Monitoring communications networks
First Claim
1. A method for the monitoring of selected data among other data passing through label switched paths of a communications network, the network comprising a plurality of label switching routers, each router having a plurality of interfaces connected to other routers by means of physical links, each router to forwards incoming data packets toward respective destinations in the network by reference to labels received with said data packets, the method comprising the following steps:
- designating at least one of the routers as a monitoring station;
designating at least one of the routers as a probe interface station, and designating as a probe interface an output interface of said router;
connecting a probe apparatus to receive data from the probe interface;
configuring the designated monitoring station by means of a multicast function within the router to forward the selected data additionally to the probe interface; and
operating said probe apparatus so as to monitor the selected data as it is received from said probe interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Selected data (LSP1, LSP2) is monitored among other data passing through label switched paths (LSPs) of a communications network of interconnected label switching routers (LSR–LSR4). The method comprises designating at least one of the routers (LSR3) as a monitoring station and at least one of the routers (here LSR3 also) as a probe interface station, and connecting a probe apparatus to that interface station. The monitoring station (LSR3) is configured to multicast forward the selected data for monitoring additionally to the probe apparatus via the probe interface (506). Also disclosed is a probe apparatus including means for configuring the router to perform multicast forwarding of selected data to the interface.
27 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for the monitoring of selected data among other data passing through label switched paths of a communications network, the network comprising a plurality of label switching routers, each router having a plurality of interfaces connected to other routers by means of physical links, each router to forwards incoming data packets toward respective destinations in the network by reference to labels received with said data packets, the method comprising the following steps:
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designating at least one of the routers as a monitoring station; designating at least one of the routers as a probe interface station, and designating as a probe interface an output interface of said router; connecting a probe apparatus to receive data from the probe interface; configuring the designated monitoring station by means of a multicast function within the router to forward the selected data additionally to the probe interface; and operating said probe apparatus so as to monitor the selected data as it is received from said probe interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification