Systems, methods and computer program products for applications traffic based communications network performance testing
First Claim
1. A communications network performance testing system for testing a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes comprising:
- means for determining a type of application communication traffic expected on said network;
configuring means responsive to said determining means for determining a first network communication test protocol for a first one of said endpoint nodes based on said type of application communication traffic and for determining a second network communication test protocol for a second one of said endpoint nodes based on said type of application communication traffic;
communicating means operatively connected to said configuring means for communicating said first network communication test protocol to said first one of said endpoint nodes and for communicating said second network communication test protocol to said second one of said endpoint nodes;
initiating means operatively connected to said first one of said endpoint nodes and to said second one of said endpoint nodes for initiating execution of said first network communication test protocol and said second network communication test protocol; and
monitoring means operatively connected to said network for monitoring performance of said network during execution of said first network communication test protocol and said second network communication test protocol to obtain performance data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Communications network performance is tested utilizing a test scenario determined based on a type of applications traffic expected on the network to be tested. A console node is provided on the network for establishing the test scenario and assigning the test scenario to endpoint nodes on the network to be tested. Each endpoint node is assigned an endpoint node specific test protocol. Execution of the test protocols by the endpoint nodes is initiated by the console node. Performance data such as throughput, transaction rate and response time may be monitored at selected ones of the endpoint nodes and reported to the console node either as it is generated or after completion of the test. The test scenario may be terminated when all endpoint node specific test protocols have completed execution or when any one endpoint completes execution of its test protocol. Multiple network protocols may be utilized within a single test scenario. Each endpoint node specific test protocol includes an associated script representing a type of applications traffic such as a credit check, or a database update. Endpoint nodes execute tests as applications level programs on existing endpoint nodes on the network to be tested allowing testing of networks using actual protocol stacks independent of the applications programs available on existing endpoint nodes.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A communications network performance testing system for testing a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes comprising:
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means for determining a type of application communication traffic expected on said network; configuring means responsive to said determining means for determining a first network communication test protocol for a first one of said endpoint nodes based on said type of application communication traffic and for determining a second network communication test protocol for a second one of said endpoint nodes based on said type of application communication traffic; communicating means operatively connected to said configuring means for communicating said first network communication test protocol to said first one of said endpoint nodes and for communicating said second network communication test protocol to said second one of said endpoint nodes; initiating means operatively connected to said first one of said endpoint nodes and to said second one of said endpoint nodes for initiating execution of said first network communication test protocol and said second network communication test protocol; and monitoring means operatively connected to said network for monitoring performance of said network during execution of said first network communication test protocol and said second network communication test protocol to obtain performance data. - 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, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for testing performance of a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes comprising the steps of:
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determining a type of application communication traffic expected on the communications network; assigning a first network communication test protocol to a first endpoint node based on the type of application communication traffic expected from said determining step; assigning a second network communication test protocol to a second endpoint node based on the type of application communication traffic expected from said determining step; initiating execution of the first network communication test protocol and the second network communication test protocol; and monitoring the performance of the network while the test protocols are executed. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for testing performance of a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes comprising the steps of:
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adding a console node for the communications network; determining a type of application communication traffic expected on the communications network; assigning a first network communication test protocol to a first one of the endpoint nodes based on the type of application communication traffic expected from said determining step; assigning a second network communication test protocol to a second one of the endpoint nodes based on the type of application communication traffic expected from said determining step; initiating execution of the first network communication test protocol and the second network communication test protocol; monitoring the performance of the network at at least one of the endpoint nodes while the first and second network communication test protocols are executed to obtain performance data; terminating execution of the first network communication test protocol and the second network communication test protocol; and reporting the performance data from said monitoring step to the console node on the network. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A computer program product for testing performance of a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable storage medium having computer- readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising; computer-readable program code means for determining a type of application communication traffic expected on said network based on user input; computer-readable program code means, responsive to said computer-readable program code means for determining a type of application communication traffic, for determining a first network communication test protocol for a first one of said endpoint nodes based on said type of application communication traffic and for determining a second network communication test protocol for a second one of said endpoint nodes based on said type of application communication traffic; computer-readable program code means for communicating said first network communication test protocol to said first one of said endpoint nodes and for communicating said second network communication test protocol to said second one of said endpoint nodes; computer-readable program code means for initiating execution of said first network communication test protocol and said second network communication test protocol; and computer-readable program code means for monitoring performance of said network during execution of said first network communication test protocol and said second network communication test protocol to obtain performance data. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification