Quality of service testing of communications networks

• US 7,835,293 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zangiri, Benny, Horn, Lior, Cidon, Israel, Sidi, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haile; Awet
• Application Number:
  US11/225,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20070076605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 370/238, 370/226, 370/352, 370/252, 370/241, 370/235, 370/230, 370/249, 370/395.21, 370/248, 709/224, 709/227
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Network testing is conducted using a pair of traffic agents that acts as sender and receiver endpoints. The sending traffic agent generates and transmits a stream of packet batches, each batch being composed of high and low priority packets in a predetermined sending order. The receiving traffic agent analyzes the order of packet arrival in the stream relative to the sending order, and returns results to a traffic control module. Path speed and the priority classification of the traffic are parameters used to configure the tests. The tests are typically run periodically under different load conditions in order to evaluate the effects of other traffic being concurrently transiting the network.

Claims

1. A method of testing packet prioritization in a data network, comprising:

transmitting stream of packet batches over said network from a sender to a receiver,

wherein each packet batch contains high and low priority packets having a predetermined sending order;

receiving said stream of packet batches at said receiver;

for each packet batch at said receiver, determining a difference between a receiving order of packet arrival at said receiver of said high priority packets and said low priority packets relative to said predetermined sending order by measuring respective times of arrival at said receiver of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets;

classifying each packet batch at said receiver as;

a fully valid batch if all packets are received and all low priority packets thereof are received in the predetermined sending order;

a valid batch if at least one low priority packet but not all low priority packets thereof are received and all received low priority packets are in the predetermined sending order; and

an invalid batch otherwise;

computing a numerical value according to a predetermined function of said respective times of arrival at said receiver of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets according to the fully valid batches and the valid batches thereof;

comparing said numerical value to a lower predetermined numerical threshold and an upper predetermined numerical threshold; and

determining a performance of said packet prioritization according to a result of said comparing, wherein;

if said numerical value is above said upper predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network supports high-quality realtime traffic;

if said numerical value is below said lower predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network fails to support high-quality realtime traffic;

and determining that said testing is inconclusive otherwise.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said high priority packets are Realtime Protocol (RTP) packets.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said low priority packets are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) type packets created using a raw socket mechanism.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said stream of packet batches is arranged in groups, each of said groups having a predefined number of said packet batches, said packet batches being transmitted successively with a predetermined time separation therebetween.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said packet batches each have a predefined sequence of said high priority packets and said low priority packets, at least some of said low priority packets preceding any of said high priority packets.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises:

receiving error messages from said receiver; and

determining said receiving order of packet arrival at said receiver responsively to respective times of arrival of said error messages.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises assigning a common Time To Live (TTL) value to a field of said high priority packets and a field of said low priority packets, and iteratively increasing said TTL value and repeating said step of transmitting using said increased TTL value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined function is a function of a count of high priority packets overtaking low priority packets.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined function is a function of reception times of high priority packets and low priority packets.

10. A computer software product comprising a computer-readable medium in which computer program instructions are stored, said computer readable medium selected from a group consisting of magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, hardware components and combinations thereof, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for testing packet prioritization in a data network, including:

transmitting a stream of packet batches over the network from a sender to a receiver, wherein each packet batch contains high and low priority packets having a predetermined sending order;

receiving said stream of packet batches at said receiver;

for each packet batch at said receiver, determining a difference between a receiving order of packet arrival at said receiver of said high priority packets and said low priority packets relative to said sending order by measuring respective times of arrival at said receiver of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets;

classifying each packet batch at said receiver as;

a fully valid batch if all packets are received and all low priority packets thereof are received in the predetermined sending order;

a valid batch if at least one low priority packet but not all low priority packets thereof are received and all received low priority packets are in the predetermined sending order; and

an invalid batch otherwise;

computing a numerical value according to a predetermined function of said respective times of arrival at said receiver of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets according to the fully valid batches and the valid batches thereof;

comparing said numerical value to a lower predetermined numerical threshold; and

an upper predetermined numerical threshold; and

determining a performance of said packet prioritization according to a result of said comparing, wherein;

if said numerical value is above said upper predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network supports high-quality realtime traffic;

if said numerical value is below said lower predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network fails to support high-quality realtime traffic;

and determining that said testing is inconclusive otherwise.

11. The computer software product according to claim 10, wherein said stream of packet batches is arranged in groups, each of said groups having a predefined number of said packet batches, said packet batches being transmitted successively with a predetermined time separation therebetween.

12. The computer software product according to claim 11, wherein said packet batches each have a predefined sequence of said high priority packets and said low priority packets, at least some of said low priority packets preceding any of said high priority packets.

13. The computer software product according to claim 11, wherein the transmitting comprises:

receiving error messages from said receiver; and

determining said receiving order of packet arrival at said receiver responsively to respective times of arrival of said error messages.

14. The computer software product according to claim 13, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises assigning a common Time To Live (TTL) value to a field of said high priority packets and a field of said low priority packets, and iteratively increasing said TTL value and repeating said step of transmitting using said increased TTL value.

15. An apparatus for testing packet prioritization in a data network, comprising:

a sending traffic agent and a receiving traffic agent, which are respectively coupled to a sender endpoint and a receiver endpoint of a path through the network; and

a testing center coupled to said receiving traffic agent and to said sending traffic agent,

said testing center configured for instructing said sending traffic agent to transmit stream of packet batches to said receiving traffic agent,

said stream of packet batches being received by said receiving traffic agent, and

said receiving traffic agent configured for;

for each packet batch received at said receiving traffic agent determining an order of packet arrival of said high priority packets and said low priority packets by measuring respective times of arrival at said receiving traffic agent of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets;

classifying each packet batch at said receiver as;

a fully valid batch if all packets are received and all low priority packets thereof are received in the predetermined sending order;

a valid batch if at least one low priority packet but not all low priority packets thereof are received and all received low priority packets are in the predetermined sending order; and

an invalid batch otherwise;

computing a numerical value according to a predetermined function of said respective times of arrival at said receiver of said low priority data packets and said high priority data packets according to the fully valid batches and the valid batches thereof;

comparing said numerical value to a lower predetermined numerical threshold and an upper predetermined numerical threshold; and

determining a performance of said packet prioritization according to a result of said comparing, wherein;

if said numerical value is above said upper predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network supports high-quality realtime traffic;

if said numerical value is below said lower predetermined numerical threshold, then determining that the network fails to support high-quality realtime traffic; and

determining that said testing is inconclusive otherwise.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said stream of packet batches is arranged in groups, each of said groups having a predefined number of said packet batches, said packet batches being transmitted successively with a predetermined time separation therebetween.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said packet batches each have a predefined sequence of said high priority packets and said low priority packets, at least some of said low priority packets preceding any of said high priority packets.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said sending traffic agent is operative for receiving error messages from a receiver;

and

determining said receiving order of packet arrival at said receiver responsively to respective times of arrival of said error messages.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said sending traffic agent is operative for assigning a common Time To Live (TTL) value to a field of said high priority packets and a field of said low priority packets, and iteratively increasing said TTL value and executing retransmissions of said stream using a respective said increased TTL value.