System and method for end-to-end communications tracing

Logic for tracing communications embodied in computer-readable media, the logic being operable, when executed on a processor, to:

• receive a call signaling message from a first remote element;
• determine whether the call signaling message includes a trace tag;
• in response to determining that the call signaling message includes a trace tag:
• transmit a trace report to a second remote element;
• and
• increment a trace call counter associated with the trace tag.

A device for tracing communications, comprising:

• a call control module operable to receive a call signaling message from a first remote element;
• a filter module operable to:
• determine whether the call signaling message includes a trace tag;
• and
• in response to determining that the call signaling message includes a trace tag, incrementing a trace call counter associated with the trace tag;
• and
• a reporting module operable to transmit a trace report to a second remote element in response to determining that the call signaling message includes a trace tag.

A system for tracing communications, comprising:

• a management node operable to receive trace reports from remote elements and provide information from the trace reports to a user;
• and
• a tracing node, comprising:
• a call control module operable to receive a call signaling message from the management node;
• a filter module operable to:
• determine whether the call signaling message includes a trace tag;
• and
• in response to determining that the call signaling message includes a trace tag, increment a trace call counter associated with the trace tag;
• and
• a reporting module operable to transmit a trace report to a selected one of the management node and a second tracing node in response to determining that the call signaling message includes a trace tag.

A system for tracing communications, comprising:

• means for receiving a call signaling message from a first remote element;
• means for determining whether the call signaling message includes a trace tag;
• means for transmitting a trace report to a second remote element in response to determining that the call signaling message includes a trace tag;
• and
• means for incrementing a trace call counter associated with the trace tag in response to determining that the call signaling message includes a trace tag.