System and methods for detecting network failure
First Claim
1. A method of identifying network failure comprising:
- periodically transmitting diagnostic messages to a plurality of predetermined routing points along a path to a destination;
transmitting, if the diagnostic messages indicate a problem with intermediate nodes along the path, a series of path verification messages, each of the path verification messages including a command operable to direct an intermediate node to transmit a further message to a successive intermediate node in the path, receive the result from the further message, and report the result as a command response, the result indicative of reachability of the successive intermediate node;
repeating the transmission of path verification messages to successive nodes along the path to the node indicating the problem;
analyzing the received command responses from the successive path verification messages to identify problems; and
determining an alternate route based on the analyzing to bypass the intermediate node identified as a source of the indicated problem.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A path verification protocol (PVP) which enumerates a series of messages sent to a set of nodes, or routers, along a suspected path identifies forwarding plane problems for effecting changes at the control plane level. The messages include a command requesting interrogation of a further remote node for obtaining information about the path between the node receiving the PVP message and the further remote node. The node receiving the PVP message replies with a command response indicative of the outcome of attempts to reach the further remote node. The series of messages collectively covers a set of important routing points along a path from the originator to the recipient. The aggregate command responses to the series of PVP messages is analyzed to identify not only whether the entire path is operational, but also the location and nature of the problem.
61 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A method of identifying network failure comprising:
-
periodically transmitting diagnostic messages to a plurality of predetermined routing points along a path to a destination; transmitting, if the diagnostic messages indicate a problem with intermediate nodes along the path, a series of path verification messages, each of the path verification messages including a command operable to direct an intermediate node to transmit a further message to a successive intermediate node in the path, receive the result from the further message, and report the result as a command response, the result indicative of reachability of the successive intermediate node; repeating the transmission of path verification messages to successive nodes along the path to the node indicating the problem; analyzing the received command responses from the successive path verification messages to identify problems; and determining an alternate route based on the analyzing to bypass the intermediate node identified as a source of the indicated problem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method of identifying network failure comprising:
-
periodically transmitting diagnostic messages to a plurality of predetermined routing points along a path to a destination; transmitting, if the diagnostic messages indicate a problem with intermediate nodes along the path, a series of path verification messages, each of the path verification messages including a command operable to direct an intermediate node to transmit a further message to a successive intermediate node in the path, receive the result from the further message, and report the result as a command response, the result indicative of reachability of the successive intermediate node; repeating the transmission of path verification messages to successive nodes along the path to the node indicating the problem; analyzing the received command responses from the successive path verification messages to identify problems; determining an alternate route based on the analyzing to bypass the intermediate node identified as a source of the indicated problem; wherein transmitting further comprises; transmitting a plurality of path verification messages to a plurality of predetermined network points according to a diagnostic protocol; receiving command responses corresponding to the transmitted path verification messages, the command responses including a test result according to the diagnostic protocol; and tracking the command responses received from each of the plurality of path verification messages transmitted along a path from a source to a destination. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of identifying network failure comprising:
-
periodically transmitting diagnostic messages to a plurality of predetermined routing points along a path to a destination; transmitting, if the diagnostic messages indicate a problem with intermediate nodes along the path, a series of path verification messages, each of the path verification messages including a command operable to direct an intermediate node to transmit a further message to a successive intermediate node in the path, receive the result from the further message, and report the result as a command response, the result indicative of reachability of the successive intermediate node; repeating the transmission of path verification messages to successive nodes along the path to the node indicating the problem; analyzing the received command responses from the successive path verification messages to identify problems, wherein analyzing further comprises identifying a forwarding plane error indicative of inability of message propagation along a purported optimal path, and determining an alternate route based on the analyzing to bypass the intermediate node identified as a source of the indicated problem, wherein determining comprises changing a control plane routing decision corresponding to the purported operational path. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. A method for locating network failures comprising:
-
transmitting a plurality of path verification messages to a plurality of predetermined network points according to a diagnostic protocol; receiving command responses corresponding to the transmitted path verification messages, the responses including a test result according to the diagnostic protocol; tracking the command responses received from each of the plurality of path verification messages transmitted along a path from a source to a destination; and concluding, based on the receipt of responses from the predetermined network points, alternate routing paths for message traffic in the network. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A method for locating a deficient network interconnection comprising:
-
identifying a path from a data communication device to a remote network destination, the path further including a plurality of segments, each segment delimited by a hop; identifying the failure point comprising identifying a segment order defined by a path to the destination; iteratively transmitting a probe to each successive hop along the ordered path; concluding, if a probe response returns with respect to a particular hop, that the path is unobstructed up to the hop corresponding to the returned probe; concluding, if the probe response is not received for a particular probe, that an obstruction exists between the hop corresponding to the particular probe and previous hop; identifying, based on the hop corresponding to the concluded obstruction, an alternate path; and determining, based on the identified alternate path, whether to direct message traffic to the identified alternate path.
-
-
19. A method for network failure location identification comprising:
-
enumerating a set of significant routes, the significant routes carrying a substantial traffic load over a critical path; identifying active routes from the significant routes based on recently carried traffic; determining, for each of the identified active routes, whether an unobstructed network path exists; applying, for each active route determined to have an obstruction, a path verification to identify a path segment corresponding to a point of obstruction, the path verification process further comprising; pinging each of a plurality of intermediate hops; identifying hops for which the ping response is deficient; repinging, if the ping response was deficient, the hop after waiting for a convergence threshold delay; concluding, if the response to the repining is received, a core network failure which has been rerouted around; and determining if the repinging response is not received, a failure at a point between the repinged hop and the previous hop.
-
-
20. A data communications device for identifying network failure comprising:
-
a memory operable to store instructions and data; an execution unit coupled to the memory, the execution unit in communication with the data and responsive to the instructions; a network interface coupled to other data communications devices; a path verification processor in the execution unit operable to periodically transmit diagnostic messages, via the network interface, to a plurality of predetermined routing points along a path to a destination, and further operable to transmit, if the diagnostic message indicate a problem with intermediate nodes along the path, a series of path verification messages, each of the path verification messages including a command operable to; direct an intermediate node to transmit a further message to a successive intermediate node in the path; receive the result from the further message; and report the result as a command response, the result indicative of reachability of the successive intermediate node, the path verification processor further operable to; repeat the transmission of path verification messages to successive nodes along the path to the node indicating the problem; and analyze the received command responses from the successive path verification messages to identify problems; and routing logic in the memory and responsive to the path verification processor and operable determining an alternate route based on the analyzing to bypass the intermediate node identified as a source of the indicated problem. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A computer program product having a computer readable storage medium operable to store computer program logic embodied in computer program code, the computer program code executable with a processor to identify network failure, the computer readable storage medium comprising:
-
computer program code executable to periodically transmit diagnostic messages to a plurality of predetermined routing points along a path to a destination; computer program code executable to transmit, if the diagnostic message indicate a problem with intermediate nodes along the path, a series of path verification messages, each of the path verification messages including a command operable to direct an intermediate node to transmit a further message to a successive intermediate node in the path, receive the result from the further message, and report the result as a command response, the result indicative of reachability of the successive intermediate node; computer program code executable to repeat the transmission of path verification messages to successive nodes along the path to the node indicating the problem; computer program code executable to analyze the received command responses from the successive path verification messages to identify problems; and computer program code executable to determine an alternate route based on the analyzing to bypass the intermediate node identified as a source of the indicated problem.
-
Specification