Service based testing

• US 10,742,523 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2018
• Issued: 08/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spirent Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spirent Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Grinkemeyer, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Aung, Sai
• Application Number:
  US16/184,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0835 One way packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/55 Testing of service level quality, e.g. simulating service usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Some tests can be implemented as services. A network provider can deploy (“push”) a test to a container resident on one or more devices of the network, either at installation, periodically, or when a problem is reported. When a customer reports an issue, services running on one or more devices of the customer'"'"'s installation can cause the containerized tests to be run. For example, the central office of the network provider can initiate a request to run the test through the internet (or other connection) by the container. In some implementations, there is an overlap of the service based test set with traditional technician initiated test sets forming a hybrid testing architecture.

Claims

1. A method of removing latency in performance tests conducted on a network by deployable containerized tests, the method including:

deploying a test onto an active element of the network via a network interface, the test containerized into an open platform distributed system container that shares with one or more other containers a single instance of an operating system;

executing the test to generate traffic and sending the traffic to one or more other active elements in the network that provide responses to the active element; and

retrieving the responses from a first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage managed by the operating system by directly accessing a mapped memory portion implementing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage, whereby the retrieving the responses from the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage by directly accessing the mapped memory portion implementing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage enables the responses to be retrieved with less latency than retrieving responses using system calls.

2. The method of claim 1, further including a container manager providing interface between the operating system and the open platform distributed system container executing the test.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the container manager provides access to the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage to the test.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage is shared between the operating system and the open platform distributed system container executing the test.

5. The method of claim 1, further including introducing the test to the network via a network access point.

6. The method of claim 1, further including dispatching a service representative to conduct further testing when the test provides results indicating a need for on-site service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the test conducts testing of the network for WiFi interference.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the test conducts testing of the network for packet loss.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the test conducts testing of the network for loopback support.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the test conducts testing of the network for Two-Way Active Measurement Protocol (TWAMP).

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the test conducts testing of a speed of the network.

11. A system including one or more processors coupled to memory loaded with computer instructions to remove latency in performance tests conducted on a network by deployable containerized tests, which instructions, when executed on the processors, implement actions comprising:

deploying a test onto an active element of the network via a network interface, the test containerized into an open platform distributed system container that shares with one or more other containers a single instance of an operating system;

executing the test to generate traffic and sending the traffic to one or more other active elements in the network that provide responses to the active element; and

retrieving the responses from a first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage managed by the operating system by directly accessing a mapped memory portion implementing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage, whereby the retrieving the responses from the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage by directly accessing the mapped memory portion implementing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage enables the responses to be retrieved with less latency than retrieving responses using system calls.

12. The system of claim 11, further implementing actions comprising providing by a container manager an interface between the operating system and the open platform distributed system container executing the test.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the container manager provides access to the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage to the test.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the test conducts testing of a speed of the network.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium impressed with computer program instructions to remove latency in performance tests conducted on a network by deployable containerized tests, which instructions, when executed on a processor, implement a method comprising:

deploying a test onto an active element of the network via a network interface, the test containerized into an open platform distributed system container that shares with one or more other containers a single instance of an operating system;

executing the test to generate traffic and sending the traffic to one or more other active elements in the network that provide responses to the active element; and

retrieving the responses from a first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage managed by the operating system by directly accessing a mapped memory portion implementing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage, whereby the retrieving the responses from the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage by directly accessing the mapped memory portion implementing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage enables the responses to be retrieved with less latency than retrieving responses using system calls.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, implementing the method further comprising providing by a container manager an interface between the operating system and the open platform distributed system container executing the test.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the container manager provides access to the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage to the test.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first-in, first-out (FIFO) ordered storage is shared between the operating system and the open platform distributed system container executing the test.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, implementing the method further including introducing the test to the network via a network access point.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, implementing the method further including dispatching a service representative to conduct further testing when the test provides results indicating a need for on-site service.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the test conducts testing of the network for WiFi interference.