Systems and methods for managing multicast data transmissions

• US 20050243824A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Pelisson, James H., Abbazia, Edward W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/390
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

A system enables monitoring a multicast data feeds over a network. The system may include a multicast-enabled network device for transmitting a multicast feed from a multicast feed source to a user device via a computer network. A feed agent may be operatively coupled to the multicast-enabled network device for collecting and storing multicast feed data from the multicast feed source. A management server may be operatively connected to the feed agent for receiving multicast feed data collected by the feed agent. The management server may include a web server for receiving requests for multicast feed data over the network via a web interface.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring multicast data feeds, comprising

a multicast-enabled network device for transmitting a multicast feed from a multicast feed source to a user device via a network;

a feed agent operatively coupled to the multicast-enabled network device for collecting and storing multicast feed data from the multicast feed source; and

a management server operatively coupled to the feed agent for receiving multicast feed data collected by the feed agent.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the multicast feed is transmitted from the multicast-enabled network device to the user device via UDP.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the multicast-enabled network device is a multicast-enabled router.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the multicast feed comprises financial data, collaborative whiteboard data, or streaming media.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein collected multicast feed data is transmitted from the feed agent to the management server via TCP.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the feed agent is configured to:

monitor the multicast feed received by the multicast-enabled network device; and

transmit data relating to the multicast feed to the management server.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the feed agent is further configured to:

execute a configuration file during start up, the configuration file including at least an indication of a UDP port on the multicast-enabled network device to monitor and an IP address associated with the multicast feed;

identify a log interval time indicating the frequency with which data collections are conducted; and

identify a TCP port associated with incoming requests from the management server.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the feed agent is further configured to capture at least one multicast feed data element.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the multicast feed data element is a sequence number associated with received data units.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the multicast feed data element is a retransmission identification associated with received data units.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the feed agent is further configured to:

calculate at least one value from a group comprising;

a number of packets and messages received since the feed agent has started, a number of packets and messages received during a user-defined time interval, a number of re-transmitted messages since the feed agent has started, a number of re-transmitted messages during the user-defined time interval, a number of missing messages since the feed agent has started, a number of missing messages during the user-defined time interval, a number of out of sequence messages, and a number of duplicate messages, a rate of packets and messages received per second since the feed agent has started, and a rate of packets and messages per second for the user-defined time interval.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the management server is configured to poll the feed agent and receive available feed data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the management server is configured to:

execute a configuration file during start up, the configuration file including at least an indication of a host name and IP address associated with the feed agent;

identify a log interval time indicating the frequency with which agent polling is conducted; and

identify a trap destination address indicating a destination of trap messages sent upon occurrence of predefined events.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the management server is configured to:

periodically request feed data from the feed agent;

determine whether feed data is received in response to the request;

send a notification to the trap destination address if it is determined that no feed data is received; and

store received data in a database.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the management server is further configured to:

determine whether the database is available; and

write received data to a file if it is determined that the database is not available.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the management server is configured to:

identify a hard disk drive threshold during start up;

periodically determine if available hard disk drive space is less than the hard disk drive threshold; and

send a notification to the trap destination address if it is determined that the available hard disk drive space is less than the hard disk drive threshold.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the management server includes a web server for enabling review of collected multicast feed data by client devices over the network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the web server provides a customizable interface for retrieving and viewing stored multicast feed data.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the web server provides for dynamic report generating relating to user-defined multicast feed data.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the web server is configured to:

receive a request from a client computer system for information relating to the stored multicast feed data;

retrieve requested data; and

display the requested data to the client computer system in substantially real time.

21. A method for monitoring multicast feeds transmitted via a network, comprising:

receiving, at a network device, a multicast data feed from a data source;

logging data statistics regarding the multicast data feed;

transmitting the multicast data feed to a user device; and

transmitting the logged data statistics to a server.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the multicast data feed is a UDP data feed.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the logged data statistics are transmitted to the server upon request via TCP.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

executing a configuration file during start up of a feed agent, the configuration file including at least an indication of a UDP port on the network device to monitor, and an IP address associated with the multicast feed;

identifying, by the feed agent, a log interval time indicating the frequency with which data collections are conducted; and

identifying, by the feed agent, a TCP port associated with incoming requests from the server.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of logging data statistics regarding the multicast data feed further comprises:

capturing a sequence number associated with received multicast data units; and

capturing a retransmission identification associated with the received multicast data units.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

calculating at least one value from the group comprising;

a number of packets and messages received since the feed agent has started, a number of packets and messages received during a user-defined time interval, a number of re-transmitted messages since the feed agent has started, a number of re-transmitted messages during the user-defined time interval, a number of missing messages since the feed agent has started, a number of missing messages during the user-defined time interval, number of out of sequence messages, and number of duplicate messages, a rate of packets and messages received per second since the feed agent has started, and a rate of packets and messages per second for the user-defined time interval.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprises:

executing, by the server, a configuration file during start up, the configuration file including at least an indication of a host name and ip address associated with the feed agent;

identifying, by the management server, a log interval time indicating the frequency with which agent polling is conducted; and

identifying, by the management server, a trap destination address indicating a destination of trap messages sent upon occurrence of predefined events.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

periodically requesting feed data;

determining whether feed data is received by the server in response to the request;

sending a notification to the trap destination address if it is determined that no feed data is received; and

storing received data in a database associated with the management server.

29. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving, at a web server associated with the server, a request from a client system for information relating to the stored multicast feed data;

retrieving requested data from the database; and

transmitting the requested data to the client system for display in substantially real time.

30. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling one or more processors to perform a method for monitoring multicast feeds transmitted via a computer, the method comprising:

receiving, at a network device, a multicast data feed from a data source;

logging data statistics regarding the multicast data feed;

transmitting the multicast data feed to a user device;

transmitting the logged data statistics to a management server;

storing the logged data statistics at a database associated with the management server;

retrieving stored data statistics from the database in response to a request from a client computing device; and

transmitting retrieved data statistics to the client computer device via a web interface.