Method and system for detecting a communication problem in a computer network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for detecting a communication problem in a computer network, the method comprising:
- transmitting a plurality of data packets to a computer over the network link;
indicating to the computer, in a secure communication session, how to identify a subset of the data packets;
receiving, from the computer, information that is based on an analysis of the subset of data packets performed by the computer; and
based on the information, determining whether or not there is a problem with the network link.
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Abstract
A computer in a network runs a verification procedure in which it sends data packets to another computer in the network. Some or all of the data packets contain, either individually or collectively, a secret piece of information, such as a secret code. The computer then makes a determination regarding the network links between it and the other computer. If, for example, the other computer is able to respond by providing the secret piece of information back, then the computer sending the data packets concludes that the devices along the network links en route to the other computer are properly forwarding data packets.
58 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a communication problem in a computer network, the method comprising:
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transmitting a plurality of data packets to a computer over the network link;
indicating to the computer, in a secure communication session, how to identify a subset of the data packets;
receiving, from the computer, information that is based on an analysis of the subset of data packets performed by the computer; and
based on the information, determining whether or not there is a problem with the network link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for detecting a communication problem in a computer network, the method comprising:
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a first computer transmitting a plurality of data packets to a second computer over the network link, wherein at least a subset of the data packets have a special property that distinguishes them from the rest of the data packets;
the first computer indicating, to the second computer, what the special property is;
the first computer receiving, from the second computer, information that is based on an analysis of those data packets of the subset that are received by the second computer; and
the first computer determining, based on the received information, whether or not there is a problem with the network link. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for detecting a communication problem in a computer network, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a computer, information regarding how to identify a secret code;
receiving, from the computer, a plurality of data packets over the network link;
performing an analysis of the data packets of the plurality that have the secret code to obtain a result; and
transmitting, to the computer, the result, thereby verifying that the network link is good. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for verifying one or more network links, wherein one of the network links is bounded by a first computer and a second computer, the network link serving as one of a plurality of hops for network data traffic, the method comprising:
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establishing a secret piece of information;
breaking the secret piece of information into parts;
distributing the parts of the secret piece of information among a plurality of data packets;
transmitting the plurality of data packets to the first computer over one or more of the plurality of the routing hops, including the routing hop being served by the network link;
transmitting the plurality of data packets to the second computer over one or more of the plurality of hops, excluding the routing hop being served by the network link; and
determining whether or not the network link has problems based on whether or not the secret piece of information is received from the first computer and whether or not the secret piece of information is received from the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for verifying a network link, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a receiving computer, a plurality of data packets from a sending computer over the network link, the network link including at least one other computer, at least some of the plurality of data packets being forwarded by the other computer to the receiving computer;
reconstructing, a secret piece of information using the plurality of received data packets, the secret piece of information being distributed among the plurality of data packets; and
transmitting the secret piece of information back to the sending computer, thereby verifying to the sending computer that the other computer is properly forwarding data packets to the receiving computer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for verifying a network link, the network link comprising a first, second and third router, the method comprising:
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the first router inserting a secret piece of information into one or more data packets;
the first router informing the third router regarding the identity of the secret piece of information;
the first router transmitting the one or more data packets containing the secret piece of information to the third router over the network link via the second router;
the first router receiving, from the third router, an indication regarding whether the third router can identify the secret piece of information based on the data packets; and
the first router determining whether there are problems with the network link between the second router and the third router based on the receiving step. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A system for verifying a network link between a first router and a second router, the system comprising:
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a means for inserting a secret piece of information into one or more data packets;
a means for transmitting the one or more data packets over the network link to the second router via the first router;
a means for analyzing the data packets to identify the secret piece of information; and
a means for responding to the transmitted packets by sending the secret piece of information back over the network link via the first router. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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Specification