Traffic monitoring tool for bandwidth management

• US 6,578,077 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1997
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus Software, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Pandit, Atul, Rakoshitz, Gregory, Putta, Sanjeev, Vaid, Aseem
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/999,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 345/440, 345/326, 345/329, 345/733, 345/734, 345/735, 345/736, 345/737, 345/738, 345/739, 345/740, 709/224, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 : Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/193 : at the transport layer, e.g. TCP related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 : Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 : relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 : in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/323 : Discarding or blocking control packets, e.g. ACK packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 : for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols

Abstract

A method and system (100) for monitoring or profiling quality of service within a network of computers. The method includes a step of providing a network of computers, each being coupled to each other to form a local area network. The network of computers has a firewall server (110) coupled to the network of computers and a traffic management tool coupled to the firewall server. The method also includes implementing traffic monitoring or profiling of incoming and outgoing information.

Claims

1. A computer system coupled to a network of computers, said computer system for monitoring and managing a plurality of flows of information, said computer system comprising:

a graphical user interface component that generates a display, said display comprising at least a first portion and a second portion, said first portion comprising a graphical chart representing said flows of information, said second portion comprising text information describing each of said flows of information;

an application programming interface (API) component coupled to said graphical user interface component; and

a traffic control and management component, coupled to said application programming interface component, that controls an amount of bandwidth allocated to said plurality of flows of information, said traffic control and management component comprising;

a first application, coupled to said API component, that classifies said plurality of flows of information into parameters and measures said parameters;

a second application, coupled to said API component, that controls said plurality of flows of information into and out of the network of computers and allocates said bandwidth allocated to said plurality of flows of information; and

a third application, coupled to said API component, that applies a traffic policy associated with one or more traffic rules in said first and second applications, and wherein the one or more traffic rules are adapted to be manually edited and/or created.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said plot of bandwidth consumption is a plot of bandwidth consumed against time.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said plot of bandwidth consumption is a plurality of plots, each of said plots representing consumed bandwidth against time.

4. The computer of claim 1 wherein each of said flows of information comprises one of a plurality of traffic classes.

5. The computer of claim 4 wherein said plurality of traffic classes comprise HTTP, FTP and SMTP.

6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said graphical chart comprises a plot of failure rates against time.

7. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said graphical chart comprises a plot of delay rates against time.

8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said display is outputted on a computer monitor.

9. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said display is a real-time display of a portion of said plurality of flows of information.

10. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said graphical chart is selected from a graph, a histogram, a bar chart, and a pie chart.

11. The computer of claim 1 wherein said graphical chart comprises a plot of bandwidth consumption.

12. A computer system connected to a network of computers, said computer system for monitoring and managing in real time a plurality of flows of information, each of said plurality of flows of information being of one of a plurality of traffic classes, said computer system comprising:

a graphical user interface component that generates a display on a monitor, said display comprising at least a first portion and a second portion, said first portion comprising a graphical chart representing said traffic classes and said second portion comprising text information describing each of said traffic classes, wherein said graphical chart comprises a bandwidth consumption plot for each of said traffic classes; and

a traffic control and management component, coupled to said graphical user interface component, said traffic control and management component comprising;

a first module that monitors said plurality of flows of information to and from said network of computers by classifying information into a first set of parameters and measuring said first set of parameters;

a second module that implements traffic control and manages bandwidth allocation by controlling said plurality of flows of information to and from said network of computers using a second set of parameters and allocating bandwidth based in part on said second set of parameters; and

a third module that applies a traffic policy associated with one or more traffic rules in said first and second modules, and wherein the one or more traffic rules are adapted to be edited and/or created.

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein said bandwidth consumption is a plot of bandwidth consumed against time.

14. The computer system of claim 12 wherein said bandwidth consumption is a plurality of plots, each of said plots representing consumed bandwidth against time for each of said traffic classes.

15. The computer system of claim 12 wherein said plurality of traffic classes comprise FTP, HTTP, and SMTP.

16. The computer system of claim 12 wherein said graphical chart further comprises a plot of failure rates against time or a plot of delay rates against time.

17. The computer system of claim 12 wherein said graphical chart is selected from a graph, a histogram, a bar chart, and a pie chart.

18. A method in a computer system for managing and monitoring a plurality of flows of information, said method comprising the steps of:

allocating bandwidth to a plurality of flows of information between one or more sources coupled to a network of computers;

measuring a data rate for each one of said flows of information, each one of said flows of information being of one of a plurality traffic classes;

applying a traffic policy associated with one or more traffic rules for said each one of said flows of information, wherein the one or more traffic rules are adapted to be edited and/or created;

categorizing each one of said flows of information into one of said plurality of traffic classes;

measuring a parameter for said each one of said flows of information associated with said one of said plurality of traffic classes;

applying a time stamp to said parameter to correlate said one of said plurality of traffic classes with a time;

determining a data rate for each one of said plurality of traffic classes;

outputting a visual representation of the data rate of at least one of said plurality of traffic classes in graphical form on a display; and

outputting a text representation of said at least one of said plurality of traffic classes on said display.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said data rate is a baud rate.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said visual representation is a real time histogram of said data rate.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said plurality of traffic classes comprise HTTP, FTP, and SMTP.

22. A computer system comprising a bandwidth profiling and management tool for monitoring and managing a plurality of flows of information between one or more sources coupled to a network of computers, each of said plurality of flows of information comprising one of a plurality of traffic classes, said bandwidth profiling and management tool being stored in computer memory, said computer memory comprising:

a first code that is directed to allocating bandwidth to said plurality of flows of information;

a second code that is directed to measuring a data rate for each one of said flows of information;

a third code that is directed to categorizing each of said plurality of flows of information into one of a plurality of traffic classes;

a fourth code that is directed to measuring a parameter for said each one of said flows of information associated with said one of said plurality of traffic classes;

a fifth code that is directed to applying a time stamp to said parameter to correlate said one of said plurality of traffic classes with a time;

a sixth code that is directed to determining a data rate for each one of said plurality of traffic classes;

a seventh code that is directed to outputting a visual representation of said data rate of at least one of said plurality of traffic classes in graphical form on a display; and

an eighth code that is directed to outputting a text representation of said at least one of said plurality of traffic classes on said display; and

a ninth code that is directed to applying a traffic policy associated with one or more traffic rules for said each one of said flows of information, and wherein the one or more traffic rules are adapted to be edited and/or created.

23. A method of operating a computer, comprising:

connecting said computer to a wide area network;

connecting said computer to a local area network, said computer serving as a firewall computer for a plurality of flows of information passing between said wide area network and said local area network;

controlling an amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows of information, said control applied by said computer based on one or more traffic rules that are adapted to be edited and/or created; and

generating a display by said computer, said display having a chart representing said flows of information passing through said computer, and representing said amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows.

24. A computer-readable medium comprising:

instructions and data written thereon said instructions and data containing information for the practice of the method of claim 23.

25. Electromagnetic signals travelling over a computer network comprising:

said electromagnetic signals carrying information for the practice of the method of claim 23.

26. A computer comprising:

a first connection to a wide area network;

a second connection to a local area network, said computer serving as a firewall computer for a plurality of flows of information passing between said wide area network and said local area network;

software executing on said computer, said software having,

a graphical user interface component that generates a display, said display having a chart representing said flows of information passing through said computer, and

a traffic control and management component that controls and applies an amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows of information, and wherein the traffic control and management component is based on one or more traffic rules that are adapted to be edited and/or created.

27. The computer of claim 26 further comprising:

said software having a component that classifies said plurality of flows of information into parameters, and measures said parameters.

28. The computer of claim 26 further comprising:

said software having a component that allocates bandwidth to said plurality of flows as they pass between said wide area network and said local area network.

29. The computer of claim 26 further comprising:

said software has a component that effectuates a traffic policy by allocating bandwidth to said plurality of flows.

30. The computer of claim 26 further comprising:

said software has an application programming interface (API) component coupled to said graphical user interface and to other components of said software.

31. The computer of claim 26 further comprising:

said graphical user interface displays text as well as said graphical chart.

32. A communication network comprising at least one node according to claim 26.

33. A computer comprising:

a first connection to a wide area network;

a second connection to a local area network, said computer serving as a firewall computer for a plurality of flows of information passing between said wide area network and said local area network;

means for controlling and applying an amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows of information, said control effectuated by said computer, and wherein the means for controlling and applying is based on one. or more traffic rules that are adapted to be edited and/or created; and

means for generating a display by said computer, said display having a chart representing said flows of information passing through said computer, and representing said amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows.

34. A computer comprising:

a first connection to a wide area network;

a second connection to a local area network, said computer serving as a firewall computer for a plurality of flows of information passing between said wide area network and said local area network;

software executing on said computer, said software having, a traffic monitoring and management component to control an amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows of information, wherein the traffic-monitoring and management component uses one or more traffic rules that are adapted to be edited and/or created.

35. The computer of claim 34 further comprising:

a graphical user interface component of said software that generates a display, said display having a chart representing said flows of information passing through said computer.

36. The computer of claim 35 further comprising:

said graphical user interface displays text as well as said graphical chart.

37. The computer of claim 34 further comprising:

said software having a component that classifies said plurality of flows of information into parameters, and measures said parameters.

38. The computer of claim 34 further comprising:

said software having a component that allocates bandwidth to said plurality of flows as they pass between said wide area network and said local area network.

39. The computer of claim 34 further comprising:

said software has a component that effectuates a traffic policy by allocating bandwidth to said plurality of flows.

40. The computer of claim 34 further comprising:

said software has an application programming interface (API) component coupled to a graphical user interface and to other components of said software.

41. A computer comprising:

a first connection to a wide area network;

a second connection to a local area network, said computer serving as a firewall computer for a plurality of flows of information passing between said wide area network and said local area network;

means for monitoring an amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows of information, said monitoring effectuated by said computer; and

means for applying a traffic policy associated with one or more traffic rules, wherein the one or more traffic rules are adapted to be edited and/or created.

42. The computer of claim 41 further comprising:

means for displaying a chart representing said flows of information passing through said computer.

43. A method of operating a computer, comprising:

connecting said computer to a wide area network;

connecting said computer to a local area network, said computer serving as a firewall computer for a plurality of flows of information passing between said wide area network and said local area network;

monitoring an amount of bandwidth allocated to said flows of information; and

applying a traffic policy associated with one or more traffic rules, wherein the one or more rules are adapted to be edited and/or created.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

monitoring said flows to control allocation of bandwidth to said flows.

45. Computer readable media having instructions written therein for the practice of the method of claim 43.

46. Electromagnetic signals propagating on a computer network, said electromagnetic signals carrying information for the practice of the method of claim 43.

47. An apparatus to control traffic flow into a first network of computers from a second network of computers, comprising:

a computer receiving traffic directed to said first network from said second network;

a first application, in response to receiving a packet from said second network for forwarding into said first network, to classify said packet as belonging to a flow, and to measure a current bandwidth used by said flow, referred to as a measured flow bandwidth;

a second application, in response to said measured flow bandwidth, to determine a difference between said measured flow bandwidth and an allocated value of bandwidth for said flow; and

a third application, in response to said difference, to manage and apply bandwidth allocation to said flow based on one or more traffic rules that are adapted to be edited and/or created.

48. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

a process to manage bandwidth of said flow in response to the type of flow.

49. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

a process to apply an admissions policy to said flow.

50. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

means for increasing allocated bandwidth if said flow has a high priority.

51. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

means for decreasing allocated bandwidth if said received packet has a low priority.

52. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

said first network is a local network and said second network is a remote network.

53. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

said first network is a remote network and said second network is a local network.

54. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

a graphical user interface for a person to monitor activity of said computer.

55. The apparatus as in claim 47, further comprising:

a graphical user interface for a person to control operation of said computer.

56. A method for controlling traffic flow into a first network of computers, comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a packet directed to said first network from said second network, said packet addressed for forwarding into said first network;

classifying, in response to receiving said packet, said packet as belonging to a flow, and to measure a current bandwidth used by said flow, referred to as a measured flow bandwidth;

a second application, in response to said measured flow bandwidth, to determine a difference between said measured flow bandwidth and an allocated value of bandwidth for said flow; and

a third application, in response to said difference, to manage and apply bandwidth allocation to said flow based on one or more traffic rules that are adapted to be edited/created.

57. The method as in claim 56, further comprising:

adjusting said bandwidth allocation so that said allocation depends upon a type of said flow.

58. The method as in claim 56, further comprising:

applying an admissions policy to incoming flows by adjustment of allocated bandwidth.

59. The method as in claim 56, further comprising:

raising allocated bandwidth if said flow has a high priority.

60. The method as in claim 56, further comprising:

reducing allocated bandwidth if said flow has a low priority.

61. The method as in claim 56, further comprising:

displaying on a graphical user interface data for monitoring operation of said computer.

62. The method as in claim 56, further comprising:

controlling operation of said computer by use of a graphical user interface.