System, analyzer, and method for synchronizing a distributed system
First Claim
1. A method for synchronizing a distributed system, the distributed system having synchronized analyzers, and data streams, the distributed system supporting multicast communications, the method comprising:
- selected synchronized analyzers receiving from a control unit within the distributed system under analysis multicast information and communication packets over a network connection of the distributed system, each selected synchronized analyzer having processing resources including a synchronization decoder circuit, and one or more packet capture, analysis and generation circuits, the multicast information including synchronization information, control information, or both, and destination data corresponding to addresses of the selected synchronized analyzers;
each of the synchronization decoder circuits decoding the multicast information;
responsive to the multicast information, each of the synchronization decoder circuits generating local signals;
each of the synchronization decoder circuits transferring the local signals to the one or more selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits;
responsive to the local signals, using each of the selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits to simultaneously analyze at least a portion of the data streams received over the network connection for which the multicast information was received;
based on the analysis of the data streams, generating analysis data; and
sending the analysis data to the control unit over the network connection used to send the multicast information, the analysis data corresponding to the analysis of the data streams for the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for synchronizing a distributed system is provided. The distributed system includes distributed analyzers. Each analyzer has a synchronization decoder circuit, a medium access controller, and a central processing unit. The distributed system synchronization method comprises receiving multicast information, generating local synchronization signals, receiving control data packets, and beginning processing of monitored data packets. The synchronization decoder circuit receives the multicast information, decodes the multicast information, and responsive to the multicast information, generates local synchronization signals. The decoder synchronization circuit of a first analyzer completes the decoding and the generating in a first time. The first time is adapted to enable the central processing unit of the first analyzer to start and end processing of monitored data packets at a first start time and a first end time. The first start time differs from a start time corresponding to any other analyzer by less than a maximum synchronization time. The first end time differs from an end time corresponding to any other analyzer by less than a maximum synchronization time. The maximum synchronization time comprises a parameter related to a smallest useful packet size and a network speed. The medium access controller receives control data packets. Each control data packet corresponds to a data stream. The monitored data packets are transmitted in a data stream selected for monitoring. Responsive to the local synchronization signals and the control data packets, the central processing unit for each analyzer processes monitored data packets.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for synchronizing a distributed system, the distributed system having synchronized analyzers, and data streams, the distributed system supporting multicast communications, the method comprising:
selected synchronized analyzers receiving from a control unit within the distributed system under analysis multicast information and communication packets over a network connection of the distributed system, each selected synchronized analyzer having processing resources including a synchronization decoder circuit, and one or more packet capture, analysis and generation circuits, the multicast information including synchronization information, control information, or both, and destination data corresponding to addresses of the selected synchronized analyzers; each of the synchronization decoder circuits decoding the multicast information; responsive to the multicast information, each of the synchronization decoder circuits generating local signals; each of the synchronization decoder circuits transferring the local signals to the one or more selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits; responsive to the local signals, using each of the selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits to simultaneously analyze at least a portion of the data streams received over the network connection for which the multicast information was received; based on the analysis of the data streams, generating analysis data; and sending the analysis data to the control unit over the network connection used to send the multicast information, the analysis data corresponding to the analysis of the data streams for the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A synchronized analyzer for synchronizing a distributed system comprising:
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a control unit having processing resources adapted to; send multicast information and communication packets over a network connection of the distributed system to be analyzed; a synchronization decoder circuit having processing resources adapted to; receive and decode the multicast information received over the network connection of the distributed system to be analyzed; responsive to the multicast information, generate local signals; and one or more packet capture, analysis and generation circuits having processing resources adapted to; receive the local signals at signal receipt times; and responsive to local signals addressed to one or more selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits; capture portions of monitored data packets received over the network connection at monitored data receipt times, the monitored data packets transmitted in monitored data streams, the monitored data streams disposed in the distribution system and selected for analysis; simultaneously process and analyze portions of the monitored data packets with other packet capture, analysis and generation circuits that receive the multicast information over the network connections; based on the analysis of the portions of the monitored data packets, generate analysis data; and send the analysis data to the control unit over the network connection used to send the multicast information, the analysis data corresponding to the analysis of the portions of the monitored data packets. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for synchronizing a distributed system, comprising:
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data streams comprising transmitted data packets; a control unit having processing resources adapted to generate and transmit multicast information over a network connection of the distributed system under analysis, the multicast information including synchronization information, control information, or both; synchronized analyzers including; synchronization decoder circuits having processing resources adapted to;
receive and decode the multicast information;responsive to the multicast information, generate local signals; and
one or more packet capture, analysis and generation circuits having processing resources adapted to;receive the local signals at signal receipt times; and
responsive to local signals addressed to one or more selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits;capture from the network connection portions of monitored data packets from data streams selected for analysis at monitored data receipt times, and label portions of the received monitored data packets with time-stamps to form time-stamped portions, the time-stamps corresponding to the monitored data receipt times; process the portions of the monitored data packets, the processing of the portions of the monitored data packets adapted to analyze and manage the distributed system; a first network link connecting the control unit to the synchronized analyzers and the synchronized analyzers to each other, the control unit processing resources transmit the multicast information over the network connection to the synchronized analyzers through the first network link; and the analyzing including;
generate analysis data;
store segments of the time-stamped portions and corresponding analysis data in a memory; andtransmit analysis information corresponding to the analysis data to the control unit. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for synchronizing a distributed system, the distributed system having synchronized analyzers, and data streams, the distributed system supporting multicast communications, the method comprising:
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selected synchronized analyzers receiving the multicast information and communication packets, each selected synchronized analyzer having processing resources including a synchronization decoder circuit, and one or more packet capture, analysis and generation circuits, the multicast information including synchronization packets, control packets and destination data corresponding to addresses of the selected synchronized analyzers, and the multicast information received from a control unit via a network link common to each selected synchronized analyzer and within the distributed system to be analyzed; the synchronization decoder circuit decoding the multicast information; responsive to the multicast information, the synchronization decoder circuit generating local signals, the local signals include synchronization signals and control signals; and the synchronization decoder circuit transferring the local signals to the one or more selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits; responsive to the local signals, using the one or more selected packet capture, analysis and generation circuits to analyze the data streams; and sending to the control unit analyze data over the network link common to each selected synchronized analyzer. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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Specification