Link analysis method and system

• US 20060083165A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Streamaware LLC
• Original Assignee: Streamaware LLC
• Inventors: Chenard, Jesse, McLane, Brian R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/55 Testing of service level quality, e.g. simulating service usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

A method and computer program product for performing a latency analysis to determine one or more latency statistics for one or more network links within a distributed computing network. The one or more latency statistics are compared to one or more benchmark latency criteria to determine if at least one of the network links is a latency-compatible network link. If at least one of the network links is a latency-compatible network link, at least one additional network analysis is performed on at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing a latency analysis to determine one or more latency statistics for one or more network links within a distributed computing network;

comparing the one or more latency statistics to one or more benchmark latency criteria to determine if at least one of the network links is a latency-compatible network link; and

if at least one of the network links is a latency-compatible network link, performing at least one additional network analysis on at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing at least one of the one or more latency statistics on a remote data store accessible via the distributed computing network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein performing at least one additional network analysis includes:

performing a data transfer rate analysis to determine a link data transfer rate for at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein performing a data transfer rate analysis includes:

downloading a test data file from a server device coupled to the distributed computing network.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

comparing the link data transfer rate to a benchmark data transfer rate to determine if the at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links has an acceptable data transfer rate.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the link data transfer rate on a remote data store accessible via the distributed computing network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein performing at least one additional network analysis includes:

performing a port connectivity analysis to determine one or more port availability statistics for one or more data ports within a server device coupled to at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

storing at least one of the one or more port availability statistics on a remote data store accessible via the distributed computing network.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if at least one of the network links is a latency-incompatible network link, performing a network route analysis to analyze one or more discrete portions of at least one of the latency-incompatible network links.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the one or more benchmark latency criteria includes a maximum allowable latency rate; and

the latency-incompatible network link is a network link in which at least one of the one or more latency statistics exceeds the maximum allowable latency rate.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a report that includes one or more of;

the one or more latency statistics;

a link data transfer rate for at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links; and

one or more port availability statistics for one or more data ports within a server device coupled to at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a report that defines one or more streaming-compatible network links, wherein the one or more streaming-compatible network links are chosen from the one or more network links within a distributed computing network.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the report includes one or more of:

the one or more latency statistics;

a link data transfer rate for at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links; and

one or more port availability statistics for one or more data ports within a server device coupled to at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

14. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause that processor to:

perform a latency analysis to determine one or more latency statistics for one or more network links within a distributed computing network;

compare the one or more latency statistics to one or more benchmark latency criteria to determine if at least one of the network links is a latency-compatible network link; and

if at least one of the network links is a latency-compatible network link, perform at least one additional network analysis on at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions for:

storing at least one of the one or more latency statistics on a remote data store accessible via the distributed computing network.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the instructions for performing at least one additional network analysis include instructions for:

performing a data transfer rate analysis to determine a link data transfer rate for at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the instructions for performing a data transfer rate analysis include instructions for:

downloading a test data file from a server device coupled to the distributed computing network.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising instructions for:

comparing the link data transfer rate to a benchmark data transfer rate to determine if the at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links has an acceptable data transfer rate.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions for:

storing the link data transfer rate on a remote data store accessible via the distributed computing network.

20. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the instructions for performing at least one additional network analysis include instructions for:

performing a port connectivity analysis to determine one or more port availability statistics for one or more data ports within a server device coupled to at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising instructions for:

storing at least one of the one or more port availability statistics on a remote data store accessible via the distributed computing network.

22. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions for:

if at least one of the network links is a latency-incompatible network link, performing a network route analysis to analyze one or more discrete portions of at least one of the latency-incompatible network links.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein:

the one or more benchmark latency criteria includes a maximum allowable latency rate; and

the latency-incompatible network link is a network link in which at least one of the one or more latency statistics exceeds the maximum allowable latency rate.

24. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions for:

generating a report that includes one or more of;

the one or more latency statistics;

a link data transfer rate for at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links; and

one or more port availability statistics for one or more data ports within a server device coupled to at least one of the latency-compatible network links.

25. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions for:

generating a report that defines one or more streaming-compatible network links, wherein the one or more streaming-compatible network links are chosen from the one or more network links within a distributed computing network.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the report includes one or more of:

the one or more latency statistics;

a link data transfer rate for at least a portion of at least one of the latency-compatible network links; and

one or more port availability statistics for one or more data ports within a server device coupled to at least one of the latency-compatible network links.