Method and system for traffic monitoring in a packet communication network

A method of measuring traffic intensity in a communications network, comprising:

• identifying a set of packets of data that travel across one or more links of a communications network, wherein the set of packets is associated with one or more users of the network;
• determining an intensity of packet traffic corresponding to one or more portions of network paths via which the set of packets travels, wherein at least a portion of the intensity corresponds to the one or more users of the network, wherein each of the portions of the network paths comprises a link, and wherein the determining step comprises:
• monitoring traffic at a point that is common to a plurality of the network paths using one or more monitoring parameters,
• determining a traffic fraction for each link of at least one network path, and
• determining a traffic intensity for one or more of the links of the at least one network path by multiplying the traffic fraction for each link by a measurement corresponding to the traffic monitored at the point, wherein the measurement is also associated with the set of network paths to which each link belongs;
• and
• providing the intensity of packet traffic to a network traffic monitor to generate one or more of a performance measure, a metering amount, a metering projection, a service level agreement, an alarm trigger and an alarm.

A method of measuring traffic intensity in a communications network, comprising:

• identifying a set of packets of data that travel across one or more links of a communications network, wherein the set of packets is associated with one or more users of the network;
• identifying at least one selected route entry in the communication network, wherein the at least one selected route entry is associated with at least one of the users;
• retrieving a path or paths to which the selected route entry relates;
• determining an intensity of packet traffic corresponding to one or more portions of network paths via which the set of packets travels, wherein each of the portions of the network paths comprises a link, and wherein the determining step comprises:
• monitoring traffic at a point that is common to a plurality of the network paths using one or more monitoring parameters,
• determining a traffic fraction for each link of at least one network path, and
• determining a traffic intensity for one or more of the links of the at least one network path by multiplying the traffic fraction for each link by a measurement corresponding to the traffic monitored at the point, wherein the measurement is also associated with the set of network paths to which each link belongs;
• and
• providing the intensity of packet traffic to a network traffic monitor to generate one or more of a performance measure, a metering amount, a metering projection, a service level agreement, an alarm trigger and an alarm.

A computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions thereon for instructing a computing device to measure traffic intensity in a communications network by a method, comprising:

• identifying a set of packets of data that travel across one or more links of a communications network, wherein the set of packets is associated with a group of users of the network, the group comprising one or more users;
• identifying a plurality of network paths across which the packets travel;
• determining an intensity of packet traffic corresponding to one or more portions of the network paths, wherein at least a portion of the intensity corresponds to the group of users of the network, wherein each of the portions of the network paths comprises a link, and wherein the determining step comprises:
• monitoring traffic at a point that is common to a plurality of the network paths using one or more monitoring parameters,
• determining a traffic fraction for each link of at least one network path, and
• determining a traffic intensity for one or more of the links of the at least one network path by multiplying the traffic fraction for each link by a measurement corresponding to the traffic monitored at the point, wherein the measurement is also associated with the set of network paths to which each link belongs;
• and
• providing the intensity of packet traffic to a network traffic monitor to generate one or more of a performance measure, a metering amount, a metering projection, a service level agreement, an alarm trigger and an alarm.

A method of measuring traffic intensity in a communications network, comprising:

• identifying a set of packets of data that travel across one or more links of a communications network, wherein the set of packets is associated with one or more route entries;
• identifying a plurality of network paths across which the packets travel;
• and
• determining an intensity of packet traffic corresponding to one or more portions of the network paths, wherein at least a portion of the intensity corresponds to the one or more route entries, wherein the determining step comprises:
• monitoring traffic at a point that is common to a plurality of the network paths using one or more monitoring parameters,
• identifying a set of route entries that are associated with the traffic that is monitored at the point,
• measuring an amount of the packet traffic for each route entry in the set of route entries,
• identifying a common set of paths for at least one of the route entries in the set of route entries, and
• summing the amounts of packet traffic measured for each route entry that shares the common set of paths to yield an intensity of packet traffic for the common set of paths;
• and
• providing the intensity of packet traffic to a network traffic monitor to generate one or more of a performance measure, a metering amount, a metering projection, a service level agreement, an alarm trigger and an alarm.

A computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions thereon for instructing a computing device to measure traffic intensity in a communications network by a method, comprising:

• identifying a set of packets of data that travel across one or more links of a communications network, wherein the set of packets is associated with one or more route entries;
• identifying a plurality of network paths across which the packets travel;
• and
• determining an intensity of packet traffic corresponding to one or more portions of the network paths, wherein at least a portion of the intensity corresponds to the one or more route entries, wherein the determining step comprises:
• monitoring traffic at a point that is common to a plurality of the network paths using one or more monitoring parameters,
• identifying a set of route entries that are associated with the traffic that is monitored at the point,
• measuring an amount of the packet traffic for each route entry in the set of route entries,
• identifying a common set of paths for at least one of the route entries in the set of route entries, and
• summing the amounts of packet traffic measured for each route entry that shares the common set of paths to yield an intensity of packet traffic for the common set of paths;
• and
• providing the intensity of packet traffic to a network traffic monitor to generate one or more of a performance measure, a metering amount, a metering projection, a service level agreement, an alarm trigger and an alarm.