Methods, systems and computer program products for endpoint pair based communications network performance testing

• US 6,408,335 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1998
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ixia (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NetIQ Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Walker, John Quillian II, Huntley, Timothy Scott, Joyce, Steven Thomas, Schwaller, Peter James
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prieto, Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US09/158,461
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/223-224, 709/218, 709/238, 709/227, 709/1, 370/230, 370/229, 370/235, 370/241, 370/250, 370/901, 370/13, 703/26, 703/13, 703/21, 714/712
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Communications network performance is tested utilizing a test scenario simulating actual communications traffic on the network to be tested. The test scenario includes an endpoint node specific test protocol between an endpoint node pair including a first and associated second endpoint node on the network to be tested. A partner endpoint node test protocol is determined from the endpoint node specific test protocol and communicated to from the first endpoint node to the associated second endpoint node of the endpoint node pair. A plurality of endpoint node pairs may executed different endpoint node specific test protocols under a test scenario. A console node is provided on the network for establishing the test scenario and assigning the test scenario to endpoint node pairs and initiating execution of the test scenario. Performance data may be monitored at one of the endpoint nodes of each endpoint node pair and reported to the console node either as it is generated or after completion of the test. The test scenario may be terminated when any one endpoint node pair 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 node pairs execute tests as applications level programs on existing endpoint nodes allowing testing of networks using actual protocol stacks independent of the applications programs available on existing endpoint nodes.

Claims

1. A method for testing the performance of a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes comprising the steps of:

defining a test scenario including an endpoint node specific test protocol between a first endpoint node and an associated second endpoint node to simulate communications traffic over the network therebetween to be tested;

providing a presetup flow including a requirements list to the first endpoint node;

providing the endpoint node specific test protocol to the first endpoint node;

determining a partner endpoint node test protocol from the endpoint node specific test protocol;

communicating the determined partner endpoint node test protocol over the network from the first endpoint node to the associated second endpoint node; and

initiating executing the endpoint node specific test protocol on the network.

2. A method for testing performance of a communications network according to claim 1:

wherein said network is a computer network;

wherein said defining step is preceded by the step of adding a console node residing on a computer to the network;

wherein the first endpoint node and the second endpoint node reside on computers;

wherein said providing step includes the step of providing the endpoint node specific test protocol to the first endpoint node from the console node over the network; and

wherein said initiating step is followed by the step of monitoring the performance of the network while the endpoint node specific test protocol is executed to obtain performance data.

3. A method for testing performance of a communications network according to claim 2 wherein the console node is executed as an applications level program on the computer and the first and associated second endpoint nodes are executed as applications level programs on a computer.

4. A method for testing performance of a communications network according to claim 2 wherein said monitoring step includes the following steps:

monitoring the performance of the network at at least one of the first endpoint node and the associated second endpoint node during execution of the endpoint node specific test protocol to obtain performance data;

reporting the monitored performance data to the console node; and

,

receiving the reported monitored performance data at the console node.

5. A method for testing performance of a communications network according to claim 4 wherein said reporting step is followed by the step of analyzing the reported monitored performance data to generate performance measurements selected from the group consisting of throughput, transaction rate and response time.

6. A method for testing performance of a communications network according to claim 2 wherein said defining step is preceded by the step of determining a type of application communication traffic expected on the network and wherein said defining a test scenario step includes the step of defining a test scenario to simulate the expected type of application communication traffic.

7. A method for testing the performance of a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes comprising the steps of:

defining an endpoint node pair based test scenario including an endpoint node specific test protocol between each of a plurality of endpoint node pairs to simulate communications traffic over the network between each of said endpoint node pairs to be tested;

providing a presetup flow including a requirements list to each of the endpoint node pairs;

providing the endpoint node specific test protocol to each of the endpoint node pairs over the network;

executing the test scenario between each of the plurality of endpoint node pairs to simulate communications traffic over the network; and

monitoring the performance of the network during execution of the test scenario.

8. A communications network performance testing system for testing a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes comprising:

means for defining a test scenario including an endpoint node specific test protocol between a first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes and an associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes to simulate communications traffic over the network therebetween to be tested;

means for providing a presetup flow including a requirements list to the first one of said plurality of endpoint node;

means responsive to said means for defining for providing said endpoint node specific test protocol to said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes;

means responsive to said means for defining for determining a partner endpoint node test protocol from said endpoint node specific test protocol;

means operatively connected to said network for communicating said determined partner endpoint node test protocol over said network from said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes to said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes; and

means operatively connected to said network for initating executing said endpoint node specific test protocol on the network.

9. A communications network performance testing system according to claim 8 wherein said network is a computer network including a console node residing on a computer and wherein said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes and said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes reside on computers and wherein said means for providing includes means for providing said endpoint node specific test protocol to said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes from said console node over said network and wherein said network performance testing system further comprises means operatively connected to said network for monitoring performance of said network while said endpoint node specific test protocol is executed to obtain performance data.

10. A communications network performance testing system according to claim 9 wherein said console node is executed as an applications level program on said computer on which said console node resides and wherein said first and associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes are executed as applications level programs on said computers on which said first and associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes reside.

11. A communications network performance testing system according to claim 9 wherein said means for monitoring includes:

means residing on at least one of said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes or said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes for monitoring performance of said network during execution of said endpoint node specific test protocol to obtain performance data;

means residing on at least one of said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes or said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes for reporting said performance data to said console node; and

,

means residing on said console node and operatively connected to said means for reporting for receiving said performance data.

12. A communications network performance testing system according to claim 11 further comprising means residing on said console node and operatively connected to said means for receiving for analyzing said performance data to generate performance measurements selected from the group consisting of throughput, transaction rate and response time.

13. A communications network performance testing system according to claim 9 wherein said means for defining includes means for determining an expected type of application communication traffic on the network and wherein said means for defining includes means for defining a test scenario to simulate said expected type of application communication traffic and wherein said means for defining resides on said console node.

14. A communications network performance testing system for testing a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes, said testing system comprising:

means for defining an endpoint node pair based test scenario including an endpoint node specific test protocol between each of a plurality of endpoint node pairs selected from said plurality of endpoint nodes to simulate communications traffic between each of said endpoint node pairs to be tested;

means for providing a presetup flow including a requirements list to each of said endpoint node pairs;

means operatively connected to said means for defining and to said network for providing said endpoint node specific test protocol to each of said endpoint node pairs over said network;

means operatively connected to said network for executing said test scenario; and

means operatively connected to said network for monitoring performance of said network during execution of said test scenario.

15. A computer program product for testing performance of a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes, the computer program product comprising:

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 defining a test scenario including an endpoint node specific test protocol between a first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes and an associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes to simulate communications traffic over the network therebetween to be tested;

computer-readable program code means for providing a presetup flow including a requirements list to the first one of said plurality of endpoint node;

computer-readable program code means responsive to said computer-readable program code means for defining for providing said endpoint node specific test protocol to said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes;

computer-readable program code means responsive to said computer-readable program code means for defining for determining a partner endpoint node test protocol from said endpoint node specific test protocol;

computer-readable program code means responsive to said computer-readable program code means for determining for communicating said determined partner endpoint node test protocol over said network from said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes to said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes;

computer-readable program code means for initiating executing said endpoint node specific test protocol on said network.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein said network is a computer network including a console node residing on a computer and wherein said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes and said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes reside on computers and wherein said computer-readable program code means for providing includes computer-readable program code means for providing said endpoint node specific test protocol to said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes from said console node over said network and further comprising computer-readable program code means for monitoring performance of said network while said endpoint node specific test protocol is executed to obtain performance data.

17. A computer program product according to claim 16 wherein said test scenario includes a plurality of endpoint node specific test protocols to simulate communications traffic between a plurality of endpoint node pairs.

18. A computer program product according to claim 16 wherein said computer-readable program code means for monitoring includes:

computer-readable program code means for monitoring performance of said network from at least one of said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes or said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes during execution of said endpoint node specific test protocol to obtain performance data;

computer-readable program code means for reporting said performance data to said console node from at least one of said first one of said plurality of endpoint nodes or said associated second one of said plurality of endpoint nodes; and

,

computer-readable program code means for receiving at said console node said performance data.

19. A computer program product according to claim 18 further comprising computer-readabled program code means for analyzing said preformance data to generate performance measurements selected from the group consisting of throughput, transaction rate and response time.

20. A computer program product according to claim 16 wherein said computer-readable program code means for defining includes computer-readable program code means for determining an expected type of application communication traffic on said network and for defining a test scenario to simulate said expected type of application communication traffic.

21. A computer program product for testing performance of a communications network including a plurality of endpoint nodes, the computer program product comprising:

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 defining an endpoint node pair based test scenario including an endpoint node specific test protocol between each of a plurality of endpoint node pairs selected from said plurality of endpoint nodes to simulate communications traffic between each of said endpoint node pairs to be tested;

computer-readable program code means for providing a presetup flow including a requirements list to each of said endpoint node pairs;

computer-readable program code means for providing said endpoint node specific test protocol to each of said endpoint node pairs over said network;

computer-readable program code means for executing said test scenario; and

computer-readable program code means for monitoring performance of said network during execution of said test scenario.