Duplex mismatch testing
First Claim
1. A method for testing a communication network, comprising:
- transmitting at least one unidirectional flow over a path through the network, and measuring arrival characteristics of the least one unidirectional flow at a receiving end of the path, the arrival characteristics comprising at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic;
transmitting a bidirectional flow over the path from both ends of the path simultaneously, and measuring the arrival characteristics of the bidirectional flow at least at one of the ends; and
comparing the arrival characteristics of the unidirectional and bidirectional flows in order to detect a fault in the path.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for testing a communication network includes transmitting at least one unidirectional flow over a path through the network, and measuring arrival characteristics of the least one unidirectional flow at a receiving end of the path. The arrival characteristics include at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic. A bidirectional flow is transmitted over the path from both ends of the path simultaneously, and the arrival characteristics of the bidirectional flow are measured at least at one of the ends. The arrival characteristics of the unidirectional and bidirectional flows are compared in order to detect a fault in the path.
50 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for testing a communication network, comprising:
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transmitting at least one unidirectional flow over a path through the network, and measuring arrival characteristics of the least one unidirectional flow at a receiving end of the path, the arrival characteristics comprising at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic;
transmitting a bidirectional flow over the path from both ends of the path simultaneously, and measuring the arrival characteristics of the bidirectional flow at least at one of the ends; and
comparing the arrival characteristics of the unidirectional and bidirectional flows in order to detect a fault in the path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for testing a communication network, comprising:
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first and second traffic agents, which are coupled to respective end points of a path through the network; and
a testing center, which is coupled to instruct the traffic agents to transmit at least one unidirectional flow over a path through the network, and to measure arrival characteristics of the least one unidirectional flow at a receiving end of the path, the arrival characteristics comprising at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic, and further to instruct the traffic agents to transmit a bidirectional flow over the path from both ends of the path simultaneously, and to measure the arrival characteristics of the bidirectional flow at least at one of the ends, wherein the testing center is operative to compare the arrival characteristics of the unidirectional and bidirectional flows in order to detect a fault in the path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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- 22. A computer software product for testing a communication network in conjunction with at least one traffic agent, which is coupled to at least one respective end point of a path through the network, the product comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to instruct the at least one traffic agent to transmit at least one unidirectional flow over a path through the network, and to measure arrival characteristics of the least one unidirectional flow at a receiving end of the path, the arrival characteristics comprising at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic, and further cause the computer to instruct the at least one traffic agent to transmit a bidirectional flow over the path from both ends of the path simultaneously, and to measure the arrival characteristics of the bidirectional flow at least at one of the ends, and further cause the computer to compare the arrival characteristics of the unidirectional and bidirectional flows in order to detect a fault in the path.
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34. A method for testing a communication network, comprising:
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transmitting a first flow of first packets from a first endpoint of a path through the network to a network device at a second endpoint of the path, so as to cause the network device to return first response packets that are much shorter than the first packets;
processing the first response packets so as to assess arrival characteristics of the first flow, the arrival characteristics comprising at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic;
transmitting a second flow of second packets over the path to the network device, so as to cause the network device to return second response packets that are of comparable length to the second packets;
processing the second response packets to as to assess the arrival characteristics of the second flow; and
comparing the arrival characteristics of the first and second flows in order to detect a fault in the path. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. Apparatus for testing a communication network, comprising:
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a traffic agent, which is coupled to a first end point of a path through the network; and
a testing center, which is coupled to instruct the traffic agent to transmit a first flow of first packets to a network device at a second endpoint of the path, so as to cause the network device to return first response packets that are much shorter than the first packets, and to process the first response packets so as to assess arrival characteristics of the first flow, the arrival characteristics comprising at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic, and further to instruct the traffic agent to transmit a second flow of second packets over the path to the network device, so as to cause the network device to return second response packets that are of comparable length to the second packets, and to process the second response packets to as to assess the arrival characteristics of the second flow, and to compare the arrival characteristics of the first and second flows in order to detect a fault in the path.
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Specification