Receiving network metrics data from disparate devices and displaying in a host format

• US 20060294232A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Gonsalves, Brian A., Pena, Sherri D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• 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 43/026 using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Transmitting network metrics data from disparate client platforms to a service provider for the calculation of performance measurements so that the level of service may be verified. The metrics data is received by the service provider in formats associated with the subscriber'"'"'s platform. When the metrics data is received by the service provider, it is converted into a host format so that it may be presented to the network subscribers.

Claims

1. A method for presenting data in order to monitor performance associated with a network, the method comprising:

receiving metrics data associated with data transmissions over the network, the metrics data being received in a format defined by a simple network management protocol compatible-data service unit/channel service unit in the network, the data service unit/channel service unit comprising a management information base;

extracting parameters from the received metrics data;

preparing a host format based on the extracted parameters, the host format comprising performance data of the network; and

presenting the performance data for a determination of whether actual performance of the network conformed to an expected performance of the network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising preparing the host format when a determination is made that the received metrics data does not reside in the host format.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data service unit/channel service unit comprises a device other than a router.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the management information base monitors and stores network performance and diagnostic information associated with the network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the management information base monitors and stores network performance information associated with the network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the management information base monitors and stores diagnostic information associated with the network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises an asynchronous transfer mode network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises a frame relay network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data transmissions comprise data transmissions between a plurality of network nodes associated with a user of the network.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data service unit/channel service unit is embedded in a router.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising preparing the performance data for transmission over the Internet.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising converting the received metrics data to the host format at a server.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes includes a separate circuit identification, IP address, virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier, and data link connection identifier.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the separate circuit identification, IP address, virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier, and data link connection identifier of each of the plurality of network nodes is stored on a server that converts the metrics data to the host format.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the data transmissions between the plurality of network nodes occur via a first permanent virtual circuit.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the receiving of the metrics data occurs via a second permanent virtual circuit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the receiving of the metrics data via the second permanent virtual circuit occurs at predetermined times.

18. A computer readable medium storing a computer program that presents performance data in order to monitor performance associated with a network, the medium comprising:

a receiving code segment that receives metrics data associated with data transmissions over a network, the metrics data being received in a format defined by a simple network management protocol compatible data service unit/channel service unit in the network, the data service unit/channel service unit comprising a management information base;

an extracting code segment that extracts parameters from the received metrics data;

a preparing code segment that prepares a host format based on the extracted parameters, the host format comprising performance data of the network;

a presenting code segment that presents the performance data for a determination of whether actual performance of the network conformed to an expected performance of the network.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising an internet protocol network presenting code segment that prepares the performance data for transmission over the Internet.

20. A system for generating performance data in order to monitor performance associated with a network, comprising:

a server that receives metrics data in a format defined by a simple network management protocol compatible data service unit/channel service unit in the network, the server converting the received metrics data to a host format, the host format comprising performance data of the network; and

a storage that stores the performance data for transmission of the performance data for a determination of whether actual performance of the network conformed to an expected performance of the network.