Abstract: A multicast test of an Internet Protocol (IP) network is performed with an initial multicast probing frequency. The multicast probing frequency of the multicast test is increased, and an impairment of the IP network based on the multicast test is detected based on the multicast test. Based on detecting the impairment, a unicast test is performed at one or more segments of the IP network. Based on the unicast test, an impaired segment of the IP network is identified.

Abstract: A computerized method for selecting a host web site for hosting advertising data is disclosed the method including characterizing in a data communications network, data communications for a plurality of end user devices for each of a plurality of subscribers to the data communication network between the data communication network and each of a plurality of potential host web sites; profiling each of the plurality of potential host web sites for advertising performance based on the characterizing data communications and subscriber profile data for the plurality of subscribers stored in the data communications network; and selecting one of the plurality of potential host web sites as a selected host web site for the advertising data based on the selected host web site advertising performance. A system and a computer program are also disclosed for performing the method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for presenting advertisements is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having an inspection element that monitors packet traffic associated with an end user, and determines a behavioral profile of the end user from the monitored packet traffic, a publisher element that detects an end user visiting a website managed thereby, and generates an advertisement request associated with the website, and advertisement element that selects one or more advertisements according to the behavioral profile of the end user, and submits said one or more advertisements to the publisher element for presentation thereof to the end user. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A load balancer assigns a mobile registration request to a mobile communication processing server (MCPS) based on an amount of free space in a visitor location register (VLR) of the MCPS. In an embodiment, the load balancer assigns the mobile registration request to the MCPS with a probability equal to the amount of free space in the VLR divided by a total amount of free space in a plurality of VLRs of a plurality of MCPSs, the plurality of MCPSs including the MCPS.