System and method for monitoring and reacting to peer-to-peer network metrics

• US 20060215575A1
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horton, Noah, Singhal, Sandeep K., Lieuallen, Brian R., Samuel, Geogy A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,656,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

The overall health of a peer-to-peer network may be inferred from statistics gathered and analyzed pertaining to individual node and node-to-node performance within the peer-to-peer network. When used with simulations for development or testing, the health statistic may be used instead of or to supplement standard regression testing to determine whether or not changes made improve system performance. When used with live peer-to-peer networks, the health statistic may provide a real-time view into network performance. Such a view may be used to adjust peer-to-peer network topology or to isolate underperforming or malicious nodes.

Claims

1. A method of testing a peer-to-peer network comprising:

instrumenting a plurality of nodes of the peer-to-peer network;

aggregating a first set of performance statistics using first data received from each of the plurality of nodes;

installing a change to the peer-to-peer network;

aggregating a second set of performance statistics using second data received from each of the plurality of nodes; and

determining that the change was beneficial when the second aggregate is higher than the first aggregate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to the peer-to-peer network is a software change to a node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to the peer-to-peer network is a change to a physical topology of the peer-to-peer network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to the peer-to-peer network is a change to a logical peer-to-peer network structure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the peer-to-peer network is one of a simulated network and physical network.

6. In a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of nodes, a method of maintaining the peer-to-peer network comprising:

instrumenting a set of the plurality of nodes;

collecting performance statistics from the set of the plurality of nodes;

aggregating the performance statistics to generate a health statistic;

comparing the health statistic to a threshold level health statistic;

registering at least one new node into the peer-to-peer network when the health statistic is below the threshold.

7. The peer-to-peer network of claim 6 wherein the peer-to-peer network is a multicast peer-to-peer network.

8. The peer-to-peer network of claim 6, wherein the health statistic corresponds to one of a physical locale, a network locale and a logical locale.

9. A controller adapted for peer-to-peer network administration comprising:

a processor for executing code;

a port for data communications coupled to the processor;

a memory storing executable code coupled to the processor, the executable code comprising;

a module for collecting data from a plurality of nodes on the peer-to-peer network via the port;

a module for analyzing the data from the plurality of nodes to generate a health statistic;

a module for comparing the health statistic to a previous health statistic; and

a module for determining an action based on the comparison of the health statistic to the previous health statistic.

10. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a module for signaling to roll back a change to the system responsive to the health statistic being worse than the previous health statistic.

11. The controller of claim 9, further comprising:

a module for determining a peer-to-peer network locale associated with a degraded health statistic; and

generating at least one new node in the vicinity of the peer-to-peer network locale associated with the degraded health statistic.