System and method for initiating diagnostics on a packet network node

• US 20080052394A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bugenhagen, Michael K., Wiley, William L., McNaughton, James L., Kozisek, Steven E., Edwards, Stephen K., Heinz, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,479,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• 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 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• 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 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/123 Evaluation of link metrics techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 : Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 : Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0072 : Speech codec negotiation H04L65/1069 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0084 : Network monitoring; Error detection; Error recovery; Network testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 : Provisions for network management

Abstract

A system and method for diagnosing a problem on a packet network. Network performance information associated with data packet communications over a packet network may be collected. A network performance information parameter may be monitored and a determination that the network performance information parameter crosses a threshold value may be made. In response to determining that the network performance information parameter crossed the threshold value, diagnostics may be initiated to determine a cause of the network performance information parameter crossing the threshold value.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing a problem on a packet network said method comprising:

collecting network performance information associated with data packet communications over a packet network;

monitoring a network performance information parameter;

determining that the network performance information parameter crosses a threshold value; and

in response to determining that the network performance information parameter crossed the threshold value, initiating diagnostics to determine a cause of the network performance information parameter crossing the threshold value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein initiating includes communicating a command to a network node to cause the network node to execute a diagnostics routine and report results thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein initiating includes initiating a loop-back test.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein initiating includes initiating a trace route.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

collecting second network performance information generated on a second communications network;

monitoring a second network performance information parameter;

determining that the second network performance information parameter crosses a second threshold value; and

in response to determining that the second network performance information parameter crossed the second threshold value, initiating second diagnostics to determine a cause of the second network performance information parameter crossing the second threshold value on the second packet network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the network performance information threshold value includes monitoring a transmission quality parameter.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein monitoring the transmission quality parameter includes monitoring a transmission quality parameter associated with communications of data packets including real-time content.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein monitoring the transmission quality parameter includes monitoring a transmission quality parameter associated with communications of data packets including non-real-time content.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the network performance information parameter includes monitoring transmission bandwidth.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein monitoring transmission bandwidth includes monitoring transmission bandwidth of data packets including real-time content.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein collecting the network performance information includes collecting the network performance information at a central location.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein collecting the network performance information includes collecting the network performance information on a network node.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a message to notify an operator of the network performance information parameter crossing the threshold and results of the diagnostics.

14. A system for diagnosing a problem on a packet network said system comprising:

a database configured to collect network performance information associated with data packet communications over a packet network; and

a processing unit in communication with said database and configured to;

monitor a network performance information parameter;

determine that the network performance information parameter crosses a threshold value; and

in response to determining that the network performance information parameter crossed the threshold value, initiate diagnostics to determine a cause of the network performance information parameter crossing the threshold value.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the diagnostics include communication of a command to a network node to cause the network node to execute a diagnostics routine and report results thereof.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the diagnostics include a loop-back test.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the diagnostics include a trace route.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

collect second network performance information generated on a second communications network;

monitor a second network performance information parameter;

determine that the second network performance information parameter crosses a second threshold value; and

in response to determining that the second network performance information parameter crossed the second threshold value, initiate second diagnostics to determine a cause of the second network performance information parameter crossing the second threshold value on the second packet network.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit is configured to monitor a transmission quality parameter.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processing unit is configured to monitor a transmission quality parameter associated with communications of data packets including real-time content.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processing unit is configured to monitor a transmission quality parameter associated with communications of data packets including non-real-time content.

22. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit is configured to monitor the network performance information parameter by monitoring transmission bandwidth.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said processing unit is configured to monitor transmission bandwidth by monitoring transmission bandwidth of data packets including real-time content.

24. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit is configured to collect the network performance information at a central location.

25. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit is configured to collect the network performance information at a network node.

26. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit is further configured to generate a message to notify an operator of the network performance information parameter crossing the threshold and results of the diagnostics.