Method of monitoring quality of communication for each flow
First Claim
1. In a method of monitoring a network which comprises a plurality of packet switches and a network management system for managing the packet switches, a packet switch placed on one end boundary of the network, performing the following steps:
- detecting the start of communication in packets constituting a communication flow to be monitored by looking up a condition matching with the data contained in the header of incoming packets from among the pre-registered conditions for identifying communication flows to be monitored;
starting to acquire statistics data on the identified communication flow to be monitored when detecting the start of communication in the packets constituting the communication flow to be monitored; and
on the occasion when said switch detects the end of the communication in the packets constituting said identified communication flow to be monitored, sending a packet partially including the locally obtained statistics data to the adjoining packet switch placed downstream in the route across which the packets constituting said identified communication flow to be monitored have passed and commanding said adjoining packet switch to collect the statistics data on said identified communication flow to be monitored, locally obtained by said adjoining packet switch.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A packet switch identifies a communication flow carried across an IP network, observes the communication flow, and acquires statistics data thereof, such as the number of packets that passed through the switch, the number of discarded packets, time at which the packets arrived at the switch, and time at which the packets were sent out from the switch. The packet switch continues to acquire the statistics data on the communication flow while the communication flow continues. If the packet switch performs a relay function, it sends the locally obtained statistics data to the adjoining packet switch placed downstream. If the packet switch is a node placed on either end edge of the network, it gathers the statistics data obtained by and delivered from other switches in the network and sends the gathered statistics data to the network management system.
120 Citations
16 Claims
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1. In a method of monitoring a network which comprises a plurality of packet switches and a network management system for managing the packet switches, a packet switch placed on one end boundary of the network, performing the following steps:
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detecting the start of communication in packets constituting a communication flow to be monitored by looking up a condition matching with the data contained in the header of incoming packets from among the pre-registered conditions for identifying communication flows to be monitored;
starting to acquire statistics data on the identified communication flow to be monitored when detecting the start of communication in the packets constituting the communication flow to be monitored; and
on the occasion when said switch detects the end of the communication in the packets constituting said identified communication flow to be monitored, sending a packet partially including the locally obtained statistics data to the adjoining packet switch placed downstream in the route across which the packets constituting said identified communication flow to be monitored have passed and commanding said adjoining packet switch to collect the statistics data on said identified communication flow to be monitored, locally obtained by said adjoining packet switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In a method of monitoring a network which comprises a plurality of packet switches and a network management system for managing the packet switches, a packet switch placed in the core of the network, performing the following steps:
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detecting the start of communication in packets constituting a communication flow to be monitored by looking up a condition matching with the data contained in the header of incoming packets from among the pre-registered conditions for identifying communication flows to be monitored;
starting to acquire statistics data on the identified communication flow to be monitored when detecting the start of communication in the packets constituting the communication flow to be monitored; and
on the occasion when said packet switch receives the packet partially including the statistics data collected by the packet switch through which the packets constituting said communication flow to be monitored have passed and which is placed on the one end boundary of said network, incorporating the locally obtained statistics data into said packet received and sending said packet to the adjoining packet switch placed downstream in the route across which the packets constituting said identified communication flow to be monitored have passed. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. In a method of monitoring a network which comprises a plurality of packet switches and a network management system for managing the packet switches, a packet switch placed on the other end of the network, performing the following steps:
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detecting the start of communication in packets constituting a communication flow to be monitored by looking up a condition matching with the data contained in the header of incoming packets from among the pre-registered conditions for identifying communication flows to be monitored;
starting to acquire statistics data on the identified communication flow to be monitored when detecting the start of communication in the packets constituting the communication flow to be monitored; and
on the occasion when said packet switch receives the packet partially including the statistics data collected by the packet switches through which the packets constituting said communication flow to be monitored have passed and which are placed on the one end boundary of said network and in the core of said network respectively, incorporating the locally obtained statistics data into said packet received and sending said packet to said network management system. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. In a method of monitoring a network which comprises a plurality of packet switches and a network management system for managing the packet switches, a packet switch placed on one end boundary of the network, performing the following steps:
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detecting the start of communication in packets constituting a communication flow to be monitored by looking up a condition matching with the data contained in the header of incoming packets from among the pre-registered conditions for identifying communication flows to be monitored;
starting to acquire statistics data on the identified communication flow to be monitored when detecting the start of communication in the packets constituting the communication flow to be monitored; and
on the occasion when said switch detects the end of the communication in the packets constituting said identified communication flow to be monitored, sending a packet partially including the locally obtained statistics data to the adjoining packet switch placed upstream in the route across which the packets constituting said identified communication flow to be monitored have passed and commanding said adjoining packet switch to collect the statistics data on said identified communication flow to be monitored, locally obtained by said adjoining packet switch. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification