Extensible framework for client-based active network measurement

• US 8,713,138 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Machiraju, Sridhar, Bolot, Jean Chrysostome
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Emdadi, Keyvan
• Application Number:
  US11/464,778
• Time in Patent Office: 2,814 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/221
• 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 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A method, system, medium and a lightweight computing framework are provided for active network measurements. A communication network having links that connect a collection of client devices that utilize the computing framework to generate probe streams, receive network data associated with one or more network measurements, and to analyze the network data. The probe streams are generated based on a configuration file. The configuration file implements one or more network measurements and is defined in a scripting language. Additionally, the probe streams collect network data, and the computing framework utilizes the network data to determine link properties along one or more communication paths and to generate additional probe streams when specified conditions are satisfied.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for active network measurements, the method comprising:

receiving a configuration file having probe stream configuration commands and probe stream injection commands for a plurality of active network measurements,

wherein the probe stream configuration commands and probe stream injection commands are selected from a defined set of commands that are used to determine all of the following end-to-end properties;

connectivity, capacity, cross-traffic properties, available bandwidth, and queuing delay;

parsing, at a computing device, the configuration file for one or more of the probe stream configuration commands or the probe stream injection commands for the plurality of active network measurements;

configuring a collection of probe streams based at least in part on the probe stream configuration commands, via a single script interface, the probe streams associated with the plurality of active network measurements;

injecting at least a portion of said collection of probe streams into a communication network having a plurality of links based at least in part upon the probe stream injection commands, wherein injecting at least a portion of said collection of probe streams includes batching a collection of packets and transmitting the batched collection of packets across a plurality of links; and

receiving network data from at least a portion of said collection of probe streams, wherein the network data is processed to calculate the following end-to-end properties;

connectivity, capacity, cross-traffic properties, available bandwidth, and queuing delay.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said collection of probe streams are randomly generated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said collection of probe streams is generated by a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said collection of probe streams include one of transmission control protocol (TCP), internet control message protocol (ICMP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) streams.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting at least a portion of said collection of probe streams includes continuously transmitting packets across said plurality of links.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an output based on analyzed network data.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising utilizing the output to generate additional probe streams.

8. One or more tangible computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

9. A computer system for active network measurements, the system comprising:

a collection of client devices each having a service component and a control component for active network measurement, wherein;

(a) the control component parses a configuration file for a plurality of active network measurements to extract commands for implementing the plurality of active network measurements, the commands including probe stream configuration commands and probe stream injection commands;

(b) the probe stream configuration commands and probe stream injection commands are part of a defined set of commands that is used to determine all of the following end-to-end properties;

connectivity, capacity, cross-traffic properties, available bandwidth, and queuing delay; and

(c) the service component receives and performs the commands parsed by the control component;

a single script interface that receives commands for implementing all of the plurality of active network measurements of network data associated with one or more of the collection of client devices,

wherein the commands received at the script interface are included in a configuration file, and, when the configuration file is parsed, are used to configure probe streams associated with the plurality of active network measurements; and

a communication network connecting the collection of clients through one or more communication links, wherein each client analyzes network data provided in response to the probe streams and calculates the following end-to-end properties;

connectivity, capacity, cross-traffic properties, available bandwidth, and queuing delay based on the provided network data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the service component is configured to operate in one of a library or daemon mode.

11. One or more client devices executing a lightweight computing framework for extensible active network measurements, the computing framework comprising:

a sending component to generate and inject probe streams associated with active network measurements, based at least in part on probe stream configuration commands and probe stream injection commands parsed from an active network measurement configuration file, the probe stream configuration commands and the probe stream injection commands received into a single script interface for implementing the active network measurements,

wherein the probe stream configuration commands and probe stream injection commands in the configuration file are selected from a defined set of commands that is used to determine all of the following link properties;

connectivity, capacity, cross-traffic properties, available bandwidth, and queuing delay;

a receiving component to receive network data collected by the injected probe streams;

an analysis component to utilize the network data to estimate link properties for connectivity, capacity, cross-traffic properties, available bandwidth, and queuing delay; and

an output component to provide the network data or path properties.

12. The one or more client devices of claim 11, wherein the sending component operates in at least one of a batch, continuous, or feedback mode.

13. The one or more client devices of claim 11, wherein the active network measurement configuration file is defined by a scripting language.

14. The one or more client devices of claim 11, wherein the network data is analyzed on a remote client device.