CORRELATION-BASED LOCALIZATION OF PROBLEMS IN A VOIP SYSTEM

• US 20090028055A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olaf Carl Zaencker
• Original Assignee: Olaf Carl Zaencker
• Inventors: Zaencker, Olaf Carl
• Application Number:
  US11/828,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20090028055A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing

Abstract

Diagnostics data is accessed from VoIP-aware devices in an IP network. The diagnostics data indicates problems that cause degradation in VoIP voice quality. Correlations of a diagnosed problem are identified, and the correlations are used to localize a cause of the diagnosed problem.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing diagnostics data from VoIP devices in an IP network, the diagnostics data indicating problems that cause degradation in VoIP voice quality;

using the diagnostics data to identify correlations of a diagnosed problem; and

using the correlations to localize a cause of the diagnosed problem.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostics data is accessed from diagnostics data structures generated by the VoIP-aware devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the diagnostics data includes receiving packets, generating Interarrival times for consecutive packets;

aggregating the Interarrival times; and

generating the diagnostics data from the aggregated Interarrival times.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the correlations includes identifying those VoIP-aware devices reporting the same problem at the same time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein using the correlations includes looking at the correlated devices and the nature of the diagnosed problem to localize a cause of the diagnosed problem.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising using knowledge about the network to further localize the diagnosed problem.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein using the network knowledge includes mapping the correlations against a network diagram.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein at least some of the VoIP-aware devices are also location-aware;

and wherein using the network knowledge includes using the correlations with locations provided by the location-aware devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostics data used for the correlations is generated at least in part from real VoIP traffic.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostics data used for the correlations is generated from real VoIP traffic in combination with artificial VoIP traffic.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostics data used for the correlations is generated exclusively from artificial VoIP traffic.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising using probes to temporarily generate the artificial VoIP traffic if a problem with voice quality degradation occurs and additional traffic is needed to localize a cause of the diagnosed problem.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the probes are normally in hibernation so as not to increase VoIP traffic, but are awakened if needed to generate the additional traffic.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein breadth of a call pattern by the probes is adjusted to the results of the correlation.

15. A system comprising at least one server for performing the method of claim 1.

16. An article comprising memory encoded with data for causing a server to perform the method of claim 1.

17. Apparatus comprising:

means for accessing diagnostics data from VoIP-aware devices in an IP network, the diagnostics data indicating problems that cause degradation in VoIP voice quality;

means for identifying correlations of a diagnosed problem; and

means for using the correlations to find at least one VoIP device or network portion responsible for the diagnosed problem.

18. A system comprising at least one server for accessing diagnostics data from VoIP-aware devices in an IP network;

identifying correlations of a diagnosed problem; and

using the correlations to localize a cause of the diagnosed problem

19. An article for a server, the article comprising memory encoded with data for causing the server to access diagnostics data from VoIP-aware devices;

identify correlations of a diagnosed problem; and

use the correlations to find at least one VoIP-aware device or network portion responsible for the diagnosed problem.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the memory further stores a database of different VoIP-aware device problems that can affect VoIP voice quality.