Visualization of performance data over a network path

• US 9,489,279 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clemm, Alexander, Dorman, Eric, Chang, Steve Chen-Lin, Mokashi, Gaurang
• Primary Examiner(s): WIENER, ERIC A
• Application Number:
  US13/008,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/323 Visualisation of programs or trace data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3452 Performance evaluation by statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0835 One way packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/14 using software, i.e. software packages network security related monitoring H04L63/1408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 : Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A system and technique for visualizing performance data over a network path are disclosed. More specifically, a network management system generates and displays an object that represents data for one or more performance characteristics related to a plurality of network nodes in the network path. In one embodiment, a graph having an x-axis and a y-axis is displayed, the x-axis being associated with two or more network nodes in the network path and the y-axis being associated with a first performance characteristic. Data corresponding to the first performance characteristic is plotted as data points corresponding to the network nodes associated with the x-axis. Data corresponding to a second performance characteristic may be represented via the size or the color of the data points. Alternatively, a characterization of the data corresponding to the first performance characteristic may be represented by the size or color of the data points.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a request to each of a plurality of network nodes in a network path for data associated with one or more performance characteristics, wherein at least one of the network nodes is configured to monitor the one or more performance characteristics, wherein the one or more performance characteristics include at least one of a CPU utilization rate, memory utilization rate, and number of dropped data packets;

receiving, from each of the plurality of network nodes in the network path, the requested data associated with the one or more performance characteristics; and

generating an object within a graphical user interface (GU) to;

display, via a first type of representation within the object, data associated with a respective first performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path; and

display, via a second type of representation within the object, either data associated with a second respective performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path or a characterization of the data associated with the respective first performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path, the second type of representation being distinct from the first type of representation wherein;

the object comprises a graph having an x-axis, associated with at least two of the network nodes, and a y-axis, associated with the respective first performance characteristic of the at least two of the network nodes;

each of the at least two of the network nodes is represented by a distinct position on the x-axis, and

each respective first performance characteristic of each of the at least two of the network nodes is represented by a respective position on the y-axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of representation is a location of data points relative to the y-axis, and the second type of representation is a size of the data points.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of representation is a location of data points relative to the y-axis, and the second type of representation is a color of the data points.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the object indicates that at least one network node in the network path is not configured to monitor performance characteristics of the at least one network node.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, causing a server computer to transmit a network control message to a client computer via at least two of the nodes in the network path, wherein, when receiving a network control message, each node appends data associated with at least one of the one or more performance characteristics to the network control message and forwards the network control message with the appended data to the client computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object further displays data associated with a third respective performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path via a third type of representation within the object.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including, instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the steps of:

sending a request to each of a plurality of network nodes in a network path for data associated with one or more performance characteristics, wherein at least one of the network nodes is configured to monitor the one or more performance characteristics, wherein the one or more performance characteristics include at least one of a CPU utilization rate, memory utilization rate, and number of dropped data packets;

receiving, from each of the plurality of network nodes in the network path, the requested data associated with the one or more performance characteristics; and

generating an object within a graphical user interface (GUI) to;

display, via a first type of representation within the object, data associated with a respective first performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path; and

display via a second type of representation within the object, either data associated with a second respective performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path or a characterization of the data associated with the respective first performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path, the second type of representation being distinct from the first type of representation, wherein;

the object comprises a graph having an x-axis, associated with at least two of the network nodes, and a y-axis, associated with the respective first performance characteristic of the at least two of the network nodes;

each of the at least two of the network nodes is represented by a distinct position on the x-axis, and

each respective first performance characteristic of each of the at least two of the network nodes is represented by a respective position on the y-axis.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the first type of representation is a location of data points relative to the y-axis, and the second type of representation is a size of the data points.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the first type of representation is a location of data points relative to the y-axis, and the second type of representation is a color of the data points.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the object indicates that at least one network node in the network path is not configured to monitor performance characteristics of the at least one network node.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising causing a server computer to transmit a network control message to a client computer via at least two of the nodes in the network path, wherein, when receiving a network control message, each node appends data associated with at least one of the one or more performance characteristics to the network control message and forwards the network control message with the appended data to the client computer.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the object further displays data associated with a third respective performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path via a third type of representation within the object.

13. A system comprising:

a network that includes a plurality of network nodes;

a server computer;

a client computer coupled to the server computer via a network path; and

a network management system coupled to the server computer and configured to;

send a request to each of a plurality of network nodes in a network path for data associated with one or more performance characteristics, wherein at least one of the network nodes is configured to monitor the one or more performance characteristics, wherein the one or more performance characteristics include at least one of a CPU utilization rate, memory utilization rate, and number of dropped data packets;

receive, from each of the plurality of network nodes in the network path, the requested data associated with the one or more performance characteristics, and

generate an object within a graphical user interface (GUI) to;

display, via a first type of representation within the object, data associated with a respective first performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path, and

display, via a second type of representation within the object, either data associated with a second respective performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path or a characterization of the data associated with the respective first performance characteristic of one or more of the plurality of network nodes in the network path, the second type of representation being distinct from the first type of representation, wherein;

the object comprises a graph having an x-axis associated with at least two of the network nodes; and

a y-axis, associated with the respective first performance characteristic of the at least two of the network nodes,

each of the at least two of the network nodes is being represented by a distinct position on the x-axis, and

each respective first performance characteristic of each of the at least two of the network nodes is represented by a respective position on the y-axis.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first type of representation is a location of data points relative to the y-axis, and the second type of representation is a size of the data points.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first type of representation is a location of data points relative to the y-axis, and the second type of representation is a color of the data points.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the object indicates that at least one network node in the network path is not configured to monitor performance characteristics of the at least one network node.

17. The system of claim 13, the network management system further configured to cause the server computer to transmit a network control message to a client computer via at least two of the nodes in the network path, wherein, when receiving a network control message, each node appends data associated with at least one of the one or more performance characteristics to the network control message and forwards the network control message with the appended data to the client computer.