Method and system for visualizing network performance characteristics

A system for visualizing and monitoring quality of service of a computing network, the system comprising:

• display circuitry for displaying graphically a visually interlinked view of at least four normalized nominal network QoS indicators, said normalized nominal network QoS indicators associated on a radial plot and visually interlinked to form a nominal performance polygon, said nominal performance polygon comprising a plurality of corners, each of said corners corresponding to a separate one of said plurality of normalized nominal QoS indicators;
• measurement circuitry for measuring real-time performance variations for each of said normalized nominal network QoS indicators;
• said display circuitry further for displaying graphically said real-time performance variations as real-time normalized points on said radial plot;
• interlinking instructions associated with said display circuitry for visually interlinking said real-time normalized points for forming a time-varying performance polygon, said time-varying performance polygon relating to real-time network performance variations of said computer network;
• and
• monitoring circuitry for continually monitoring network performance of the computer network by comparing variations of said time-varying performance polygon with said nominal performance polygon.

A network quality of service display system for visualizing and monitoring the quality of service for a computer network, comprising:

• means for displaying graphically a visually interlinked view of at least four normalized nominal network (Qos) indicators, said normalized nominal network QoS indicators associated on a radial plot and visually interlinked to form a nominal performance polygon, said nominal performance polygon comprising a plurality of corners, each of said corners corresponding to a separate one of said plurality of normalized nominal QoS indicators, each of said normalized nominal network QoS indicators being substitutable with other normalized nominal network performance indicators;
• means for measuring real-time performance variations for each of said normalized nominal a plurality of network QoS indicators;
• means for displaying graphically said real-time performance variations as real-time normalized points on said radial plot;
• means for visually interlinking said real-time normalized points for forming a time-varying performance polygon, said time-varying performance polygon relating to time network performance variations of said computer network;
• and
• means for continually monitoring network performance of the computer network by comparing variations of said time-varying performance polygon with said nominal performance polygon.

A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for operation in association with a computer network for visualizing and monitoring the quality of service of the computer network, the computer usable medium comprising:

• computer readable program code means for displaying graphically a visually interlinked view of at least four normalized nominal network (Qos) indicators, said normalized nominal network QoS indicators associated on a radial plot and visually interlinked to form a nominal performance polygon, said nominal performance polygon comprising a plurality of corners, each of said corners corresponding to a separate one of said plurality of normalized nominal QoS indicators, each of said normalized nominal network QoS indicators being substitutable with other normalized nominal network performance indicators;
• computer readable program code means for measuring real-time performance variations for each of said normalized nominal network QoS indicators;
• computer readable program code means for displaying graphically said real-time performance variations as real-time normalized points on said radial plot;
• computer readable program code means for visually interlinking said real-time normalized points for forming a time-varying performance polygon, said time-varying performance polygon relating to real-time network performance variations of said computer network;
• and
• computer readable program code means for continually monitoring network performance of the computer network by comparing variations of said time-varying performance polygon with said nominal performance polygon.