Systems and methods for network performance measurement using packet signature collection

• US 20030046388A1
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BBN Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Milliken, Walter Clark
• Granted Patent: US 6,978,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter

Abstract

A system for measuring network performance parameters includes multiple network nodes (125) and at least one collection agent (130). Each of the multiple network nodes (125) calculates signature values for received packets. Each of the signature values includes an identifier for a corresponding packet. The collection agent (130) collects the signature values from the multiple network nodes (125), and determines one or more network performance parameters based on the collected signature values and network topology information.

Claims

1. A method of measuring network performance parameters, comprising:

calculating signature values for packets received at one or more nodes in the network, each of the signature values comprising an identifier for a corresponding packet;

collecting the signature values from the one or more nodes to obtain collected signature values; and

determining one or more network performance parameters based on the collected signature values and network topology information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

time-stamping each one of the calculated signature values to produce timestamps associated with each one of the calculated signature values.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the one or more network performance parameters is further based on the timestamps associated with each one of the calculated signature values.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating comprises:

applying at least one of a hash algorithm, a message authentication code, and a cyclical redundancy checking algorithm to the received packets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network performance parameters comprise quality of service parameters.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality of service parameters comprise end-to-end delay and delay variance parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network performance parameters comprise packet loss rates.

8. A system for measuring network performance parameters, comprising:

a plurality of network nodes, each one of the network nodes configured to;

calculate signature values for packets received at each network node to produce calculated signature values, each one of the calculated signature values comprising an identifier for a corresponding packet; and

at least one collection agent configured to;

collect the signature values from the plurality of network nodes, and

determine one or more network performance parameters based on the collected signature values and network topology information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes is further configured to:

time-stamp each one of the calculated signature values to produce timestamps associated with each one of the calculated signature values.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the collection agent is further configured to:

determine the one or more network performance parameters based on the timestamps associated with each one of the calculated signature values.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the calculated signature values comprise at least one of hash values, message authentication codes, and cyclical redundancy checking values.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more network performance parameters comprise quality of service parameters.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the quality-of-service parameters comprise end-to-end delay and delay variance parameters.

14. The system method of claim 8, wherein the one or more network performance parameters comprise packet loss rates.

15. A method of measuring a packet loss rate across a network, comprising:

determining first packet signatures of packets entering the network;

determining second packet signatures of packets leaving the network;

comparing the determined first and second packet signatures to identify packets entering the network that do not leave the network; and

determining the packet loss rate based on the comparison.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second packet signatures comprise at least one of hash values, message authentication codes, and cyclical redundancy checking values.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

time-stamping each of the determined first and second packet signatures to produce timestamps associated with each of the determined first and second packet signatures.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the packet loss rate is further based on the timestamps associated with each of the determined first and second packet signatures.

19. A system of measuring a packet loss rate across a network, comprising:

one or more first network nodes configured to;

determine first packet signatures of packets entering the network;

one or more second network nodes configured to;

determine second packet signatures of packets leaving the network; and

at least one collection agent configured to;

compare the determined first and second packet signatures to identify packets entering the network that do not leave the network, and

determine the packet loss rate based on the comparison.

20. A method of measuring network performance parameters, comprising:

receiving packet signatures associated with packets received at a plurality of nodes in a network, the packet signatures calculated at the plurality of nodes;

correlating appearances of identical ones of the packets among the plurality of nodes using the received packet signatures to obtain correlated appearances;

determining temporal behavior of packet traffic between the plurality of nodes based on the correlated appearances to obtain determined temporal behavior; and

determining network performance parameters based on the determined temporal behavior.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

time-stamping each one of the packet signatures to produce timestamps associated with each one of the packet signatures.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the temporal behavior of packet traffic is further based on the timestamps associated with each one of the packet signatures.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the packet signatures comprise at least one of hash values, message authentication codes, and cyclical redundancy checking values.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the network performance parameters comprise quality-of-service parameters.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the quality-of-service parameters comprise end-to-end delay and delay variance parameters.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the network performance parameters comprise packet loss rates.

27. A collection agent, comprising:

at least one network interface configured to;

receive packet signatures of packets received at a plurality of nodes in a network,

the packet signatures calculated at the plurality of nodes; and

a processing unit configured to;

correlate appearances of identical ones of the packets among the plurality of nodes using the received packet signatures to obtain correlated appearances,

determine temporal behavior of packet traffic between the plurality of nodes based on the correlated appearances to obtain determined temporal behavior, and

determine network performance parameters based on the determined temporal behavior.

28. A system of measuring network performance parameters, comprising:

means for calculating packet signatures at a plurality of nodes in the network;

means for correlating appearances of identical packets among the plurality of nodes using the calculated packet signatures to obtain correlated appearances;

means for determining temporal behavior of packet traffic between the plurality of nodes based on the correlated appearances to obtain determined temporal behavior; and

means for determining network performance parameters based on the determined temporal behavior.

29. A data structure encoded on a computer-readable medium, comprising:

first data comprising a signature of a packet received at a network node, wherein the signature comprises at least one of a hash value, a message authentication code, and a cyclical redundancy checking value; and

second data comprising a timestamp associated with a time the packet was received at the network node.

30. The data structure of claim 29, further comprising:

third data comprising a destination Internet Protocol prefix for the packet.

31. The data structure of claim 29, further comprising:

third data comprising a network node identifier identifying a destination network node.

32. A method of logging packet signatures at a node in network, comprising:

calculating signature values for packets received at the node, each of the signature values comprising an identifier for a corresponding packet;

timestamping each of the received packets to produce a timestamp value associated with each packet;

logging the calculated signature values and the timestamp values; and

sending a plurality of the calculated signature values and associated time stamps to a collection agent across the network.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the signature values comprise at least one of hash values, message authentication codes, and cyclical redundancy checking values.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

generating additional signature bits for each received packet; and

determining whether the additional signature bits meet a specified criteria.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein logging the calculated signature values and the timestamp values is based on the determination whether the additional signature bits meet the specified criteria.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

deleting logged signature values based on the timestamp values.

37. A network node, comprising:

a memory;

at least one interface configured to receive incoming packets;

a packet signature recorder configured to;

calculate signature values for the received packets, each of the signature values comprising an identifier for a corresponding packet of the received packets,

timestamp each of the received packets to produce a timestamp value associated with each received packet,

store the calculated signature values and the timestamp values in the memory, and

send a plurality of the calculated signature values and associated time stamps to a collection agent across a network.

38. A method of measuring network performance parameters, comprising:

predicting links of a network on which selected packets should exit the network based on each packet'"'"'s destination and network topology and routing information;

determining whether the predicted links are monitored by packet signature recorders; and

measuring one or more network performance parameters, wherein packets of the selected packets associated with predicted links that are not monitored by packet signature records are excluded from the measuring of the one or more network performance parameter measurements.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

determining whether the selected packets appeared on the predicted links.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

excluding packets of the selected packets from the measuring of the one or more network performance measurements based on whether the packets appeared on the predicted links.

41. A collection agent, comprising:

at least one network interface configured to;

receive packet signatures of packets received at a plurality of nodes in a network, the packet signatures calculated at the plurality of nodes; and

a processing unit configured to;

predict links of the network on which selected packets of the packets should exit the network based on each packet'"'"'s destination and network topology and routing information,

determine whether the predicted links are monitored by packet signature recorders, and

measure one or more network performance parameters, wherein packets of the selected packets associated with predicted links that are not monitored by packet signature records are excluded from the measuring of the one or more network performance parameter measurements.

42. The collection agent of claim 41, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

determine whether the selected packets appeared on the predicted links.

43. The collection agent of claim 42, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

exclude packets of the selected packets from the measuring of the one or more network performance measurements based on whether the packets appeared on the predicted links.