Detecting and isolating domain specific faults

• US 8,248,953 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumar, Rajesh, Ethier, Randall P. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh-Vu H
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONAMUTI, GBEMILEKE J
• Application Number:
  US11/782,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20090028054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 370217-225, 370/228, 370/248, 370/254, 370/242, 709/223, 709/224, 398/17
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing

Abstract

A method for detecting and isolating domain specific faults includes comparing a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node. The first node comprises an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprises an egress node of the first domain for the communication. The method also includes determining that the difference between at least one aspect of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold. The method further includes, upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold, determining a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication. The method additionally includes isolating at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

comparing, at a call quality monitoring device, a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication;

determining that a difference between at least one aspect value of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect value of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold;

upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determining a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication, the first path comprising a plurality of nodes between the first node and the second node; and

isolating at least one source from among the plurality of nodes between the first node and the second node causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report;

determining whether both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a second threshold;

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above the second threshold, generating a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred downstream of the egress node; and

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below the second threshold, generating a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred upstream of the ingress node.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a third threshold, wherein the determination of whether both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above the second threshold is made in response to the message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises comparing the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node on a basis selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a random sampling basis, an every communication basis, and a delayed basis a first amount of time after the start of a communication session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication comprises initiating a layer 3 trace route from the first node to the second node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein isolating at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report comprises generating at least one synthetic media stream path segment test along the path between the first node and the second node used by the communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is part of a real-time communication session.

7. A system comprising, a processor implemented via at least hardware and configured to:

compare a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication; and

determine whether a difference between at least one aspect value of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect value of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold;

upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determine a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication, the first path comprising a plurality of nodes between the first node and the second node; and

isolate at least one source from among the plurality of nodes between the first node and the second node causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report;

upon determining that the difference does not exceed the first threshold, determine whether both a first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a second threshold;

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above the second threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred downstream of the egress node; and

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below the second threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred upstream of the ingress node.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an interface coupled to the processor and configured to receive a message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a third threshold, wherein the determination of whether both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above the second threshold is made in response to receiving the message.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor configured to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises the processor configured to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node on a basis selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a random sampling basis, an every communication basis, and a delayed basis for a first amount of time after the start of a communication session.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor configured to determine the first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication comprises a processor configured to initiate a layer 3 trace route from the first node to the second node.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor configured to isolate at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report comprises a processor configured to generate at least one synthetic media stream path segment test along the path between the first node and the second node used by the communication.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication is part of a real-time communication session.

13. One or more tangible non-transitory computer readable media comprising logic that when executed by a processor is configured to:

compare a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication;

determine whether a difference between at least one aspect value of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect value of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold;

upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determine a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication, the first path comprising a plurality of nodes between the first node and the second node; and

isolate at least one source from among the plurality of nodes between the first node and the second node causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report;

upon determining that the difference does not exceed the first threshold, determine whether both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a second threshold;

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a second threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred downstream of the egress node; and

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below the second threshold, generate a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred upstream of the ingress node.

14. The tangible media of claim 13, wherein the logic is further configured to receive a message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a third threshold, wherein the determination of whether both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above the second threshold is made in response to the message.

15. The tangible media of claim 13, wherein the logic configured to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node comprises logic configured to compare the first media quality report for the communication from the first node with the second media quality report for the communication from the second node on a basis selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a random sampling basis, an every communication basis, and a delayed basis a first amount of time after the start of a communication session.

16. The tangible media of claim 13, wherein the logic configured to determine the first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication comprises logic configured to initiate a layer 3 trace route from the first node to the second node.

17. The tangible media of claim 13, wherein the logic configured to isolate at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report comprises logic configured to generate at least one synthetic media stream path segment test along the path between the first node and the second node used by the communication.

18. The tangible media of claim 13, wherein the communication is part of a real-time communication session.

19. A method comprising:

comparing, at a call quality monitoring device, a first media quality report for a communication from a first node with a second media quality report for the communication from a second node, the first node comprising an ingress node of a first domain for the communication and the second node comprising an egress node of the first domain for the communication;

determining that the difference between at least one aspect of the first media quality report and at least one corresponding aspect of the second media quality report exceeds a first threshold;

upon determining that the difference exceeds the first threshold;

determining a first path between the first node and the second node used by the communication; and

isolating at least one source causing the difference between the first media quality report and the second media quality report;

receiving a message indicating that the quality of the communication has degraded such that at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a second threshold;

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is above a third threshold, generating a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred downstream of the egress node; and

upon determining that both the first media quality report and the second media quality report indicate that the at least one quality characteristic of the communication is below a fourth threshold, generating a message indicating that the degradation of the communication occurred upstream of the ingress node.