Detection of load balanced links in internet protocol netwoks
First Claim
1. A method for identifying per-packet load balancing, comprising:
- (a) providing a baseline network topology;
(b) selecting, from the baseline network topology, first and second addresses associated with first and second routers, respectively, wherein the first router has an associated first hop count relative to a selected node and the second router an associated second hop count relative to the selected node and wherein the first hop count is less than the second hop count;
(c) transmitting a plurality of test packets from a common source address to a common selected destination address, each of the test packets having a time to live equal to or greater than the first hop count;
(d) receiving a plurality of responses associated with the test packets; and
(e) applying the following rules;
(E1) when all of the responses are from a common router, concluding that per-packet load balancing is not in effect; and
(E2) when the responses are from different routers, concluding that per-packet load balancing is in effect.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided that includes a memory 204 comprising a baseline topology 216; and a processor 208 that selects, from the baseline topology 216, first and second addresses associated with first and second routers 224 and 228, respectively, wherein the first router 224 has an associated first hop count relative to a selected node 200 and the second router 228 an associated higher second hop count relative to the selected node 200, transmit test packets having a time to live equal to or greater than the first hop count, receive responses associated with the test packets, and determine, based on the response, whether load balancing is in effect at the first router 224.
89 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for identifying per-packet load balancing, comprising:
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(a) providing a baseline network topology; (b) selecting, from the baseline network topology, first and second addresses associated with first and second routers, respectively, wherein the first router has an associated first hop count relative to a selected node and the second router an associated second hop count relative to the selected node and wherein the first hop count is less than the second hop count; (c) transmitting a plurality of test packets from a common source address to a common selected destination address, each of the test packets having a time to live equal to or greater than the first hop count; (d) receiving a plurality of responses associated with the test packets; and (e) applying the following rules; (E1) when all of the responses are from a common router, concluding that per-packet load balancing is not in effect; and (E2) when the responses are from different routers, concluding that per-packet load balancing is in effect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for identifying per-packet load balancing, comprising:
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(a) providing a baseline network topology; (b) selecting, from the baseline network topology, first and second addresses associated with first and second routers, respectively, wherein the first router has an associated first hop count relative to a selected node and the second router an associated second hop count relative to the selected node and wherein the first hop count is less than the second hop count; (c) transmitting a plurality of test packets from a common source address to a plurality of differing destination addresses, each of the test packets having a time to live equal to or greater than the first hop count; (d) receiving a plurality of responses associated with the test packets; and (e) applying the following rules; (E1) when all of the responses are from a common router, concluding that at least one of per-destination and per-source/destination load balancing is not in effect; and (E2) when the responses are from different routers, concluding that at least one of per-destination and per-source/destination load balancing is in effect. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for detecting load balancing in a distributed processing network, comprising:
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(a) a memory comprising a baseline network topology; and (b) a processor operable to; (i) select, from the baseline network topology, first and second addresses associated with first and second routers, respectively, wherein the first router has an associated first hop count relative to a selected node and the second router an associated second hop count relative to the selected node and wherein the first hop count is less than the second hop count; (ii) transmit first and second sets of test packets, the test packets having a time to live equal to or greater than the first hop count, wherein the first set of test packets are from a common source address to a common selected destination address and the second set of test packets are from a common source address to a plurality of differing destination addresses; (iii) receive responses to the first and second sets of test packets; and (iv) apply the following rules; (A) when all of the responses to the first set of test packets are from a common router, concluding that no per-packet load balancing is in effect; (B) when the responses to the first set of test packets are from a different routers, concluding that per-packet load balancing is in effect; (C) when all of the responses to the second set of test packets are from a common router, concluding that at least one of per-destination and per-source/destination load balancing load balancing is not in effect; (B) when the responses to the second set of test packets are from different routers, concluding that at least one of per-destination and per-source/destination load balancing is in effect. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method, comprising:
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(a) providing a set of device addresses associated with a plurality of routers, the plurality of routers being interposed between a testing node and a selected network object; (b) selecting, from the set of device addresses, a first device address, wherein the first device address is a first hop count from the testing node and a second device address, in the set of device addresses, is a second hop count from the testing node and wherein the first hop count is less than the second hop count; (c) transmitting a first set of test packets to at least one of (i) the first device address and (ii) one or more selected destination addresses, each member of the first set of test packets having a Time To Live (“
TTL”
) equal to or greater than the first hop count, wherein the test device on the one hand and the one or more selected destination addresses on the other are located logically on either side of the first device address;(d) transmitting a second set of test packets to multiple destination addresses, each member of the second set of test packets having a TTL equal to or greater than the first hop count, wherein the test device on the one hand and each of the multiple destination addresses on the other are located logically on either side of the first device address; (e) receiving a plurality of responses to the first and second sets of test packets; (f) applying the following rules; (F1) when all of the responses to the first set of test packets are from a router associated with the selected device address, concluding that per-packet load balancing is not in effect; (F2) when one or more of the responses to the first set of test packets are from a router other than the router associated with the selected device address, concluding that per-packet load balancing is in effect; (F3) when all of the responses to the second set of test packets are from the router associated with the selected device address, concluding that at least one of per-destination and per-source/destination load balancing is not in effect; (F4) when one or more of the responses to the second set of test packets are from a router other than the router associated with the selected device address, concluding that at least one of per-destination and per-source/destination load balancing is in effect; and (g) updating a network topology to reflect the results of steps (e) and (f). - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification