Abstract: A service provider network includes an automated support module that receives stream of network packets from subscribers and separates this streams into packet flows for analysis. The automated support module may be an intermediate device that examines each packet flow to detect subscriber characteristics for each subscriber. The automated support module may apply a set of analysis rules to the detected characteristics to aid diagnosis of reported or potential network errors.

Abstract: A network testing environment includes a control server and a testing cluster composed of one or more load generating devices. The load generating devices output network communications in a non-deterministic manner to model real-world network users and test a network system. The load generating devices operate in accordance with probabilistic state machines distributed by the control server. The probabilistic state machines model patterns of interaction between users and the network system.

Abstract: A network testing environment includes a control server and a testing cluster composed of one or more load generating devices. The load generating devices output network communications in a non-deterministic manner to model real-world network users and test a network system. The load generating devices operate in accordance with probabilistic state machines distributed by the control server. The probabilistic state machines model patterns of interaction between users and the network system.

Abstract: A network management system is described for assuring that a network device complies with a device-specific configuration policy. One example of the network management system contains one or more business rules that describe a business policy regarding a computer network in a network-independent form. In general, the business rules refer to high-level business requirements and not to device-specific configuration information. The network management system uses the business rule to determine which business policies are currently in force. In addition, the network management system contains one or more network design rules that describe relationship between the business policy and one or more device-specific configuration policies. The network management server uses the network design rules to determine whether to deploy a device-specific configuration policies.