Abstract: A method of collecting information about a plurality of test devices connected in a network is provided. The method includes: identifying routable network addresses within a plurality of the network addresses, and sending discovery packets to the plurality of routable network addresses, receiving responses from the test devices, obtaining the information about the test devices, and storing the information so as to associate, for each of the test devices, the test-device information with at least one of the routable network addresses. The routable network addresses are stored in non-volatile memory for repeated use in re-discovery of the test devices in the network.

Abstract: A method of providing topology information about a network to a topology manager is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of sensors each having a sensor ID, and the method includes performing the following steps at each of the plurality of sensors: receiving a stream of packets and identifying a topology trace packet in the stream of packets, wherein the topology trace packet has a destination address and an ID of a previous sensor, including the sensor ID in the topology trace packet, sending the topology trace packet to the destination address, forming a report message so as to include the sensor ID, the previous sensor ID, sending the report to the topology manager; and, providing network addresses of adjacent nodes to the topology manager.

Abstract: The invention relates to time synchronization between network testing elements in distributed network monitoring and testing systems, and provides a condensed PTP process wherein the number of timing messages exchanged between master and slave in one iteration of the time synchronization process is reduced. Furthermore, timing messages are encrypted to provide for a more secure synchronization process. One aspect of the method provides for an automatic detection and adaptive handling of protocol stacks of received timing packets.

Abstract: A method of collecting information about a plurality of test devices connected in a network is provided. The method includes: identifying routable network addresses within a plurality of the network addresses, and sending discovery packets to the plurality of routable network addresses, receiving responses from the test devices, obtaining the information about the test devices, and storing the information so as to associate, for each of the test devices, the test-device information with at least one of the routable network addresses. The routable network addresses are stored in non-volatile memory for repeated use in re-discovery of the test devices in the network.

Abstract: A method of collecting information about a plurality of test devices connected in a network is provided. The method includes: identifying routable network addresses within a plurality of the network addresses, and sending discovery packets to the plurality of routable network addresses, receiving responses from the test devices, obtaining the information about the test devices, and storing the information so as to associate, for each of the test devices, the test-device information with at least one of the routable network addresses. The routable network addresses are stored in non-volatile memory for repeated use in re-discovery of the test devices in the network.

Abstract: A method of providing topology information about a network to a topology manager is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of sensors each having a sensor ID, and the method includes performing the following steps at each of the plurality of sensors: receiving a stream of packets and identifying a topology trace packet in the stream of packets, wherein the topology trace packet has a destination address and an ID of a previous sensor, including the sensor ID in the topology trace packet, sending the topology trace packet to the destination address, forming a report message so as to include the sensor ID, the previous sensor ID, sending the report to the topology manager; and, providing network addresses of adjacent nodes to the topology manager.

Abstract: A method of providing topology information about a network to a topology manager is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of sensors each having a sensor ID, and the method includes performing the following steps at each of the plurality of sensors: receiving a stream of packets and identifying a topology trace packet in the stream of packets, wherein the topology trace packet has a destination address and an ID of a previous sensor, including the sensor ID in the topology trace packet, sending the topology trace packet to the destination address, forming a report message so as to include the sensor ID, the previous sensor ID, sending the report to the topology manager; and, providing network addresses of adjacent nodes to the topology manager.

Abstract: The invention relates to time synchronization between network testing elements in distributed network monitoring and testing systems, and provides a condensed PTP process wherein the number of timing messages exchanged between master and slave in one iteration of the time synchronization process is reduced. Furthermore, timing messages are encrypted to provide for a more secure synchronization process. One aspect of the method provides for an automatic detection and adaptive handling of protocol stacks of received timing packets.

Abstract: A method of re-establishing communication between a control device and an unaddressed test device connected in a network is provided. The method includes: maintaining a plurality of network addresses of nodes within the network, at the control device; resending a lost message, comprising sending a plurality of command messages, each including a command sent in the lost message and having a destination address different from a destination address of the lost message, wherein the plurality of network addresses comprises the destination addresses of the plurality of command messages; and, receiving an acknowledgement message from the unaddressed test device at the control device.

Abstract: The invention relates to time synchronization between network testing elements in distributed network monitoring and testing systems, and provides a condensed PTP process wherein the number of timing messages exchanged between master and slave in one iteration of the time synchronization process is reduced. Furthermore, timing messages are encrypted to provide for a more secure synchronization process. One aspect of the method provides for an automatic detection and adaptive handling of protocol stacks of received timing packets.

Abstract: A method of collecting information about a plurality of test devices connected in a network is provided. The method includes: identifying routable network addresses within a plurality of the network addresses, and sending discovery packets to the plurality of routable network addresses, receiving responses from the test devices, obtaining the information about the test devices, and storing the information so as to associate, for each of the test devices, the test-device information with at least one of the routable network addresses. The routable network addresses are stored in non-volatile memory for repeated use in re-discovery of the test devices in the network.

Abstract: A method of re-establishing communication between a control device and an unaddressed test device connected in a network is provided. The method includes: maintaining a plurality of network addresses of nodes within the network, at the control device; resending a lost message, comprising sending a plurality of command messages, each including a command sent in the lost message and having a destination address different from a destination address of the lost message, wherein the plurality of network addresses comprises the destination addresses of the plurality of command messages; and, receiving an acknowledgement message from the unaddressed test device at the control device.

Abstract: A method of network testing relies on communication with an unaddressed test device. The method includes collection of network addresses from packets passing through the test device and a discovery procedure. The collected addresses are provided to a remote control device, and used for communication between the test device and the control device.

Abstract: A test device includes a packet input receiver for receiving encapsulated packets from a network; a packet reader for extracting timing information from the encapsulated packets, and for decapsulating encapsulated packets so as to obtain test packets; a FIFO queue for storing the test packets; a packet controller for reading the test packets from the FIFO queue and writing the test packets into a de-jitter buffer in accordance with the timing information, the de-jitter buffer for storing the reordered test packets; and, a packet output generator for providing the test packets to a target device wherein time intervals between the test packets are reproduced using the timing information.

Abstract: The invention relates to time synchronization between network testing elements in distributed network monitoring and testing systems, and provides a condensed PTP process wherein the number of timing messages exchanged between master and slave in one iteration of the time synchronization process is reduced. Furthermore, timing messages are encrypted to provide for a more secure synchronization process. One aspect of the method provides for an automatic detection and adaptive handling of protocol stacks of received timing packets.

Abstract: A method of providing topology information about a network to a topology manager is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of sensors each having a sensor ID, and the method includes performing the following steps at each of the plurality of sensors: receiving a stream of packets and identifying a topology trace packet in the stream of packets, wherein the topology trace packet has a destination address and an ID of a previous sensor, including the sensor ID in the topology trace packet, sending the topology trace packet to the destination address, forming a report message so as to include the sensor ID, the previous sensor ID, sending the report to the topology manager; and, providing network addresses of adjacent nodes to the topology manager.

Abstract: A test device includes a packet input receiver for receiving encapsulated packets from a network; a packet reader for extracting timing information from the encapsulated packets, and for decapsulating encapsulated packets so as to obtain test packets; a FIFO queue for storing the test packets; a packet controller for reading the test packets from the FIFO queue and writing the test packets into a de-jitter buffer in accordance with the timing information, the de-jitter buffer for storing the reordered test packets; and, a packet output generator for providing the test packets to a target device wherein time intervals between the test packets are reproduced using the timing information.

Abstract: A method of network testing relies on communication with an unaddressed test device. The method includes collection of network addresses from packets passing through the test device and a discovery procedure. The collected addresses are provided to a remote control device, and used for communication between the test device and the control device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of displaying traffic information of an inverse multiplexed asynchronous transfer mode network. The traffic information of an inverse multiplexed asynchronous transfer mode network is autodetected and summarized in real time, and the summarized traffic information is displayed in a tabular form. The traffic information includes corresponding inverse multiplexed link status information, corresponding inverse multiplexed group information of the inverse multiplexed links, link information of each of the inverse multiplexed links, and group delay information of the inverse multiplexed links. Further, the traffic information indicates correctness of connection configuration using a graphical user interface. Accordingly, a selectable graphical user interface is provided for presenting users with traffic information of an inverse multiplexed asynchronous transfer mode network in a user-friendly manner.

Abstract: A method and system of enabling real-time network protocol analysis of network data by a post-time network protocol analyzing software that is incompatible with a real-time protocol analyzing software real-time capturing network data, by controlling the real-time protocol analyzing software and taking over a communication socket opened by the real-time protocol analyzing software, thereby transparently porting the post-time network protocol analyzing software to the real-time protocol analyzing software. Further, a method and system of enabling the post-time network data analyzer software to analyze network data captured concurrently in real-time from two or more of the real-time protocol analyzing software based upon time stamping by the real-time protocol analyzing software of every data frame received over the taken-over sockets.