Method and System for Initiating a Remote Trace Route

• US 20080031145A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumar, Rajesh, Ethier, Randall P.J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,843,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A method for initiating a remote trace route includes establishing a communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint. The method also includes detecting at the first endpoint a quality impairment in a communication sent from the second endpoint. In response to detecting the quality impairment, the method includes sending a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint. Upon receiving the request at the second endpoint, the method includes initiating a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.

Claims

1. A method for initiating a remote trace route, comprising:

establishing a communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

detecting at the first endpoint a quality impairment in a communication sent from the second endpoint;

in response to detecting the quality impairment, sending a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint; and

upon receiving the request at the second endpoint, initiating a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises sending a real-time transport protocol (RTP) no-op packet based trace route from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the RTP no-op packet based trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising setting a request early feedback flag in the RTP no-op packet based trace route.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises sending a named signaling event (NSE) message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route, the NSE message comprising a value in an event number field of the NSE message, the value assigned to indicate that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment in the communication sent from the second endpoint.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises initiating a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol trace route from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the STUN trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises sending a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol binding request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, the STUN binding request alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected a quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

7. A system for initiating a remote trace route, comprising:

at least two processors operable to establish a communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

a first processor of the at least two processors operable to detect at the first endpoint a quality impairment in a communication sent from the second endpoint;

an interface coupled to the first processor and operable to, in response to detecting the quality impairment, send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint; and

a second processor of the at least two processors operable to, upon receiving the request at the second endpoint, initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the interface operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises an interface operable to send a real-time transport protocol (RTP) no-op packet based trace route from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the RTP no-op packet based trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first processor is further operable to set a request early feedback flag in the RTP no-op packet based trace route.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the interface operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises an interface operable to send a named signaling event (NSE) message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route, the NSE message comprising a value in an event number field of the NSE message, the value is assigned to indicate that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment in the communication sent from the second endpoint.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the interface operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises an interface operable initiate a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol trace route from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the STUN trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the interface operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises an interface operable to send a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol binding request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, the STUN binding request alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected a quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

13. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

establish a communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

detect at the first endpoint a quality impairment in a communication sent from the second endpoint;

in response to detecting the quality impairment, send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint; and

upon receiving the request at the second endpoint, initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the code operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises code operable to send a real-time transport protocol (RTP) no-op packet based trace route from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the RTP no-op packet based trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the code is further operable to set a request early feedback flag in the RTP no-op packet based trace route.

16. The medium of claim 13, wherein the code operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises code operable to send a named signaling event (NSE) message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route, the NSE message comprising a value in an event number field of the NSE message, the value is assigned to indicate that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment in the communication sent from the second endpoint.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the code operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises code operable to initiate a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol trace route from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the STUN trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein the code operable to send a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises code operable to send a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol binding request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, the STUN binding request alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected a quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

19. A system for initiating a remote trace route, comprising:

means for establishing a communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

means for detecting at the first endpoint a quality impairment in a communication sent from the second endpoint;

means for, in response to detecting the quality impairment, sending a request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint; and

means for, upon receiving the request at the second endpoint, initiating a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.

20. A method for initiating a remote trace route, comprising:

establishing a communication session with a first endpoint;

periodically receiving a metric report from the first endpoint, the metric report comprising information about the quality of a communication sent from a second endpoint;

analyzing the metric report sent from the first endpoint to determine if the communication sent from the second endpoint was quality impaired; and

initiating a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint upon determining that the communication sent from the second endpoint was quality impaired.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein establishing a communication session with a first endpoint comprises negotiating a remote metric support reporting capability selected from the group consisting of real-time transport control protocol extended report (RTCP-XR) and real-time transport control protocol high-resolution report (RTCP-HR).

22. A system for initiating a remote trace route, comprising:

a processor operable to establish a communication session with a first endpoint; and

an interface coupled to the processor and operable to periodically receive a metric report from the first endpoint, the metric report comprising information about the quality of a communication sent from a second endpoint;

wherein the processor is further operable to;

analyze the metric report sent from the first endpoint to determine if the communication sent from the second endpoint was quality impaired; and

initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint upon determining that the communication sent from the second endpoint was quality impaired.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor operable to establish a communication session with a first endpoint comprises a processor operable to negotiate a remote metric support reporting capability selected from the group consisting of real-time transport control protocol extended report (RTCP-XR) and real-time transport control protocol high-resolution report (RTCP-HR).

24. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

establish a communication session with a first endpoint;

periodically receive a metric report from the first endpoint, the metric report comprising information about the quality of a communication sent from a second endpoint;

analyze the metric report sent from the first endpoint to determine if the communication sent from the second endpoint was quality impaired; and

initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint upon determining that the communication sent from the second endpoint was quality impaired.

25. The medium of claim 24, wherein the code operable to establish a communication session with a first endpoint comprises code operable to negotiate a remote metric support reporting capability selected from the group consisting of real-time transport control protocol extended report (RTCP-XR) and real-time transport control protocol high-resolution report (RTCP-HR).

26. A method for initiating a remote trace route, comprising:

establishing a communication session with a second endpoint;

detecting a quality impairment in a communication sent from the second endpoint; and

in response to detecting the quality impairment, sending a request to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint, the request triggering the trace route from the second endpoint to a first endpoint.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein sending a request to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises sending a real-time transport protocol (RTP) no-op packet based trace route to the second endpoint, wherein the RTP no-op packet based trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising setting a request early feedback flag in the RTP no-op packet based trace route.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein sending a request to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises sending a named signaling event (NSE) message to the second endpoint alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route, the NSE message comprising a value in an event number field of the NSE message, the value assigned to indicate that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment in the communication sent from the second endpoint.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein sending a request to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises initiating a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol trace route to the second endpoint, wherein the STUN trace route alerts the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected the quality impairment and requests the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein sending a request to the second endpoint for the second endpoint to initiate a trace route from the second endpoint to the first endpoint comprises sending a simple traversal of user datagram protocol (UDP) through network address translators (NATs) (STUN) protocol binding request to the second endpoint, the STUN binding request alerting the second endpoint that the first endpoint has detected a quality impairment and requesting the second endpoint to initiate a trace route.

32. A method for initiating a remote trace route, comprising:

establishing a communication session with a first endpoint;

transmitting a communication to the first endpoint, the communication arriving at the first endpoint with a quality impairment;

receiving a request from the first endpoint to initiate a trace route towards the first endpoint in response to detection of the quality impairment; and

initiating a trace route towards the first endpoint