Method and system for identifying UDP communications

A method for identifying the type of transport protocol of an IP communication session carried as a payload over a bearer between two intermediate nodes and providing control of network data transmission resources based on such identification, wherein the data traffic in the bearer is carried over a plurality of channels, the method comprising the steps of:

• intercepting the data traffic In a communication channel between the two intermediate nodes:
• monitoring one or more characteristics of the traffic for the communication channel by:
• calculating a current throughput value by counting the number of bytes that are carried as payload over the channel for a first period of time;
• calculating a recent-average-throughput value for a group of recent first periods of time;
• and
• comparing the recent-average-throughput with the current throughput value;
• identifying the transport protocol used by an IP communication session, which is carried as payload over the communication channel, based on the traffic characteristics of the communication channel over time and,
• if the difference between the recent-average-throughput and the current throughput changes in a significant step, then concluding that the IP transport is UDP;
• and
• if the difference between the recent-average-throughput and the current throughput changes progressively over time, then concluding that the transport is TCP.

An apparatus that resides between two intermediates nodes in a telecommunications network and operates to identify types of transport protocol of IP communication sessions carried as payload over a bearer between the two intermediate nodes and provides control of network resources, wherein the data traffic in the bearer is carried over a plurality of communication channels, the system comprising:

• a bearer interface module;
• a first intermediate node interface module that intercepts the data traffic received from the first intermediate node;
• a throughput analyzer that receives, from the first intermediate node interface module, data of an IP communication session carried over a communication channel, monitors the traffic characteristics for the communication channel and identifies the transport protocol used by the IP communication session based on the traffic characteristics of the communication channel over time;
• and
• a channel manager operative to receive load information for the communication channel and the policy to control allocation of the network data transmission resources comprising the transport protocol, the entitled level of service and the load information,
• wherein the throughput analyzer is operative to characterize the transport protocol by establishing a recent average value for the throughput over the communication channel and detecting if a current throughput value relative to the recent average value falls into one of the two following categories:
• significantly reduces in a step, or
• progressively reduces over time with small fluctuations.