Correlating end-to-end passive measurements using hierarchical filters

• US 20050238017A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Marilly, Emmanuel, Martinot, Olivier, Squedin, Sylvain, Betge-Brezetz, Stephane, Saidi, Mohamed Adel, Delegue, Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0604 using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter

Abstract

A system (DGM) is dedicated to end-to-end parameter measurement management for a network management system (NMS) of a packet-oriented communications network including a multiplicity of peripheral equipments (EP). The parameter measurement management system (DGM) comprises management means (MG) adapted to send selected peripheral equipments (EP) selected filter definitions associated with selected filter identifiers, correlation means (MCN) adapted to correlate each notification including a selected filter identifier received from an ingress peripheral equipment (EP-1) with a selected set of notifications received from egress peripheral equipments (EP-2, EP-3) and including a filter identifier having one or more relationship links with the selected filter identifier, and calculation means (MCM) adapted to derive parameter measurements from values contained in the correlated notifications.

Claims

1. A traffic filtering management system (DGF) for a peripheral equipment (EP) of a packet-oriented communications network, the system comprising traffic analysis means (MA) adapted to determine representative values of selected received traffic parameters as a function of one or more selected traffic filters and to send the values in the form of notifications to a network management system (NMS) of said network for it to determine measurements of said selected parameters, which system is characterized in that it comprises control means (MCT) adapted to supply each selected traffic filter to said traffic analysis means (MA), and processing means (MT) adapted to add a selected filter identifier to each notification generated by said analysis means (MA) following a traffic analysis corresponding to said selected filter, and before it is sent to said network management system (NMS).

2. A peripheral equipment (EP) for a packet-oriented communications network, comprising traffic analysis means (MA) adapted to determine representative values of selected received traffic parameters as a function of one or more selected traffic filters and to send the values in the form of notifications to a network management system (NMS) of said network (N) for it to determine measurements of said selected parameters, which equipment is characterized in that it comprises a traffic filtering management system (DGF) according to the preceding claim.

3. An end-to-end parameter measurement management system (DGM) for a network management system (NMS) of a packet-oriented communications network including a multiplicity of peripheral equipments (EP) according to the preceding claim, said parameter measurement management system (DGM) including calculation means (MCM) adapted to derive parameter measurements from representative values of said parameters contained in notifications coming from an ingress peripheral equipment (EP-1) and egress peripheral equipments (EP-2, EP-3), which system is characterized in that it comprises management means (MG) adapted to send selected peripheral equipments (EP) selected filter definitions associated with selected filter identifiers, and correlation means (MCN) adapted to correlate each notification including a selected filter identifier received from an ingress peripheral equipment (EP-1) with a selected set of notifications received from egress peripheral equipments (EP-2, EP-3) and including a filter identifier having one or more relationship links with said selected filter identifier so that said calculation means (MCM) are able to derive parameter measurements from values contained in said correlated notifications.

4. A system according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises configuration means (MCF) adapted to define said filters as a function of identifiers of flows of traffic to be filtered and a designation of the ingress peripheral equipment and the egress peripheral equipments (EP-2, EP-3) at which said filters must be used.

5. A system according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises scheduling means (MOF) adapted to assign to each filter the associated identifier.

6. A system according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises first memory means (M1) coupled to said correlation means (MCN) and adapted to store said filters in accordance with a hierarchy taking account of their relationship links and in corresponding relationship to their respective filter identifiers.

7. A system according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises first memory means (M1) coupled to said correlation means (MCN) and adapted to store said filters in accordance with a hierarchy taking account of their relationship links and in corresponding relationship to their respective filter identifiers, and further characterized in that said scheduling means (MOF) are adapted to establish said hierarchy between said filters and to communicate to said first memory means (M1) said hierarchically organized flows and the associated filter identifiers.

8. A system according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises collection means (MCO) adapted to receive said notifications from the ingress peripheral equipment (EP-1) and the egress peripheral equipments (EP-2, EP-3) and to classify said received notifications as a function of their source.

9. A system according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises second memory means (M2) coupled to said collection means (MCO) and said correlation means (MCN) and adapted to store said notifications as a function of their source.

10. A system according to claim 9, characterized in that said correlation means (MCN) are adapted to extract from said second memory means (M2) an ingress notification whose source corresponds to a selected ingress peripheral equipment (EP-1), then to determine the filter identifiers in said first memory means (M1) having a relationship link with the filter identifier of the extracted notification, and then to extract from said second memory means (M2) the egress notifications whose source corresponds to an egress peripheral equipment (EP-2, EP-3) and including a filter identifier having a relationship link with that of the ingress notification previously extracted, in order to correlate said ingress and egress notifications.

11. A system according to claim 10, characterized in that, for the purposes of said correlation, said correlation means (MCN) are adapted to select certain of said egress notifications stored in said second memory means (M2) as a function of information contained in a flow matrix.

12. A system according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises updating means (MMJ) adapted to eliminate from said second memory means (M2) each egress notification corresponding to a transmission time of day before the transmission time of day of an ingress notification correlated by said correlation means (MCN).

13. A system according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises elimination mean adapted to eliminate from said second memory means (M2) ingress notifications received within a predetermined time.

14. A network management system (NMS) for a packet-oriented communications network including a multiplicity of peripheral equipments (EP) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises an end-to-end parameter measurement management system (DGM) for said network management system (NMS) network, said parameter measurement management system (DGM) including calculation means (MCM) adapted to derive parameter measurements from representative values of said parameters contained in notifications coming from an ingress peripheral equipment (EP-1) and egress peripheral equipments (EP-2, EP-3), which system is characterized in that it comprises management means (MG) adapted to send selected peripheral equipments (EP) selected filter definitions associated with selected filter identifiers, and correlation means (MCN) adapted to correlate each notification including a selected filter identifier received from an ingress peripheral equipment (EP-1) with a selected set of notifications received from egress peripheral equipments (EP-2, EP-3) and including a filter identifier having one or more relationship links with said selected filter identifier so that said calculation means (MCM) are able to derive parameter measurements from values contained in said correlated notifications.