Method and apparatus for network problem segment isolation

• US 6,691,167 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Acterna LLC (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Meyer, Gary A., Procopio, Peter J., Cookmeyer, Eugene N., Julien, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US10/058,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 709/224, 709/238, 709/235, 709/239
• US Class Current: 709/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1275 Methods and means to improve the telephone service quality, e.g. reservation, prioritisation or admission control

Abstract

Method and Apparatus for Network Problem Segment Isolation. The present invention provides a method for characterizing network segment quality for a segment transmitting messages from a first endpoint to a second endpoint on a network. The method includes the step of receiving messages transmitted between the first and second endpoints. The messages include a first set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first to second endpoint for both the first and second segments and a second set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first endpoint to the juncture. Furthermore, the method includes subtracting the second set of quality metrics from the corresponding quality metrics of the first set of quality metrics to calculate a third set of quality metrics representing the quality metrics of the second segment. Additionally, the method includes comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities.

Claims

1. A method for characterizing network segment quality for a segment transmitting messages from a first endpoint to a second endpoint on a network, the network having first and second segments connected to the first and second endpoints respectively and to each other at a juncture, the method comprising:

receiving messages transmitted between the first and second endpoints at the juncture, the messages including a first set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first to second endpoint for both the first and second segments and including a second set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first endpoint to the juncture;

subtracting the second set of quality metrics from the corresponding quality metrics of the first set of quality metrics to calculate a third set of quality metrics representing the quality metrics of the second segment; and

comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the second segment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the second set of quality metrics to a second set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the first segment.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising comparing the first set of quality metrics to a third set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the message transmission from the first endpoint to second endpoint.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is associated with a threshold for determining whether call quality is the highest segment quality of the third set of segment qualities.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities further includes:

determining whether the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is the highest segment quality from among the third set of segment qualities; and

if the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is the high segment quality, indicating to a user there is no problem with the second segment.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds for the first segment; and

if the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds, indicating to a user there is no problem with the first segment.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds for the first segment; and

if the second set of quality metrics are not each below associated thresholds, indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is determinable; and

if the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is not determinable, indicating to a user the network segment quality for the second segment is undeterminable.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the third set of quality metrics further includes:

determining whether at least one quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is above an associated threshold;

if the at least one quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is above the associated threshold, determining whether at least one quality metric of the third set of quality metrics is below a associated threshold for the second segment; and

if the at least one quality metric is not below the associated threshold for the second segment, indicating to a user there is a problem with the second segment.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

if the at least one quality metric is not below the associated threshold for the second segment, determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment; and

if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment, indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

if the at least one quality metric is below the associated threshold for the second segment, determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment; and

if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is not below the associated threshold for the first segment, indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment and second segment.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

if the at least one quality metric is below the associated threshold for the second segment, determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment; and

if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below the associated threshold for the first segment, indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric; and

if any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric, indicating to a user there is a problem with both the first and second segments.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

if any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric, determining for at least one quality metric whether the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment; and

if the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment, indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

if the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is not less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment, indicating to a user there is a problem with the second segment.

16. A computer program product for enabling a computer system to characterize network segment quality for a segment transmitting messages from a first endpoint to a second endpoint on a network, the network having first and second segments connected to the first and second endpoints respectively and to each other at a juncture, the computer program product including a computer program comprising:

instructions for receiving messages transmitted between the first and second endpoints at the juncture, the messages including a first set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first to second endpoint for both the first and second segments and including a second set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first endpoint to the juncture;

instructions for subtracting the second set of quality metrics from the corresponding quality metrics of the first set of quality metrics to calculate a third set of quality metrics representing the quality metrics of the second segment; and

instructions for comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the second segment.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising instruction for comparing the second set of quality metrics to a second set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the first segment.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising instructions for comparing the first set of quality metrics to a third set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the message transmission from the first endpoint to second endpoint.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein each quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is associated with a threshold for determining whether call quality is the highest segment quality of the third set of segment qualities.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the instructions for comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities further includes:

instructions for determining whether the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is the highest segment quality from among the third set of segment qualities; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is no problem with the second segment, if the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is the high segment quality.

21. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds for the first segment; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is no problem with the first segment, if the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds.

22. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds for the first segment; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the second set of quality metrics are not each below associated thresholds.

23. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is determinable; and

instructions for indicating to a user the network segment quality for the second segment is undeterminable, if the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is not determinable.

24. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the instructions for comparing the third set of quality metrics further includes:

instructions for determining whether at least one quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is above an associated threshold;

instructions for determining whether at least one quality metric of the third set of quality metrics is below a associated threshold for the second segment, if the at least one quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is above the associated threshold; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with the second segment, if the at least one quality metric is not below the associated threshold for the second segment.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment, if the at least one quality metric is not below the associated threshold for the second segment; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment.

26. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment, if the at least one quality metric is below the associated threshold for the second segment; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment and second segment, if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is not below the associated threshold for the first segment.

27. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment, if the at least one quality metric is below the associated threshold for the second segment; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below the associated threshold for the first segment.

28. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with both the first and second segments, if any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising:

instructions for determining for at least one quality metric whether the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment, if any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric; and

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 further comprising:

instructions for indicating to a user there is a problem with the second segment, if the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is not less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment.

31. Apparatus for characterizing network segment quality for a segment transmitting messages from a first endpoint to a second endpoint on a network, the network having first and second segments connected to the first and second endpoints respectively and to each other at a juncture, the apparatus comprising

means for receiving messages transmitted between the first and second endpoints at the juncture, the messages including a first set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first to second endpoint for both the first and second segments and including a second set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first endpoint to the juncture;

means for subtracting the second set of quality metrics from the corresponding quality metrics of the first set of quality metrics to calculate a third set of quality metrics representing the quality metrics of the second segment; and

means for comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the second segment.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for comparing the second set of quality metrics to a second set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the first segment.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising means for comparing the first set of quality metrics to a third set of segment qualities to characterize the quality of the message transmission from the first endpoint to second endpoint.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein each quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is associated with a threshold for determining whether call quality is the highest segment quality of the third set of segment qualities.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the means for comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities further includes:

means for determining whether the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is the highest segment quality from among the third set of segment qualities; and

means for indicating to a user there is no problem with the second segment, if the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is the high segment quality.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

means for determining whether the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds for the first segment; and

means for indicating to a user there is no problem with the first segment, if the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds.

37. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

means for determining whether the second set of quality metrics are each below associated thresholds for the first segment; and

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the second set of quality metrics are not each below associated thresholds.

38. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

means for determining whether the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is determinable; and

means for indicating to a user the network segment quality for the second segment is undeterminable, if the quality of message transmission from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is not determinable.

39. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for comparing the third set of quality metrics further includes:

means for determining whether at least one quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is above an associated threshold;

means for determining whether at least one quality metric of the third set of quality metrics is below a associated threshold for the second segment, if the at least one quality metric of the first set of quality metrics is above the associated threshold; and

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with the second segment, if the at least one quality metric is not below the associated threshold for the second segment.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising:

means for determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment, if the at least one quality metric is not below the associated threshold for the second segment; and

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising:

means for determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment, if the at least one quality metric is below the associated threshold for the second segment; and

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment and second segment, if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is not below the associated threshold for the first segment.

42. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising:

means for determining whether at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below an associated threshold for the first segment, if the at least one quality metric is below the associated threshold for the second segment; and

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the at least one quality metric of the second set of quality metrics is below the associated threshold for the first segment.

43. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

means for determining whether any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric; and

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with both the first and second segments, if any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 further comprising:

means for determining for at least one quality metric whether the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment, if any of the quality metrics for both the first and second segments are below an associated threshold for each quality metric; and

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with the first segment, if the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 further comprising:

means for indicating to a user there is a problem with the second segment, if the quality metric corresponding to the first segment is not less than the quality metric corresponding to the second segment.