Analysis of network performance

• US 10,419,324 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Burbridge, Trevor, Eardley, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Chirag R
• Application Number:
  US15/761,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20180270141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing network performance of a network comprising a plurality of network nodes. The method may comprise: obtaining a plurality of probe measurements in respect of a target node, the probe measurements resulting from probe test-messages being sent via different network paths to said target node and relating to a network performance characteristic in respect of the paths taken by the respective probe test-messages and probe response-messages associated therewith and being dependent also on local processing of the respective probe test-messages at said target node; determining respective measures of unexpectedness in respect of the probe measurements; comparing said respective measures of unexpectedness and in dependence on the comparison, assigning a weighting in respect of said target node; and determining a network performance analysis measure in dependence on at least one probe measurement and on the weighting.

Claims

1. A method of analysing network performance of a network comprising a plurality of network nodes, the method comprising, in respect of at least one target node:

obtaining a plurality of probe measurements, the probe measurements in respect of said target node including;

at least one first-path probe measurement resulting from one or more probe test-messages being sent via a first network path from a testing node to said target node and one or more associated probe response-messages triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the one or more probe test-message being received from said target node by said testing node; and

at least one other-path probe measurement resulting from one or more probe test-messages being sent via at least one other network path from a testing node to said target node and one or more associated probe response-messages triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the one or more probe test-messages being received from the target node by said testing node;

the respective probe measurements each relating to one or more network performance characteristics in respect of the network paths taken by the respective probe test-messages and the probe response-messages associated therewith and being dependent also on the local processing of the respective probe test-messages at said target node;

determining respective measures of unexpectedness in respect of said at least one first-path probe measurement and in respect of said at least one other-path probe measurement, said measures of unexpectedness being determined according to a predetermined function of said respective probe measurements;

comparing said respective measures of unexpectedness and in dependence on the comparison, assigning a weighting in respect of said target node; and

determining a network performance analysis measure according to a predetermined function dependent on at least one probe measurement in respect of at least one target node and on the weighting assigned in respect of said at least one target node.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the weighting assigned in respect of a target node is determined in dependence on a measure of commonality exhibited between the respective measures of unexpectedness determined in respect of said at least one first-path probe measurement and in respect of said at least one other-path probe measurement.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein a lower weighting is assigned in respect of a target node in respect of which the respective measures of unexpectedness exhibit higher commonality.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the probe measurements in respect of a target node include:

a plurality of first-path probe measurements each resulting from a probe test-message being sent via said first network path from a testing node to said target node and an associated probe response-message triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the probe test-message being received from said target node by said testing node; and

a plurality of other-path probe measurements each resulting from a probe test-message being sent via said at least one other network path from a testing node to said target node and an associated probe response-message triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the probe test-message being received from said target node by said testing node;

and wherein the respective measures of unexpectedness are each determined according to a predetermined function of said respective pluralities of probe measurements.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said plurality of first-path probe measurements result from probe test-messages being sent via said first network path to said target node at different times, and said plurality of other-path probe measurements result from probe test-messages being sent via said other network path to said target node at different times.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said one or more first-path probe measurements and said one or more other-path probe measurements result respectively from one or more probe test-messages being sent via a first network path from a testing node and from one or more probe test-messages being sent via another network path from said testing node.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said one or more first-path probe measurements and said one or more other-path probe measurements result respectively from one or more probe test-messages being sent via a first network path from a first testing node and from one or more probe test-messages being sent via a network path from a different testing node.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein each first-path probe measurement results from a probe test-message being sent via a first network path from a first testing node to said target node and an associated probe response-message triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the probe test-message being received via the first network path from said target node by said testing node;

and wherein each other-path probe measurement results from a probe test-message being sent via another network path from another testing node to said target node and an associated probe response-message triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the probe test-message being received via the other network path from said target node by said other testing node.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the probe measurements obtained in respect of the respective target nodes include measurements in respect of one or more of the following:

one or more characteristics associated with response time;

one or more characteristics associated with communication speed;

one or more characteristics associated with communication delay and/or delay variation;

one or more characteristics associated with communication volume;

one or more characteristics associated with reliability;

one or more characteristics associated with data loss;

one or more characteristics associated with communications quality;

one or more characteristics associated with security;

one or more characteristics associated with service usage.

10. A method of analysing network performance of a network comprising a plurality of network nodes, the method comprising performing a method according to claim 1 in respect of a plurality of target nodes whereby to assign respective weightings in respect of each of said plurality of target nodes, and determining a network performance analysis measure according to a predetermined function dependent on at least one probe measurement in respect of at least one of said target nodes and on the weighting assigned in respect of said at least one target node.

11. Apparatus for analyzing network performance of a network comprising a plurality of network nodes, the apparatus comprising a storage medium storing computer code and one or more computer hardware processors for executing the computer code such that the apparatus is at least configured to:

obtain a plurality of probe measurements, the probe measurements in respect of said target node including;

at least one first-path probe measurement resulting from one or more probe test-messages being sent via a first network path from a testing node to said target node and one or more associated probe response-messages triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the one or more probe test-message being received from said target node by said testing node; and

at least one other-path probe measurement resulting from one or more probe test-messages being sent via at least one other network path from a testing node to said target node and one or more associated probe response-messages triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the one or more probe test-messages being received from the target node by said testing node;

the respective probe measurements each relating to one or more network performance characteristics in respect of the network paths taken by the respective probe test-messages and the probe response-messages associated therewith and being dependent also on the local processing of the respective probe test-messages at said target node;

determine respective measures of unexpectedness in respect of said at least one first-path probe measurement and in respect of said at least one other-path probe measurement, said measures of unexpectedness being determined according to a predetermined function of said respective probe measurements;

compare said respective measures of unexpectedness and in dependence on the comparison, assign a weighting in respect of said target node; and

determine a network performance analysis measure according to a predetermined function dependent on at least one probe measurement in respect of at least one target node and on the weighting assigned in respect of said at least one target node.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program code to, when loaded into a computer system and executed thereon, cause the computer to perform analysis of network performance of a network comprising a plurality of network nodes, steps of the performed analysis comprising:

obtaining a plurality of probe measurements, the probe measurements in respect of said target node including;

at least one first-path probe measurement resulting from one or more probe test-messages being sent via a first network path from a testing node to said target node and one or more associated probe response-messages triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the one or more probe test-message being received from said target node by said testing node; and

at least one other-path probe measurement resulting from one or more probe test-messages being sent via at least one other network path from a testing node to said target node and one or more associated probe response-messages triggered by receipt and local processing at said target node of the one or more probe test-messages being received from the target node by said testing node;

the respective probe measurements each relating to one or more network performance characteristics in respect of the network paths taken by the respective probe test-messages and the probe response-messages associated therewith and being dependent also on the local processing of the respective probe test-messages at said target node;

determining respective measures of unexpectedness in respect of said at least one first-path probe measurement and in respect of said at least one other-path probe measurement, said measures of unexpectedness being determined according to a predetermined function of said respective probe measurements;

comparing said respective measures of unexpectedness and in dependence on the comparison, assigning a weighting in respect of said target node; and

determining a network performance analysis measure according to a predetermined function dependent on at least one probe measurement in respect of at least one target node and on the weighting assigned in respect of said at least one target node.