Use of multipoint connection services to establish call-tapping points in a switched network
First Claim
1. A method for creating a tap point for monitoring data sent between a source node and a first destination node along a source/destination path in a switched network, the network having connection services which provide a point-to-multipoint connection between the source node and a plurality of destination nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) invoking the connection services to provide a source/tap path between the source node and the tap point, including finding a first common segment between the source/tap path and the source/destination path and merging the paths to produce a first merged path having the first common segment and a first diverging segment;
(b) configuring at least one network switch in the first diverging segment to form a first point-to-multipoint connection from the source node to the first destination node and to the tap point; and
(c) monitoring data sent from the source node to the first destination node by receiving at the tap point data sent by the source node.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for providing a call-tapping point in a switched network with point-to-multipoint functionality. The tapping point is added as an additional destination for data being sent from a source node to a first destination node. The tapping point is also added as a destination for data being sent from the first destination node to the source node. A merge operation is performed for finding and combining common segments of the paths between the source and destination, the source and tapping point, and the destination and tapping point.
71 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method for creating a tap point for monitoring data sent between a source node and a first destination node along a source/destination path in a switched network, the network having connection services which provide a point-to-multipoint connection between the source node and a plurality of destination nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) invoking the connection services to provide a source/tap path between the source node and the tap point, including finding a first common segment between the source/tap path and the source/destination path and merging the paths to produce a first merged path having the first common segment and a first diverging segment; (b) configuring at least one network switch in the first diverging segment to form a first point-to-multipoint connection from the source node to the first destination node and to the tap point; and (c) monitoring data sent from the source node to the first destination node by receiving at the tap point data sent by the source node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method of providing a merged path from a source node to a plurality of destination nodes in a switched network having connection services which provide a point-to-multipoint connection, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) invoking the connection services to provide a first path between a source node and a first destination node; (b) configuring at least one network switch in accordance with the first path to form a connection from the source node to the first destination node; (c) invoking the connection services to provide a second path between the source node and a second destination node; (d) performing a forward merge of the second path with the first path including the steps of; determining if a first switch is in common between the first and second paths; if the first switch is in common, merging a first common segment of the first and second paths from the source to the first switch; continuing to determine if a next switch is in common between the first and second paths and if so merging a next common segment until the first and second paths have diverged; if the next switch is not in common, determining that the two paths have diverged at a first point of divergence and stopping the merge operation; and (e) configuring at least one network switch in the second path from the first point of divergence to the second destination node so as to form a point-to-multipoint connection from the source node to the first and second destination nodes. - View Dependent Claims (24)
-
-
25. Apparatus for monitoring via a tap point data being sent from a source node to a first destination node along a source/destination path in a switched network, the apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a connection services entity having means for providing a point-to-multipoint connection between a source node and a plurality of destination nodes; (b) means for providing a source/tap path between the source node and the tap point, including means for finding a first common segment between the source/tap path and the source/destination path, and means for merging the paths to produce a first merged path having the first common segment and a first diverging segment; (c) means for configuring at least one network switch in the first diverging segment to form a first point-to-multipoint connection from the source node to the first destination node and to the tap point; and (d) means for monitoring the data sent from the source node to the destination node by receiving at the tap point data sent by the source node. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
-
-
28. A method comprising utilizing multipoint connection services in a network of switches to establish a tap point at any network node for monitoring data sent between any selected pair of source and destination nodes in the network, wherein the tap point is established independent of the selected source and destination nodes and, wherein:
the multipoint connection services determines a source/tap path between the selected source node and the tap point, determines a source/destination path between the selected pair of source and destination nodes, and when a common segment exists between the source/tap path and the source/destination path, merges the common segment of the paths to determine a point-to-multipoint connection from the selected source node to the tap point and to the selected destination node. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
Specification