Real-time streaming media measurement system and method

A system for measuring parameters of a media stream, comprising:

• a plurality of data collection agents, each configured to selectively couple with at least one user-designated media stream and to collect data associated with the user-designated media stream, wherein the user designation is stored in a preference set;
• a web server configured to communicate with the data collection agents and to obtain a request from a user for measurement of a user-designated media stream by a user-designated data collection agent, the user request including an identification of the media stream and a list of one or more performance parameters of the stream to be measured;
• wherein the user-designated data collection agent is further configured to receive from the web server a parameter set defining a measurement of the user-designated media stream, and wherein the data collection agent is further configured to collect and measure media stream data according to the parameter set, and wherein the data collection agent is further configured to provide the user real-time performance characteristics associated with the user-designated media stream prior to storing the performance characteristics in a storage database.

A computer network comprising a system for measuring parameters of a media stream, the streaming media measuring system comprising:

• a web server to receive user input for measurement of user-designated media streams, the user requests identifying the media stream and a list of one or more performance parameters of the stream to be measured;
• a plurality of data collection agents, each provided in communication with the web server, the web server to receive user input identifying a particular data collection agent for measuring the user-designated media stream, each data collection agent responsive to communication from the web server identifying a parameter set including the performance parameters of the user input, the data collection agents to collect and measure media stream data according to the respective parameter set and to provide to a requesting user real-time performance characteristics associated with the respective media stream, prior to storing the performance characteristics in a storage database.

A system for measuring parameters of a media stream, comprising:

• a web server to receive user requests for measurement of user-designated media streams, the user requests identifying the media stream and a list of one or more performance parameters of the stream to be measured;
• a plurality of data collection agents, each provided in communication with the web server and based on user input, each provided in association with at least one media stream and, each data collection agent responsive to communication from the web server identifying a parameter set including the performance parameters of the user request, the data collection agents to collect and measure media stream data according to the respective parameter set and to provide to a requesting user real-time performance characteristics associated with the respective media stream, prior to storing the performance characteristics in a storage database.