Cisco Technology, Inc.

Vanson Lim

George Swallow

Thomas David Nadeau

Jean-Philippe Vasseur

Danny Prairie

Yufei Shi

Robert Hanzl

Shaheedur Reza Haque

Michael T Piecuch

Matthew Turner

In some implementations, a method includes receiving, from a virtual machine, a request to create a proxy agent configured to monitor an application executing on the virtual machine, wherein the proxy agent is associated with the virtual machine and wherein the virtual machine is unable to host the proxy agent. The method also includes creating the proxy agent based on the request to create the proxy agent. The method further includes receiving monitoring data for the application executing on the virtual machine via the proxy agent. The method further includes transmitting a status of the application or the monitoring data to a server.

Monitoring and managing applications on virtual machines using a proxy agent

Optimal automated exploration of hierarchical Multiprotocol Label Switching Label Switch Paths (MPLS LSPs) is disclosed. A path verification message (PVM) is transmitted from an initial router. Each label in the PVM's label stack corresponds to a hierarchy layer and is associated with a time-to-live (TTL) field. The TTL field for the label of a current layer is set so the PVM travels one hop from the initial router. In response, a reply message indicating that the PVM reached its destination is received.

Optimal automated exploration of hierarchical multiprotocol label switching label switch paths

Optimal automated exploration of hierarchical MPLS LSPs is disclosed. A path verification message (PVM) is transmitted from an initial router. Each label in the PVM's label stack corresponds to a hierarchy layer and is associated with a time-to-live (TTL) field. The TTL field for the label of a current layer is set so the PVM travels one hop from the initial router. In response, a reply message indicating that the PVM reached its destination is received. These steps are then repeated. For each successive PVM transmitted, the TTL field associated with a label corresponding to the current hierarchy layer is incremented. For any reply message including information describing a non-current layer, modify the next PVM's label stack and increment the TTL field of the label for the described different layer; any other TTL fields are unchanged. If any received reply message indicates a destination router was reached, the process terminates.

In one embodiment, a first node may send an out-of-band message to a second node to request that the second node initiate an in-band echo request for a specified tunnel, e.g., toward one or more third nodes. Upon receiving the in-band echo request, one or more responding nodes (e.g., generally the third nodes) may send a response to the first node. This 'directed echo request' technique may also be used in conjunction with a 'reverse traceroute' technique.

Directed echo requests and reverse traceroute

A method and apparatus for producing and maintaining a repository of service level test points for network based VPNs is presented. A determination is made regarding whether there is more than one Autonomous System (AS) in a network for one or more VPNs. When there is not more than one AS then next hops are found for the VPN. Next, VPN prefixes associated with the VPN are found and a set of Label Switching Paths (LSPs) in use for the VPN are produced. When the determination is that there is more than one AS then routers in the present AS associated with the VPN are found. VPN label stacks are used to find all Provider Edge (PE) routers associated with the VPN. A set of LSPs in use for the VPN is produced from the routers and the VPN label stacks

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Vanson Lim