Abstract: A packetized streaming media delivery network carries many “streams” of differing media content. They often are from multiple sources and of different media types. The invention consists of a scalable hardware and/or software computing element resolving the network traffic into its individual streams for focused, simultaneous, and continuous real-time monitoring and analysis. The monitoring and analysis consists of delay factor and media loss rate which measure the cumulative jitter of the streaming media within the delivery network and the condition of the media payload. These measurements form a powerful picture of network problem awareness and resolution. The delay factor objectively indicates the contribution of the network devices in the streams' path, allowing for both problem prediction and indication. In one example, tapping a packetized network at various locations allows for correlation of the same-stream performance at various network points to pinpoint the source(s) of the impairment(s).

Abstract: Streaming media network parameters are measured using an electronic system and displayed directly to a user or transmitted via an electronic interface such as an existing system network conduit (i.e. Ethernet, USB, or other packet-based architectures), either in or out-of-band. A scalable hardware and/or software compute engine filters and reduces network parameters to simplify tracking the instantaneous and long term streaming media performance of the network. Hence, the entire set of active media streams is continuously monitored concurrently, thereby providing the ability to detect impairments as well as predict impending impairments. The prediction of impairments gives rise to the ability to protect the end-user of the streaming media from experiencing any impairments.