Abstract: A system for the assessment of network performance criteria, and applying this criteria to the classification of network addresses into appropriate ranges, using these ranges to consolidate performance measurements for the associated addresses, and applying these metrics toward the optimization of the network towards performance or policy objectives.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting routing intelligence for evaluating routing paths based on performance measurements. The routing intelligence may include processes executed in a self-contained device. This device may control one or more edge routers, based on performance data from end users. In other embodiments, the routing intelligence device may be used solely to monitor one or more edge routers, producing reports but not effecting any changes to routing. Routing decisions may be injected to the edge routers via BGP updates. The devices may be stationed at the premises of a multihomed organization, such as an enterprise, ISP, government organization, university, or other organization supporting a sub-network coupled to an internetwork. In other embodiments, the routing intelligence comprises processes executed on a router.

Abstract: A system for the assessment of network performance criteria, and applying this criteria to the classification of network addresses into appropriate ranges, using these ranges to consolidate performance measurements for the associated addresses, and applying these metrics toward the optimization of the network towards performance or policy objectives.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to using measurement packets to compute network performance. Embodiments that send, receive and both send and receive measurement packets are described. Some embodiments are described that compute statistics based at least partly on measurement traffic. Some embodiments are described that communicate computed statistics within measurement traffic. Some embodiments are described that rank and select paths based at least partly on computed statistics.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for enabling routers to coordinate via a back-channel communication medium. The information exchanged over the back-channel is used to increase the number of paths considered for the routers during route optimization. The Decision Makers may assert routes and prefixes to the routers under their control. This may be done via a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) feed. The Decision Makers, in turn, communicate separately with one another, in order to coordinate routing policy amongst themselves. This coordination may be performed over a back-channel, which may take the form of physical or logical connections between the Decision Makers.

Abstract: Methods, computer code, and means are described that can control load in a network. In some applications, the monetary cost of operating the network can be reduced. Utilization of links in the network can be monitored. A degree of suboptimality with respect to some criteria can be assessed. In some instances, the criteria could be based at least partly one or more monetary billing structures of some subset of two or more links. A subset of the forwarding decisions of one or more forwarding nodes in the network can be adjusted automatically, based at least partly on the assessing. The adjustment can attempt to reduce the degree of suboptimality.

Abstract: Methods, computer code, and means are described that can control load in a network. In some applications, the monetary cost of operating the network can be reduced. Utilization of links in the network can be monitored. A degree of suboptimality with respect to some criteria can be assessed. In some instances, the criteria could be based at least partly one or more monetary billing structures of some subset of two or more links. A subset of the forwarding decisions of one or more forwarding nodes in the network can be adjusted automatically, based at least partly on the assessing. The adjustment can attempt to reduce the degree of suboptimality.

Abstract: Methods are described for analyzing access list subsumption in routing devices of a computer network and for identifying computer network integrity violations, by producing structured data that includes stored router names and access lists that include elements with address/mask pairs, or patterns used to filter data into and out of a routing device, respectively; determining whether access lists in the structured data include elements in which a first element in the access list has a more general or equal address/mask pair, or pattern, respectively, than a second or subsequent element, or pattern; and storing in electronic memory a report of elements or a list of patterns, respectively, in which a first element or pattern is more general than or equal to a second or subsequent element or pattern.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting routing intelligence for evaluating routing paths based on performance measurements. The routing intelligence may include processes executed in a self-contained device. This device may control one or more edge routers, based on performance data from end users. In other embodiments, the routing intelligence device may be used solely to monitor one or more edge routers, producing reports but not effecting any changes to routing. Routing decisions may be injected to the edge routers via BGP updates. The devices may be stationed at the premises of a multihomed organization, such as an enterprise, ISP, government organization, university, or other organization supporting a sub-network coupled to an internetwork. In other embodiments, the routing intelligence comprises processes executed on a router.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for enabling routers to coordinate via a back-channel communication medium. The information exchanged over the back-channel is used to increase the number of paths considered for the routers during route optimization. The Decision Makers may assert routes and prefixes to the routers under their control. This may be done via a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) feed. The Decision Makers, in turn, communicate separately with one another, in order to coordinate routing policy amongst themselves. This coordination may be performed over a back-channel, which may take the form of physical or logical connections between the Decision Makers.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting routing intelligence for evaluating routing paths based on performance measurements. The routing intelligence may include processes executed in a self-contained device. This device may control one or more edge routers, based on performance data from end users. In other embodiments, the routing intelligence device may be used solely to monitor one or more edge routers, producing reports but not effecting any changes to routing. Routing decisions may be injected to the edge routers via BGP updates. The devices may be stationed at the premises of a multihomed organization, such as an enterprise, ISP, government organization, university, or other organization supporting a sub-network coupled to an internetwork. In other embodiments, the routing intelligence comprises processes executed on a router.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for obtaining delay, jitter, and loss statistics of a path between server and an end user coupled via an internetwork are described. The server may comprise a web server in communication with the end user via the Internet. Statistics are obtained by analyzing the details of a TCP connection underlying an HTML transaction. Robust measurements of jitter, delay, and loss are ensured by maximizing traffic between the web server and the surfer in order to generate a robust sample of TCP connections. Content may be updated with one or more html link(s). This existing content may reside on a highly trafficked portal, such as a web portal, and may be encoded in a markup language, such as Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML). The Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) corresponding to the one or more links resolve to the server from which the statistics are to be measured. The actual content supplied by the server may be minimized, in order to preserve bandwidth.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for enabling routers to coordinate via a back-channel communication medium. The information exchanged over the back-channel is used to increase the number of paths considered for the routers during route optimization. The Decision Makers may assert routes and prefixes to the routers under their control. This may be done via a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) feed. The Decision Makers, in turn, communicate separately with one another, in order to coordinate routing policy amongst themselves. This coordination may be performed over a back-channel, which may take the form of physical or logical connections between the Decision Makers.

Abstract: A system for the assessment of network performance criteria, and applying this criteria to the classification of network addresses into appropriate ranges, using these ranges to consolidate performance measurements for the associated addresses, and applying these metrics toward the optimization of the network towards performance or policy objectives.

Abstract: Network architectures and protocols to support enhancements to the decision making process of standard routing protocols are described. Embodiments allow decisions to be exchanged between networks, or autonomous systems, about which internetwork paths have been chosen for outbound traffic. Some embodiments of the invention allow information about the measured performance of internetwork paths to be exchanged between autonomous systems. Embodiments allow additional policy information to be communicated between networks, including but not limited to information about why local policy decisions have been made; requests of policies from remote networks; performance information about particular paths; and informational status. Such information may be exchanged dynamically between networks.

Abstract: Methods are described for analyzing access list subsumption in routing devices of a computer network and for identifying computer network integrity violations, by producing structured data that includes stored router names and access lists that include elements with address/mask pairs, or patterns used to filter data into and out of a routing device, respectively; determining whether access lists in the structured data include elements in which a first element in the access list has a more general or equal address/mask pair, or pattern, respectively, than a second or subsequent element, or pattern; and storing in electronic memory a report of elements or a list of patterns, respectively, in which a first element or pattern is more general than or equal to a second or subsequent element or pattern.

Abstract: Methods, computer code, and means are described that can control load in a network. In some applications, the monetary cost of operating the network can be reduced. Utilization of links in the network can be monitored. A degree of suboptimality with respect to some criteria can be assessed. In some instances, the criteria could be based at least partly one or more monetary billing structures of some subset of two or more links. A subset of the forwarding decisions of one or more forwarding nodes in the network can be adjusted automatically, based at least partly on the assessing. The adjustment can attempt to reduce the degree of suboptimality.

Abstract: We describe multiple methods and apparatuses for characterizing the quality of a network path by means of metrics that at the same time are (1) additive and (2) characterize the performance of network applications.

Abstract: Network architectures and protocols to support enhancements to the decision making process of standard routing protocols are described. Embodiments allow decisions to be exchanged between networks, or autonomous systems, about which internetwork paths have been chosen for outbound traffic. Some embodiments of the invention allow information about the measured performance of internetwork paths to be exchanged between autonomous systems. Embodiments allow additional policy information to be communicated between networks, including but not limited to information about why local policy decisions have been made; requests of policies from remote networks; performance information about particular paths; and informational status. Such information may be exchanged dynamically between networks.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for obtaining delay, jitter, and loss statistics of a path between server and an end user coupled via an internetwork are described. The server may comprise a web server in communication with the end user via the Internet. Statistics are obtained by analyzing the details of a TCP connection underlying an HTML transaction. Robust measurements of jitter, delay, and loss are ensured by maximizing traffic between the web server and the surfer in order to generate a robust sample of TCP connections. Content may be updated with one or more html link(s). This existing content may reside on a highly trafficked portal, such as a web portal, and may be encoded in a markup language, such as Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML). The Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) corresponding to the one or more links resolve to the server from which the statistics are to be measured. The actual content supplied by the server may be minimized, in order to preserve bandwidth.