Assessing network performance without interference with normal network operations
First Claim
1. A method of assessing performance of a network communication in a computer network, comprising:
- (a) determining a performance quality metric of a network communication between a client and a server, based on at least one of a comparison of a client hardware characteristic with a hardware requirement, and a comparison of a concurrent and independent process executing on the client with a list of prohibited or permitted processes; and
(b) responsive to the determined performance quality metric being greater than a predetermined threshold, permitting network operations between the client and the server.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of measuring network performance and determining hardware characteristics without interference with normal network operations. Several indicators of computer and network performance are measured in order to determine whether a user'"'"'s network communication is sufficient for desired operations, and in order to guide the user to the best zone or server for optimal performance. The system and method take into account factors such as latency; bandwidth; CPU performance; memory size of the client computer; and presence of other background or concurrent processes on the client computer. Where applicable, performance tests are repeated over a period of time in order to better estimate the trends and to better predict changes in performance characteristics over time.
277 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of assessing performance of a network communication in a computer network, comprising:
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(a) determining a performance quality metric of a network communication between a client and a server, based on at least one of a comparison of a client hardware characteristic with a hardware requirement, and a comparison of a concurrent and independent process executing on the client with a list of prohibited or permitted processes; and (b) responsive to the determined performance quality metric being greater than a predetermined threshold, permitting network operations between the client and the server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of assessing performance of a network communication in a computer network, comprising:
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(a) transmitting at least one ping packet across the network communication; (b) receiving at least one ping reply packet across the network communication; (c) determining, based on an indication of a hardware characteristic or a concurrent process affecting the ping packet or the ping reply packer, whether each ping reply packet should be accepted or ignored; (d) measuring a transmission time of each accepted ping reply packet; and (e) determining a latency measurement of the network communication from the measured transmission times of accepted ping reply packets. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of assessing performance of a network communication in a computer network, comprising:
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(a) transmitting a plurality of ping packets across the network communication; (b) receiving at least one ping reply packet across the network communication; (c) for at least one ping reply packet, determining a delay factor, the delay factor corresponding to an elapsed time between receipt of a ping packet at a node and transmission of a corresponding ping reply packet from the node; (d) determining, based on an indication of a hardware characteristic or a concurrent process affecting the ping packet or the ping reply packet, whether each ping reply packet should be accepted or ignored; (e) measuring a transmission time of at least one accepted ping reply packet; (f) adjusting the measured transmission time for the at least one accepted ping reply packet based on the determined delay factor; and (g) determining a latency measurement of the network communication from the adjusted measured transmission times of accepted ping reply packets.
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15. A method of assessing network performance in a computer network including a client and a server, comprising:
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(a) transmitting a ping packer to the client; (b) receiving a ping reply packer from the client; (c) determining, based on an indication of a hardware characteristic or a concurrent process affecting the ping packet or the ping reply packet, whether the ping reply packet should be accepted or ignored; (d) responsive to the ping reply packet being accepted, measuring packet response time to determine a latency measurement; (e) repeating (a) through (d) until a predetermined number of packets have been processed; (f) responsive to the determined latency measurement indicating overall latency below a predetermined threshold, permitting further network operations between the client and the server; and (g) responsive to the determined latency measurement not indicating overall latency below a predetermined threshold, terminating at least a subset of further network operations between the client and the server.
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16. A computer network performance assessment system, comprising:
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at least one server for communication with a client over a computer network; and a communication assessment module coupled to the at least one server for determining a performance quality metric of a network communication between the at least one server and the client, based on at least one of a comparison of a client hardware characteristic with a hardware requirement and a comparison of a concurrent process executing on the client with a list of prohibited or permitted processes, and for, responsive to the determined performance quality metric being greater than a predetermined threshold, permitting network operations between the client and the server. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer network performance assessment system, comprising:
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at least one server group, each server group containing at least one server, each server for receiving and transmitting a parameter list; a list server coupled to the parameter list and to the at least one server, for reading a parameter list containing at least one hardware requirement and for transmitting the parameter list to the at least one server; a client coupled to the at least one server by a network communication, for receiving the parameter list; and at least one handler coupled to the client, for processing the parameter list to determine whether at least one client hardware characteristic conforms to the at least one hardware requirement; wherein the client selectively permits further network operations responsive to the results of the at least one handler. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A computer network performance assessment system, comprising:
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at least one server group, each server group comprising at least one server capable of communication with a client; a communication assessment module coupled to the at least one server for determining a performance quality metric of a network communication between the client and at least one server in each server group, based on at least one of a comparison of a client hardware characteristic with a hardware requirement, and a comparison of a concurrent process executing on the client with a list of prohibited or permitted processes; and a zone selection module coupled to the communication assessment module for selecting a preferred server group responsive to the determined performance quality metrics. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A computer network performance assessment system, comprising:
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at least one server capable of communication with a client over a network communication; a ping transmitter for transmitting at least one ping packet across the network communication; a ping receiver for receiving at least one ping reply packet across the network communication; a ping validator coupled to the ping receiver for determining, based on an indication of a hardware characteristic or a concurrent process affecting the ping packet or the ping reply packet, whether each ping reply packet should be accepted or ignored; and a latency measurement device for measuring a transmission time of each accepted ping reply packet and determining a latency measurement of the network communication from the measured transmission times of accepted ping reply packets. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification