Probe for measuring quality-of-service parameters in a telecommunication network

• US 20050022180A1
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Couturier, Alban
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/024 by adaptive sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/026 using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

A measuring probe (S), having the means to access data flows composed of packets transmitted along a path formed by a plurality of equipment in a telecommunication network, and the measurement means (S_M) to perform measurements in accordance with the configuration data (B_C), and in addition possessing determination means (S_D) for determining that one or more transmitted packets form a signalling message, and the signalling means (S_S) to determine the configuration data from this signalling message.

Claims

1. A measuring probe (S), having the means to access data flows composed of packets, transmitted along a path formed by a multiplicity of equipment in a telecommunication network, and the measurement means (S_M) to perform measurements, in accordance with configuration data (B_C), characterised in that in addition it possesses determination means (S_D) employed to determine that one or more packets transmitted along the said path form a signalling message, and signalling means (S_S) to determine the said configuration data from this signalling message.

2. A measuring probe in accordance with the previous claim 1, in which the said measurements are relative to the said data flow.

3. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 1, in which the said measurement means (S_M) are suitable for transmitting measurement reports, containing the said measurements, to a measuring device (M) determined by an identifier contained in the said configuration data.

4. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 3, in which the said measurements are transmitted to the said measuring device (M) by means of a proxy, the data transmitted to the said proxy containing the said identifier.

5. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 1, in which the said means of determination (S_D) are suitable for reading a specific label, contained in the said received message, and for determining whether the said received message is a signalling message from this specific label.

6. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 1, in which the said configuration base contains a set of records, each record corresponding to a measurement task and containing in particular:

a filter determining the packets on which the measurements must be performed, parameters relating to the method of measurement

7. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 1, in which the said parameters are chosen from a combination of factors including:

the time during which the measurements must be performed,

sampling data, and a hashing function in particular,

a parameter triggering the time-stamping of the packets to be measured,

a parameter triggering the identification of the packets to be measured, by means of a hashing function in particular.

A parameter triggering the counting of the packets,

the method for transmitting the measurements to the measuring device (M).

8. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 3, in which the transmissions with the measuring device (M) are made secure.

9. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 8, in which the means of making secure are transmitted by a signalling message.

10. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 1, also including means to decide on the creation of a new measurement task by the said signalling means (S_S), in particular in accordance with a sensitivity indicator associated with the said measuring probe.

11. A measuring probe in accordance with claim 10, in which the decision is also a function of a priority contained in the said received message.

12. A network element, in particular a router, including a measuring probe in accordance with claim 1.

13. A telecommunication network including measuring probes in accordance with claim 1.

14. A telecommunication network in accordance with claim 13, including, in addition, measuring devices (M).