# US 8,570,896 B2 · System and method for controlling threshold testing within a network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,570,896 B2 - Document ID: US8570896B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/674,467 - Filed: 2012-11-12 - Published: 2013-03-21 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-19 - Assignees: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC - Applicants: Michael K. Bugenhagen - Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570896B2 ## CPC - H04L 43/50: Testing arrangements - H04L 47/801: {Real time traffic} - H04L 43/0829: Packet loss - H04L 43/0876: Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level - H04L 43/16: Threshold monitoring - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A system and method for authorizing test traffic over a network. A request is received to perform a throughput test. A state of the network is determined. The throughput test is authorized in response to the determined state of the network being acceptable for performing the throughput test. The throughput test is terminated or paused in response to the determined state of the network being unacceptable for performing the throughput test. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of authorizing test traffic over a network of a first service provider, the method comprising: receiving a request to perform a throughput test from one or more testing clients; determining a state of the network utilizing indicators received from a plurality of portions of the network; authorizing the throughput test in response to the determined state of the network being acceptable for performing the throughput test; registering the one or more testing clients with a test controller in response to the test controller authorizing the throughput test; and pausing the throughput test through the one or more testing clients registered with the test controller in response to the determined state of the network being unacceptable for performing the throughput test, wherein pausing the throughput test includes queuing packets associated with the throughput test at an edge device of the network, the edge device of the network in communication with a second edge device of a second network of a second service provider, wherein the edge device of the network queues the packets associated with the throughput test received from the second network to until the determined state of the network is determined to be acceptable for performing the throughput test. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the network is a Metro Ethernet network, and wherein the state of the network is determined to be unacceptable for performing the throughput test in response to packets being discarded along a path within the network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the test controller reauthorizes the throughput test in response to the determined state of the network being acceptable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the network utilization is determined based on one or more thresholds. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the state of the network being determined based on network utilization, and wherein the state of the network is unacceptable in response to the network utilization being between 70-100%. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising; rejecting the throughput test in response to the determined state being unacceptable for performing the throughput test when the request is received; sending a response to the request rejecting the throughput test. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising: sending an alert to a user indicating a congestion threshold has been exceeded, wherein the authorizing is performed based on user input from a user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving, determining, authorizing, and pausing are performed by a test controller that manages testing for one or more networks. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the test controller is an edge device within the one or more networks. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the throughput test is an RFC 2544 test. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprises: reauthorizing the throughput test in response to the test controller determining the state of the network is acceptable for the throughput test and transmitting the packets from a queue of the edge device of the network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the throughput test is paused in response to determined state being unacceptable. ### Claim 13 A system for authorizing bandwidth testing in a network of a first service provider, the system comprising: a network operable to facilitate communications between a plurality of nodes; a test controller in communication with the network, the test controller being operable to receive a request to perform a bandwidth test from one or more of the plurality of nodes, the test controller being operable to determine whether one or more portions of the network are congested, the test controller being operable to authorize the throughput test in response to the network congestion being below a threshold, and the test controller being operable to suspend the throughput test from the one or more of the plurality of nodes in response to the network congestion being above the threshold, wherein suspending the throughput test includes queuing packets associated with the throughput test at an edge device of the network, the edge device of the network in communication with a second edge device of a second network of a second service provider, wherein the edge device of the network queues the packets associated with the throughput test received from the second network in a queue to prevent further degradation of the network, wherein the throughput test is reauthorized to the one or more of the plurality of nodes in response to the network congestion returning below the threshold and communicating the packets in the queue for resuming the throughput test. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein the congestion of the network is determined by one or more devices in the network in response to information regarding network utilization, wherein the test controller manages test traffic for the network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein the test controller pauses all test traffic in the network in response to the network congestion being equal to or greater than the threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein one or more edge devices within the network associate each of a plurality of packets with a test pattern when entering the network. ### Claim 17 A network node comprising: a processor for executing a set of instructions; and a memory for storing the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions being executed to: receive a request to perform a throughput test over a network of a first service provider from one or more testing clients; determine a state of the network utilizing indicators received from a plurality of portions of the network; authorize the throughput test in response to the determined state of the network being acceptable for performing the throughput test; register the one or more testing clients with a test controller in response to the test controller authorizing the throughput test; and pause the throughput test through the one or more testing clients registered with the test controller in response to the determined state of the network being unacceptable for performing the throughput test, wherein pausing the throughput test includes queuing packets associated with the throughput test at an edge device of the network, the edge device of the network in communication with a second edge device of a second network of a second service provider, wherein the edge device of the network queues the packets associated with the throughput test received from the second network in a queue to prevent further degradation of the network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The network node according to claim 17, wherein the set of instructions sends a notification to a sending device that the throughput test has been paused. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The network node according to claim 17, wherein the set of instructions are further configured to: reauthorize the throughput test in responses to the test controller determining the state of the network is acceptable for the throughput test, and communicate the packets in the queue for resuming the throughput test. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The network node according to claim 17, wherein the set of instructions are further operable to: reject the throughput test in response to the determined state being unacceptable for performing the throughput test when the request is received; and send a response to the a requesting device indicating rejection of the throughput test.