System and method for testing the load of at least one IP supported device

• US 6,853,943 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2000
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterNetwork AG
• Original Assignee: InterNetwork AG
• Inventors: Schellhaas, Uwe, Neumann, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, FELIX E
• Application Number:
  US10/049,867
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 702/79, 702/109, 702/120, 702/122, 702/187, 702/188, 702/119, 345/764, 345/700, 370/463, 700/235, 709/219, 709/224
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A system and a method for testing at least one device in a communications network based on an IP-standard (internet protocol standard), in the loaded state and/or for a plurality of users. The system and method may test the load state of the IP-based networks in a semi-automated fashion. Such a system and method may include at least one programmable control device having an assigned memory device, in which a plurality of session scripts is able to be stored, which each contain a predefined test procedure, and at least one session computer connected to the control device and has a plurality of mutually independent connection interfaces for executing at least one session script. Via each connection interface, an independent IP connection to the communications network may be established. In addition, each connection interface may have assigned to it a script-processing device, which, in dependence upon a session script assigned by the control device, is able to establish an IP connection to the device to be tested and initiate the test procedure.

Claims

1. A system for testing a load state of at least one device in the case of a load by a plurality of users, the device being connected to a communications network based on an IP standard, the system comprising:

a control device having an assigned memory device storing a plurality of session scripts each session script containing an initialization procedure, a predefined test procedure, and a termination procedure; and

at least one session computer connected to the control device and comprising;

a plurality of mutually independent connection interfaces; and

a plurality of script-processing devices being able to simultaneously establish mutually independent connections via the connection interfaces, to a device to be tested, wherein each script-processing device executes at least one session script received from the control device through each of the mutually independent connection interfaces to simulate a load of a plurality of users on the device to be tested, wherein the at least one session computer logs messages generated by the execution of the at least one session script to evaluate a load state of the device to be tested.

2. The system of claim 1, each session computer having a session-management device which supplies each selected script-processing device with the at least one session script.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each connection interface of a session computer has an analog or digital modem assigned thereto.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each connection interface of a session computer is part of an interface card and is connected to a concentrator, or each connection interface has an analog or digital modem assigned thereto.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of session computers are linked via a backbone network to the control device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each session computer includes a memory for storing status data of each device to be tested and results and preset status messages of each test procedure.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein assigned to the control device are a display device for displaying the status data on each device to be tested, stored in each session computer, and the results and status messages of each initiated test procedure, an analysis device, as well as a keyboard.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network based on an IP standard is the Internet or an Intranet, and the devices to be tested are access routers and/or servers.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each session script includes one or more of a user ID, a user password, at least one service based on the IP standard, defined time sequences, repetition rates, and the destination address of the device to be tested.

10. A method for testing a load state of at least one device in the case of a load by a plurality of users, the device being connected to a communications network based on an IP standard, the method comprising:

writing a plurality of session scripts, which each include an initialization procedure, a predefined test procedure based on an IP standard, and a termination procedure;

storing the plurality of session scripts in a control device;

selecting at the control device a plurality of mutually independent connection interfaces of at least one session computer;

assigning each of the mutually independent connection interfaces to a script-processing device;

loading appropriate session scripts by the control device into each script-processing device assigned to the selected connection interfaces;

executing the loaded session scripts through the mutually independent connection interfaces such that the selected connection interfaces simultaneously initialize a plurality of independent IP connections to a device to be tested to simulate a load state of a plurality of users on the device to be tested;

logging messages generated by the execution of the loaded session scripts to evaluate the load state on the device to be tested.