Traffic distribution generator

• US 6,823,051 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2001
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baker, Jay Allen, Thomas, Charles David
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/832,418
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/112.03, 379/112.04, 379/112.05, 379/112.1, 379/133, 379/134, 379/137, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.08, 379/265.1, 379/266.01, 379/266.08, 379/269, 379/29.02, 379/1.01, 379/10.02, 379/10.03, 379/26.01
• US Class Current: 379/112.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/362 Traffic simulation

Abstract

A method for generating and distributing telephonic traffic. The method includes receiving a call profile from a user interface, generating a traffic distribution from the call profile. The method then creates a traffic profile from the traffic distributions and receives at least one call hold time from a user interface, and then transmits the traffic profile and the at least one call hold time to a call generator. Also included is a traffic distribution generator. The traffic distribution generator includes a traffic graphical user interface, user input controls on the traffic graphical user interface and a processor to generate traffic distributions and the distribution and create a traffic profile from the distributions, and a port operable to transmit the traffic profile to a bulk call generator.

Claims

1. A method for generating and distributing telephonic traffic, the method comprising:

receiving a call profile from a user test interface, wherein the call profile identifies a number of calls per time period for each of a series of points within a duration of time;

generating simulated traffic statistical distributions for intervals between the points;

creating a simulated traffic profile from the traffic distributions;

receiving at least one call hold time from a user interface; and

transmitting the simulated traffic profile file and the at least one call hold time to a call generator to test multiple network devices across a network in a state, wherein the state is one of either prior to network implementation or after network failure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulated traffic distributions are linear distributions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulated traffic distributions are linear Poisson distributions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a call spread from a call spread user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the call spread is bursty.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the call spread is steady.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the call spread is random.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one call hold time further comprises a hold time interval with a uniform distribution.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one call hold time further comprises a hold time minimum and a hold time maximum with a normal distribution.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of calls per time period further comprises the number of calls per second.

11. A traffic distribution generator, comprising:

a traffic test graphical user interface for use during network testing of multiple network devices across the network in a state, wherein the state is either prior to network implementation or after network failure;

user input controls on the traffic test graphical user interface operable to allow the user to select a number of calls per time period for a predetermined number of points in time and to select a distribution;

a processor operable to generate simulated traffic statistical distributions based upon the number of calls for each of the predetermined number of points in time and the distribution and create a simulated traffic profile from the distributions; and

a port operable to transmit the simulated traffic profile to a bulk call generator.

12. The traffic distribution generator of claim 11, wherein the traffic distribution generator and the bulk call generator are located on the same network device.

13. The traffic distribution generator of claim 11, wherein the traffic distribution generator and the bull call generator are located on different network devices.

14. The traffic distribution generator of claim 11, wherein the number of calls per time period is substantially equal to a number of calls per second.

15. The traffic distribution generator of claim 11, wherein the distribution is one of the group comprised of:

a normal distribution, and linear Poisson distribution.

16. The traffic distribution generator of claim 11, wherein the generator further comprises:

a hold time graphical user interface; and

user input controls on the hold time graphical user interface operable to allow the user to designate at least one call hold time and a hold time statistical distribution, wherein the at least one call hold time and the hold time distribution are transmitted through the port with the simulated traffic distribution to be used to test a network during a state, wherein the state is one of either prior to network implementation or after network failure.

17. The traffic distribution generator of claim 12, wherein the at least one call hold time further comprises one call hold time and the hold time distribution is uniform.

18. The traffic distribution generator of claim 12, wherein the at least one call hold time further comprises a minimum call hold time and a maximum call hold time and the call hold time distribution is normal.

19. A computer-readable medium containing software code that, when executed, results in:

reception of a call profile from a user test interface, wherein the call profile identifies a number of calls per time period for each of a series of points within a duration of time;

generation of simulated statistical traffic distributions for intervals between the points;

reception of at least one call hold time from a user interface; and

transmission of the simulated traffic distributions and the at least one call hold time to a call generator to test multiple network devices across a network in a state, wherein the state is one of either prior to network implementation or after network failure.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the software code, when executed, generates linear simulated traffic distributions.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the software code, when executed, generates linear simulated Poisson traffic distributions.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the at least one call hold time parameter further comprises a call hold time interval distributed uniformly.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the at least one call hold time parameter further comprises a call hold time minimum time, a call hold time maximum time, to be distributed according to a normal distribution.

24. A traffic distribution generator, comprising:

means for presenting a traffic test graphical user interface;

means for receiving user inputs from the traffic test graphical user interface operable to allow the user to select a number of calls per time period for a predetermined number points in time and to select a distribution;

means for generating a simulated traffic statistical distribution based upon the number of calls for each of the predetermined number of time periods and the distribution; and

means for transmitting the simulated traffic profile to a network device to test multiple network devices across a network in a state, wherein the state is one of either prior to network implementation or after network failure.

25. The traffic distribution generator of claim 24, wherein the generator further comprises:

means for generating a hold time graphical user interface; and

means for receiving user inputs on the hold time graphical user interface operable to allow the user to designate at least one call hold time and a hold time statistical distribution, wherein the at least one call hold time and the hold time distribution are transmitted through the port with the traffic profile.