Internet packet quality monitor

• US 20060274760A1
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Loher, Darren P.
• Application Number:
  US11/146,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20060274760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.520
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2236 Quality of speech transmission monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A system for determining packet quality on an Internet protocol-based (IP-based) network includes a packet test device that traces multiple paths on the IP-based network to obtain node identifiers corresponding to nodes on each path, and an Internet quality monitor (IQM) that associates a quality metric with each path, and associates an identified link between nodes in a path with one of the quality metrics. A method for monitoring quality of data on an Internet protocol (IP)-based network includes deriving a network topology corresponding to a portion of the IP-based network, determining a quality metric associated with a path in the network topology, deriving a link in the path, and determining a quality metric associated with the link based on the quality metric associated with the path.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring quality of data transmission on an Internet protocol (IP)-based network, the method comprising:

deriving a network topology corresponding to at least a portion of the IP-based network, wherein the network topology includes one or more paths in the IP-based network;

determining a quality metric associated with each of the one or more paths in the network topology;

deriving one or more links associated with each of the one or more paths, wherein each link includes two or more nodes in an associated path; and

determining a quality metric associated with each of the one or more links based on the quality metrics associated with the one or more paths.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the IP-based network is a voice over IP (VoIP) network.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising analyzing traceroute data and quality metrics related to different paths to identify sources of reduced quality.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the network topology comprises performing a Session Initiation Protocol—

based (SIP-based) traceroute function to determine node identifiers (IDs) corresponding to nodes on each of the paths.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the network topology comprises:

transmitting one or more data packets to a destination node, wherein the data packets traverse one of the paths associated with the destination node; and

gathering node identifiers for intermediate nodes along the associated path.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining a quality metric comprises:

receiving looped back data packets; and

measuring one or more of packet loss, jitter, and latency associated with the looped back data packets.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining a quality metric comprises receiving the quality metric from a destination node, the quality metric representative of quality of data communicated between the destination node and a source node.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining an autonomous system based on the network topology; and

associating one of the quality metrics with the autonomous system.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining an Internet Service Provider (ISP) based on the network topology; and

associating one of the quality metrics with the ISP.

10. A computer-program product having computer-executable instructions, which, when executed, cause a computer to perform a process for determining quality of data communicated on an Internet protocol-based (IP-based) network, the process comprising:

determining a quality metric associated with each of one or more destination nodes in the IP-based network;

tracing a path associated with each destination node using a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)—

based traceroute function to determine node identifiers (IDs) corresponding to nodes on each path; and

associating a quality metric with each path.

11. A computer-program product as recited in claim 10, the process further comprising deriving one or more links between nodes associated with each path, wherein each link includes two linked nodes in an associated path.

12. A computer-program product as recited in claim 10, the process comprising:

determining an autonomous system including one or more nodes on one of the paths; and

attributing one of the quality metrics to one or more of the autonomous system, or a path, link, or node associated with the autonomous system.

13. A computer-program product as recited in claim 12, wherein attributing one of the quality metrics comprises:

aggregating a plurality of quality metrics associated with the path, link, node, or autonomous system; and

performing an exponential smoothing operation on the plurality of quality metrics.

14. A computer-program product as recited in claim 10, the process further comprising:

determining an Internet Service Provider (ISP) including one or more nodes on one of the paths; and

attributing one of the quality metrics to the ISP.

15. A computer-program product as recited in claim 11, the process further comprising attributing one of the quality metrics to at least one of the links.

16. A computer-program product as recited in claim 10, wherein determining the quality metric comprises:

transmitting one or more data packets to one of the destination nodes;

receiving the data packets after the data packets have been looped back from the destination node; and

measuring the quality metric based on the looped back data packets.

17. A computer-program product as recited in claim 10, wherein determining the quality metric comprises receiving the quality metric from the destination node, the quality metric representing quality of packets communicated between the destination node and another node.

18. A computer-program product as recited in claim 17, wherein determining the quality metric comprises deriving the quality metric based on the pattern of receiving packets at the destination node.

19. A computer-program product as recited in claim 10 wherein the quality metric is selected from a group including packet loss, jitter, and latency.

20. A system for determining packet quality on an Internet protocol-based (IP-based) network, the system comprising:

a packet test device tracing multiple paths on the IP-based network to obtain node identifiers corresponding to nodes on each path, each path terminating at an associated destination node; and

an Internet quality monitor (IQM) associating a quality metric with each path, determining one or more links in each path, and associating each of the one or more links with one of the quality metrics.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the packet test device is embodied in one or more of a media gateway, a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) terminal adapter, or a VOIP telephone.

22. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the packet test device uses traditional means for performing an IP-based traceroute.

23. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the packet test device performs a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)—

based traceroute function to obtain the node identifiers.

24. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the IQM identifies an autonomous system including one or more nodes on a path and attributes one of the quality metrics to the autonomous system.

25. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the IQM identifies a geographic region associated with one or more nodes on a path and attributes one of the quality metrics to the geographic region.

26. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the IQM identifies an Internet Service Provider (ISP) associated with one or more nodes on a path and attributes one of the quality metrics to the ISP.

27. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the IP-based network includes a voice over IP network.