Packet network monitoring device
First Claim
1. A network analysis device for a digital data computer network, comprising:
- a digitizer which digitally samples analog characteristics of digital communication events between network devices connected to the network independently of packet contents associated with any of the digital communication events, the analog characteristics including a component of at least one of voltage and frequency, the samples taken at least at one of a rate and a resolution greater than is required to minimally detect digital transitions, wherein the samples are taken at a sampling frequency of at least approximately 500 megahertz;
a system processor which downloads data of the sampled signal events from the digitizer, which analyzes the analog characteristics, and which decodes the signal events, which are digital communications between the devices, based on the data, and wherein the system processor classifies the signal events as digital communications, noise, interference and/or crosstalk, wherein the system processor classifies the signal events as digital communications, noise, interference and/or crosstalk to selectively predict a failure mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network diagnostic device is disclosed that digitally samples the voltages on the cabling of the network, but does so at a much higher rate and with greater resolution then is required to minimally detect digital transmissions on the cabling. This sampling provides information on the analog characteristics of digital, noise, and interference signals on the network. Thus, network problems can be precisely diagnosed. The device includes a fast digitizer with a long memory and a system processor that statistically analyzes the signal events captured by the digitizer. The invention is also capable of performing time domain reflectometry (TDR) analysis of a functioning network. This is accomplished by placing a TDR signal on the network surrounded by a transmission that the network devices will interpret as a broadcast diagnostic packet. This will cause the network nodes to ignore the transmission. The digitizer, however, is able to detect the networks response to the TDR signal. Methods for identifying unknown network sources and Manchester decoding are also disclosed.
45 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A network analysis device for a digital data computer network, comprising:
- a digitizer which digitally samples analog characteristics of digital communication events between network devices connected to the network independently of packet contents associated with any of the digital communication events, the analog characteristics including a component of at least one of voltage and frequency, the samples taken at least at one of a rate and a resolution greater than is required to minimally detect digital transitions, wherein the samples are taken at a sampling frequency of at least approximately 500 megahertz;
a system processor which downloads data of the sampled signal events from the digitizer, which analyzes the analog characteristics, and which decodes the signal events, which are digital communications between the devices, based on the data, and wherein the system processor classifies the signal events as digital communications, noise, interference and/or crosstalk, wherein the system processor classifies the signal events as digital communications, noise, interference and/or crosstalk to selectively predict a failure mode. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a digitizer which digitally samples analog characteristics of digital communication events between network devices connected to the network independently of packet contents associated with any of the digital communication events, the analog characteristics including a component of at least one of voltage and frequency, the samples taken at least at one of a rate and a resolution greater than is required to minimally detect digital transitions, wherein the samples are taken at a sampling frequency of at least approximately 500 megahertz;
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2. A method for monitoring the operation of a computer network, comprising:
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digitally sampling analog characteristics of signal events on the network with a digitizer independently of packet contents associated with any of the signal events, the analog characteristics including a component of at least one of voltage and frequency, the sampling taking place at least at one of a rate and a resolution greater than is required to minimally detect digital transitions, wherein the samples are taken at a sampling frequency of at least approximately 500 megahertz; downloading data arrays of the signal events to a system processor; analyzing the data arrays in the system processor to identify the signal events; determining analog characteristics of the signal events; and decoding the signal events, which are digital communications between network devices, based on the data, to selectively predict a failure mode. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification