Detecting and Isolating Domain Specific Faults

• US 20090028054A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ethier, Randall P.J., Kumar, Rajesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,248,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing

Abstract

A method for detecting and isolating domain specific faults includes comparing a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node. The first node comprises an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprises an egress node of the first domain for the communication. The method also includes determining that the difference between at least one aspect of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold. The method further includes, upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold, determining a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication. The method additionally includes isolating at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

comparing a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication;

determining that the difference between at least one aspect of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold;

upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determining a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication; and

isolating at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a second threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a third threshold, generating a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred downstream of the egress node; and

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a fourth threshold, generating a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred upstream of the ingress node.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein comparing the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises comparing the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node upon receiving the message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below the second threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises comparing the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node on a basis selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a random sampling basis, an every communication basis, and a delayed basis a first amount of time after the start of a communication session.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication comprises initiating a layer 3 trace route from the first node to the second node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein isolating at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report comprises generating at least one synthetic media stream path segment test along the path between the first node and the second node used by the communication.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is part of a real-time communication session.

9. A system comprising, a processor operable to:

compare a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication; and

determine that the difference between at least one aspect of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold; and

upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determine a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication; and

isolate at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an interface coupled to the processor and operable to receive a message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a second threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the interface is further operable to:

upon the processor determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a third threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred downstream of the egress node; and

upon the processor determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a fourth threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred upstream of the ingress node.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises a processor operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node upon receiving the message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below the second threshold.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises a processor operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node on a basis selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a random sampling basis, an every communication basis, and a delayed basis a first amount of time after the start of a communication session.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor operable to determine the first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication comprises a processor operable to initiate a layer 3 trace route from the first node to the second node.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor operable to isolate at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report comprises a processor operable to generate at least one synthetic media stream path segment test along the path between the first node and the second node used by the communication.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication is part of a real-time communication session.

17. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

compare a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication;

determine that the difference between at least one aspect of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold; and

upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determine a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication; and

isolate at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report.

18. The tangible media of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable to receive a message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a second threshold.

19. The tangible media of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable to:

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a third threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred downstream of the egress node; and

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a fourth threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred upstream of the ingress node.

20. The tangible media of claim 18, wherein the logic operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises logic operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node upon receiving the message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below the second threshold.

21. The tangible media of claim 17, wherein the logic operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises logic operable to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node on a basis selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a random sampling basis, an every communication basis, and a delayed basis a first amount of time after the start of a communication session.

22. The tangible media of claim 17, wherein the logic operable to determine the first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication comprises logic operable to initiate a layer 3 trace route from the first node to the second node.

23. The tangible media of claim 17, wherein the logic operable to isolate at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report comprises logic operable to generate at least one synthetic media stream path segment test along the path between the first node and the second node used by the communication.

24. The tangible media of claim 17, wherein the communication is part of a real-time communication session.

25. A system comprising:

means for comparing a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication;

means for determining that the difference between at least one aspect of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold; and

means for, upon determining the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determining a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication; and

isolating at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report.