being executed by the processor. The operating logic includes network management logic which comprises logic to poll a transmit buffer in a transmit probe for a number of transmit pattern identifiers, the transmit pattern identifiers being generated from a stream of data packets at a transmit side of a packet switching network. The network management logic also comprises logic to poll a receive buffer in a receive probe for a number of receive pattern identifiers, the receive pattern identifiers being generated from the stream of data packets at a receive side of the packet switching network. Finally, the network management logic includes logic to compare the transmit pattern identifiers with the receive pattern identifiers to identify at least one dropped data packet from the stream of data packets in the packet switching network.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A network monitoring system for determining service quality over a packet switching network, comprising:

a processor coupled to a local interface;
a memory coupled to the local interface;
operating logic stored in the memory, the operating logic being executed by the processor, the operating logic including:
logic to poll a transmit buffer in a transmit probe for a plurality of transmit pattern identifiers, the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers being generated from a stream of data packets at a transmit side of a packet switching network;
logic to poll a receive buffer in a receive probe for a plurality of receive pattern identifiers, the plurality of receive pattern identifiers being generated from the stream of data packets at a receive side of the packet switching network;
logic to define a transmit sequence of a predetermined size found in the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers, where the predetermined size is greater than one;
logic to find a receive sequence of the predetermined size within the plurality of receive pattern identifiers which matches the transmit sequence;
logic to compare the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers with the plurality of receive pattern identifiers, beginning after the transmit sequence and the receive sequence, to identify at least one dropped data packet from the stream of data packets in the packet switching network.

5 more elements

A network monitoring system for determining service quality over a packet switching network, comprising:

means for polling a transmit buffer in a transmit probe for a plurality of transmit pattern identifiers, the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers being generated from a stream of data packets at a transmit side of a packet switching network;
means for polling a receive buffer in a receive probe for a plurality of receive pattern identifiers, the plurality of receive pattern identifiers being generated from the stream of data packets at a receive side of the packet switching network;
means for defining a transmit sequence of a predetermined size found in the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers, where the predetermined size is greater than one;
means for finding a receive sequence of the predetermined size within the plurality of receive pattern identifiers which matches the transmit sequence;
and
means for comparing the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers with the plurality of receive pattern identifiers, beginning after the transmit sequence and the receive sequence, to identify at least one dropped data packet from the stream of data packets in the packet switching network.

3 more elements

A method for determining service quality over a packet switching network, comprising:

polling a transmit buffer in a transmit probe for a plurality of transmit pattern identifiers, the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers being generated from a stream of data packets at a transmit side of a packet switching network;
polling a receive buffer in a receive probe for a plurality of receive pattern identifiers, the plurality of receive pattern identifiers being generated from the stream of data packets at a receive side of the packet switching network;
defining a transmit sequence of a predetermined size found in the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers, where the predetermined size is greater than one;
finding a receive sequence of the predetermined size within the plurality of receive pattern identifiers which matches the transmit sequence;
and
comparing the plurality of transmit pattern identifiers with the plurality of receive pattern identifiers, beginning after the transmit sequence and the receive sequence, to identify at least one dropped data packet from the stream of data packets in the packet switching network.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for non-intrusive measurement of service quality in a communications network

Life of this patent

System and method for non-intrusive measurement of service quality in a communications network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15