Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Svante Ekelin

Andreas Johnsson

Christofer Flinta

Bob Melander

Jan-Erik Mångs

Catalin Meirosu

Steve Baillargeon

Erik Hartikainen

Chistofer Flinta

Erik Bergfeldt

Martin Nilsson

Jan-Erik M{dot Over (a)}ngs

Andreas Johansson

According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for determining the forward and reverse available capacity or tight link capacity of an IP path from a single endpoint includes the steps of: transmitting, from a source IP endpoint node toward a destination IP endpoint node, a forward packet train including a first plurality of IP test packets over the forward IP path; and receiving, at the source IP endpoint node, a corresponding reverse packet train from the destination IP endpoint node, the reverse packet train including a second plurality of IP test packets over the reverse IP path each of which correspond to a respective one of the first plurality of IP test packets. For those IP path capacity measurements embodiments which are TWAMP-based, no changes are needed to the TWAMP control protocol, e.g., since exemplary embodiments make use of padding octets to transfer additional information which can be used for available IP path capacity and tight IP link capacity calculations.

Systems and methods for measuring available capacity and tight link capacity of IP paths from a single endpoint

A method for queuing data packets is described. Upon receipt of a data packet, e.g., at an egress buffer of a node, a position within an output queue at which to place the data packet is determined. The queue position for the data packet can be determined based on various criteria, e.g., the type of the data packet and a time associated with its subsequent transmission, and timing aspects associated with the data packets which are already stored in the queue.

Method for queuing data packets and node

An apparatus (), a method () and a computer program () are provided for monitoring a connectivity service in a transport network (). The apparatus () comprises an obtaining unit (), adapted to request and obtain, for the connectivity service, a Service Definition and Measurement Points, MPs. The Service Definition comprises a set of measurable parameters. The obtaining unit () is further adapted to request and obtain a mapping of each of the measurable parameter(s) to Operation Administration and Monitoring function(s), OAM function(s), of the connectivity service. The obtaining unit () is further adapted to request and obtain a mapping of the measurable parameter(s) and OAM-function(s) to which tool(s) to use for measuring the measurable parameter(s) of the connectivity service. The apparatus () further comprises a measuring unit (), adapted to perform measurement of the measurable parameter(s) between the Measurement Points using the tool(s).

Apparatus and method for monitoring of connectivity services

The present invention relates to methods and node entities for enabling active measurement for evaluating network performance in a network comprising a logical tree structurerepresenting at least one service. Said service is provided through a set of links from an initial node in an upper level of the tree structure to a node in a lower level of said tree structure. Each node of the tree structure is configured to perform active measurement of link characteristics. One object of the present invention is to provide a method for minimizing the data overhead introduced in a data network during measuring of estimates of the data network performance. By aggregating measurement results of estimated and measured link characteristics in the nodes of said tree structure and propagating the aggregated results and store the aggregated results in the nodes.

Method and an apparatus for evaluating network performance

The present invention relates to methods and arrangements to measure network performance. The method comprises the following steps: &#x2014;Transmitting via a communication network (IP) payload packets (-) from a sending node (GGSN/A) to a receiving node (GGSN/B). &#x2014;Generating at the sending node (GGSN/A) a send specification (s-s, sid-sid) for each of at least one selected packet (-) of the transmitted payload packets (-). &#x2014;Generating at the receiving node (GGSN/B), a receive specification (r-r, rid-rid, siz-siz) for each of at least one selected packet (-) of the transmitted payload packets (-). &#x2014;Bringing together generated send specifications (s-s, sid-sid) and generated receive specifications (r-r, rid-rid, siz-siz). &#x2014;Estimating network performance by utilizing corresponding specifications (s-s, r-r, siz-siz) of the brought together specifications.

Passive monitoring of network performance

A method of measuring network performance is disclosed. A payload packet is transmitted from a sending node to a receiving node via a communication network. A reference packet is transmitted to the receiving node in connection with sending of the payload packet. Receive information related to the payload packet and to the reference packet is generated, at the receiving node. Send information related to the payload packet and to the reference packet is received, by the receiving node. Network performance is estimated by utilizing the send and receive information.

Measuring network performance with reference packet probing

The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for estimating available bandwidth of sub-path of a data path. The solution is based on the sending of probe packet trains comprising inner and outer packets from a start node to an end node using different TTL values for the outer and inner packets of these probe trains. By comparing measurements using different TTL values of the inner packets, it is also possible to determine which link are the local tight link and what available bandwidth it has.

Sub-path E2E probing

A probing method, arrangement, and system for estimating a condition, such as available bandwidth, of a data path in a communication network including multiple nodes are described. A probe-packet sender node transmits probe packets with a sent inter-packet separation and a time-to-live towards an intermediate node. Control message packets are generated by the intermediate node when the time-to-live expires. The probe-packet sender node receives the control message packets and calculates a received inter-packet separation. An estimate of the data path condition can be generated based on the sent inter-packet separation and the received inter-packet separation.

Method, arrangement and system for monitoring a data path in a communication network

If a condition in a data transfer path is modeled appropriately, then a filter-based approach can be used to provide an estimate of the condition. This permits accurate, real-time estimates of the condition with modest requirements for data processing and memory resources. Change detection can be implemented to control a parameter of the filter.

Data transfer path evaluation using filtering and change detection

A system and method for determining end-to-end available bandwidth of a path in a packet-switched communication network. A multi-rate packet chirp injector injects probe traffic packets at different probing rates, u, into the network utilizing a probe chirp. A receiver samples time separation of the probe traffic packets to generate time-separation samples, which are used to calculate relative inter-packet separation strain, &#x3b5;, samples at different probing rates. An Expectation-Maximization, EM, analyzer utilizes an EM algorithm to identify useful strain &#x3b5; samples and to estimate parameters of a line lrepresenting a direct linear relationship between the probing rate and the inter-packet separation strain &#x3b5; at probing rates greater than a break point. A filter such as, for example, a Kalman filter then determines the available bandwidth of the network path based on the estimated parameters of the line l.

Available bandwidth estimation in a packet-switched communication network

If a condition in a data transfer path is modeled appropriately, then a filter-based approach can be used to provide an estimate of the condition. This permits accurate, real-time estimates of the condition with modest requirements for data processing and memory resources.

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Vallentuna, Sweden

Svante Ekelin