Abstract: A method and a node for distributed performance monitoring in a communication network comprising a set of nodes. Each node in the set is configured to operate alternatively as a monitor node or as a sensor node and wherein each monitor node in the network is configured to perform measurements together with a corresponding sensor node. The monitor node determines (from a priority list) the sensor node which has the highest priority and sends a first query to that sensor node. The sensor node on its side has a listening period for receiving queries. When the listening period expires, the sensor node selects the monitor node having the highest query priority and performs measurements together with said selected monitor node.

Abstract: A processor implemented method for monitoring the performance of a message queue for communication between processes is described. The method includes, by an initiating process, publishing a trigger message to a first topic in the message queue, wherein the trigger message identifies one or more performance metrics and at least two processes that communicate via the message queue. The method further includes, by one or more of the at least two processes, retrieving the trigger message from the first topic in the message queue; performing a measurement on one or more messages exchanged between the processes over the message queue, wherein the measurement determines the one or more performance metrics; and publishing the one or more determined performance metrics to a second topic in the message queue. The method also includes, at a receiving process, retrieving the published performance metrics from the second topic in the message queue.

Abstract: A method and network device for resource-aware dynamic monitoring of application units is described. Instantiation of a monitoring element is caused. A first usage status of resources is obtained. Configuration parameters of the monitoring element are set based upon the first usage status of the resources. The monitoring element is scheduled based upon the first usage status of the resources. A second usage status of the resources is obtained. A determination is performed of whether to update the monitoring element based upon the second usage status of the resources. Responsive to determining that the monitoring element is to be updated, at least one of the following is performed: (i) updating the one or more configuration parameters of the monitoring element based upon the second usage status of the resources, and (ii) rescheduling the monitoring element based upon the second usage status of the resources.

Abstract: A method for predicting a location of a fault in a system is described. The method includes obtaining a faulty unit pertaining to a Supervised Self-Organizing Map (SSOM), wherein the faulty unit has been derived from a sample of machine-level metrics for the system and the SSOM has been trained with a first layer of machine-level metrics and a second layer of service-level metrics. The method further includes expanding a circle originating at the faulty unit until a number of normal units of the SSOM falls within the circle, computing, for each machine-level metric, a score based on differences between the faulty and normal units, wherein a set of scores comprises the respective score for each machine-level metric, and selecting a sub-set of the set, wherein the sub-set comprises the greatest scores of the set, whereby the fault is predicted as located according to metrics represented by the sub-set.

Abstract: A master node, a local node, a service assurance system, and a respective method performed thereby for predicting one or more metrics associated with a communication network are provided. The method performed by the master node operable in the communication network comprises receiving prediction(s) based on training data from local nodes in the communication network; and determining weight parameter(s) associated with the local nodes based on the current received prediction(s) and past received predictions. The method further comprises adjusting a respective local reporting policy for one or more local nodes based on the determined weight parameter(s).

Abstract: A method for managing active measurements for determining performance parameters in a communication network comprises obtaining of a maximum permitted subsession duration and obtaining of time margins. The method further comprises determining whether or not a critical resource involved in the active measurement is active due to other activities than active measurements. If the determination concluded that the critical resource is active, a sending of an ensemble of packets of a subsession of an active measurement session is initiated. If there is an intended next subsession of the active measurement session and if a time since a last ensemble of packets was sent exceeds a sleep-init time comprised in the time margins, at least the determining and, if permitted, the initiating a sending of an ensemble of packets of the next subsession of the active measurement session is repeated.

Abstract: A compute infrastructure interconnected with a network configured for allotting a benchmark message. The benchmark message comprises program code, or references to program code, to be executed on a reflecting entity. The reflecting entity is able to execute program code. The program code requests capabilities of the reflecting entity when being executed. The compute infrastructure is further configured for sending of the benchmark message to the reflecting entity. The compute infrastructure is further configured for receiving the benchmark message and for executing, in the reflecting entity, the program code. The compute infrastructure is further configured for providing a benchmark reply message. The benchmark reply message comprises execution time and optionally execution result of the execution of said program code. The compute infrastructure is further configured for returning the benchmark reply message from the reflecting entity.

Abstract: A method performed by a hypervisor executing a virtual machine for enabling a performance measurement between the virtual machine and a peer node, and a method performed by a physical machine comprising the hypervisor are provided. The method performed by the hypervisor comprises intercepting a packet transmitted from, or destined to, the virtual machine, the packet comprising a destination address to the virtual machine or to the peer node, and determining whether to insert a hypervisor time stamp or not in the packet. The method further comprises, when it is determined to insert the hypervisor time stamp in the packet, inserting a hypervisor time stamp in the packet, and forwarding the packet to its destination according to the destination address.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating available capacity of a data transfer path (16) that transfers data between data communication nodes (12, 14) of a data communication system (10). The method comprising: receiving (305) probe packets (15) that traverse the data transfer path (16) during real-time operation of the data transfer path (16); providing (310) measured data (zU, zE) indicating strain of the received probe packets for use in estimating the available capacity of the data transfer path (16); classifying (320) the measured data based on the strain of the received probe packets; filtering (325) the classified measured data into a discrete representation of a probability density function of available capacity; and estimating (330) the available capacity by using the discrete representation of the probability density function.

Abstract: A method for managing active measurements for determining performance parameters in a communication network comprises obtaining of a maximum permitted subsession duration and obtaining of time margins. The method further comprises determining whether or not a critical resource involved in the active measurement is active due to other activities than active measurements. If the determination concluded that the critical resource is active, a sending of an ensemble of packets of a subsession of an active measurement session is initiated. If there is an intended next subsession of the active measurement session and if a time since a last ensemble of packets was sent exceeds a sleep-init time comprised in the time margins, at least the determining and, if permitted, the initiating a sending of an ensemble of packets of the next subsession of the active measurement session is repeated.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and devices (11, 12, 14) for transmitting a sequence of data packets in a network. To this end, a send rate with which the sequence is to be transmitted is selected. Then, a first set of data packets of the sequence is transmitted and the transmission is associated with a time stamp. Finally a last data packet of the sequence is transmitted after a predetermined time interval has elapsed from the time stamp associated with the first set of data packets, where said predetermined time interval is the time required for transmitting the sequence of data packets with the selected send rate.

Abstract: A method of estimating available capacity of a data transfer path that transfers data between a sending and a receiving data communication node of a data communication system is disclosed. The method includes: sending one or more setting packets wherein the one or more setting packets is/are used to set a traffic shaping node arranged in the data transfer path in a steady state; transmitting, from the traffic shaping node, probe packets received from the sending node, towards the receiving node at an average rate for the traffic shaping node; providing, in response to traversal of the data transfer path by the probe packets, and during the real-time operation of the data transfer path, measured data for use in estimating the available capacity of the data transfer path; and estimating the available capacity of the data transfer path using the measured data from the probe packets.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the presence of a rate limiting mechanism arranged between a sending and a receiving data communication node in a data transfer path of a communication network is presented. The method includes determining time difference values for probe packets in a train of probe packets sent from the sending node and received in the receiving node after having traversed the data transfer path during real-time operation of the data transfer path. The method further includes determining the presence of a rate limiting mechanism in the data transfer path upon detecting that an increase in the time difference value between received probe packets in the train of probe packets exceeds a threshold criterion. Other methods and devices for determining the absence of a rate limiting mechanism and corresponding computer program products are further disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a visualization platform (9) arranged to provide at least one virtual operating system instance (9A, . . . , 9N) to at least one remote network (3) over a packet-based communication network (5). The visualization platform is characterized in that it comprises at least one first termination point (4b) of a virtual private network VPN tunnel (10) which enables the establishment of at least one VPN tunnel between said at least one first termination point and at least one second termination point (4a) in said at least one remote network over said packet-based communication network; and in that it is arranged to map said at least one virtual operating system instance to said at least one first termination point of said at least one VPN tunnel. The invention also relates to a method for virtualization and a computer program product.

Abstract: A method performed by a hypervisor executing a virtual machine for enabling a performance measurement between the virtual machine and a peer node, and a method performed by a physical machine comprising the hypervisor are provided. The method performed by the hypervisor comprises intercepting a packet transmitted from, or destined to, the virtual machine, the packet comprising a destination address to the virtual machine or to the peer node, and determining whether to insert a hypervisor time stamp or not in the packet. The method further comprises, when it is determined to insert the hypervisor time stamp in the packet, inserting a hypervisor time stamp in the packet, and forwarding the packet to its destination according to the destination address.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method of estimating available capacity of a data transfer path that transfers data between a sending and a receiving data communication node of a data communication system is disclosed. The method includes: sending one or more setting packets wherein the one or more setting packets is/are used to set a traffic shaping node arranged in the data transfer path in a steady state; transmitting, from the traffic shaping node, probe packets received from the sending node, towards the receiving node at an average rate for the traffic shaping node; providing, in response to traversal of the data transfer path by the probe packets, and during the real-time operation of the data transfer path, measured data for use in estimating the available capacity of the data transfer path; and estimating the available capacity of the data transfer path using the measured data from the probe packets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating available capacity of a data transfer path (16) that transfers data between data communication nodes (12, 14) of a data communication system (10). The method comprising: receiving (305) probe packets (15) that traverse the data transfer path (16) during real-time operation of the data transfer path (16); providing (310) measured data (zU, zE) indicating strain of the received probe packets for use in estimating the available capacity of the data transfer path (16); classifying (320) the measured data based on the strain of the received probe packets; filtering (325) the classified measured data into a discrete representation of a probability density function of available capacity; and estimating (330) the available capacity by using the discrete representation of the probability density function.