Abstract: A technique is discloses that enables a first telecommunications terminal, wireless or otherwise, to report to its user whether a second, wireless telecommunications terminal is receiving the first terminal's packet stream transmissions at a satisfactory quality level. The second terminal receives the packet stream that conveys the media waveform transmitted by the first terminal. The media waveform can be that of the speech signal of the first terminal's user. The second terminal measures a trait of the received signal and encodes the measurement data into the packet stream that the second terminal is already transmitting to the first terminal. The first terminal then decodes the measurement data from the received second stream and presents, to its user, a quality indication that is based on the measurement data. In doing so, the first terminal provides its user with a better idea of whether the second terminal has reliably received the user's communication.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing a packet network to deal with a problem of dropped audio packets. A triggering event signal indicates that audio marked packet traffic in the packet network has exceeded a capacity limit. Upon receiving the triggering event signal, a transmitting device transmits audio packets marked as non-audio packets through the packet network. The transmitting device, for example, is a VoIP telephone. The triggering event signal, for example, is generated when the audio marked packet traffic exceeds a dropped packet threshold, or when monitoring of audio marked packet traffic indicates that audio marked packet traffic approaches a committed data rate (CDR) threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for analyzing packet flows and generating an alarm and for active testing of a network to localize problems. The system analyzes packet flows for bitstreams associated with a network node in order to compute a measure of protection that a queue of the network node gives to a high-priority one of the bitstreams relative to a low-priority one of the bitstreams, and uses the measure of protection to determine whether the network node is a source of a protection error with respect to priority markings for packets flowing through the network node, and generates an alarm upon determining that the network node is a source of a protection error with respect to the priority markings for the packets flowing through the network node.

Abstract: A technique that seeks to direct and re-direct streams of packets through a packet network without adversely affecting the quality of service of existing streams is disclosed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, streams of packets that are directed and re-directed through a packet network are initially put on probation. During the probation period, a quality-of-service measure for the stream is compared with a threshold whose value is initially high and decreases with time. This has the advantageous affect of noticing problems quickly so that they can be remediated quickly.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing a packet network to deal with rogue applications that produce non-audio packets marked as audio packets. The system analyzes packet flow through the network to identify an unauthorized source of non-audio packets marked as audio packets, and upon identifying the unauthorized source, the system stops subsequent unauthorized transmission of non-audio packets marked as audio packets from the identified unauthorized source. For example, such an unauthorized source is identified by finding that an audio marked packet has a source address that is not found on a list of authorized sources, or by detecting atypical patterns of audio queue utilization, or by determining whether audio marked packets from a source exceed a threshold value related to transmission of audio marked packets.

Abstract: The system and method send test packets into a network between a plurality of source and destination nodes. Each source node is also a destination node. The test packet contains an additional field (e.g., a field of particular interest to an application or user) that is subject to being modified as the test packet traverses the network (e.g., a DSCP marking). A determination is made if the additional field has changed; if so, the network node that changed the additional field is identified and displayed to a user in a matrix display of the source nodes and destination nodes. This allows a user to identify situations where changes in the additional field may indicate that the test packet is being routed in the network at a priority that is outside of a Service Level Agreement.

Abstract: A method enables a participant in a conference call to monitor, as he is speaking, whether his speech is getting through to the other participants. A teleconference bridge receives audio signals from a group of telecommunications endpoints that are involved in a conference call. The bridge generates audio signals to be transmitted, which are based on one or more of the received audio signals. During the ongoing process of minimizing the presence of acoustic echo, the bridge might exclude one or more of the received audio signals from the transmitted audio signals. When this occurs, particularly when an active talker is being excluded, the bridge transmits an indication to one or more of the endpoints as part of one of the transmitted audio signals. The indication can be audible such as a tone or a voice, visual such as a flashing light, or tactile such as vibration.

Abstract: An IP telephone or other endpoint device in a network is configured to support a reporting mode of operation that may be entered, for example, responsive to user entry of a report command via a user interface of the endpoint device. In one aspect, the endpoint device stores call information in one or more buffers. Responsive to an instruction to enter a reporting mode, the endpoint device sends contents of the buffer(s) to a report server over the network. The endpoint device may reinitialize the buffer(s) responsive to an instruction to leave the reporting mode.

Abstract: A network monitor gets a (layer 7) media path bill of materials for a communication between two communication devices. The network monitor also gets a (layer 7) signaling path bill of materials. The media path bill of materials and the signaling path bill of materials comprise a plurality of items that are involved in the communication (e.g. hardware, software, links). The media path bill of materials and the signaling path bill of materials comprise a communication path bill of materials. The network monitor sends at least one configuration packet to a plurality of network analyzers to monitor packets that contain a status of the communication in relation one or more items in the communication path bill of materials. The status of the communication is output and displayed in relation to the items in the communication path bill of materials.

Abstract: A packet analyzer(s) gets multiple packets, typically of a communication between communication devices. The multiple packets use the same protocol and contain one or more protocol headers with individual field(s) that contain data. The packets are organized into an array of packets. Each packet is a row in the array of packets. Each column in the array is comprised of the same field in each packet in the array of packets. The data in the fields in the column are then compressed into a compression packet.

Abstract: One or more network elements that modify type of service values in a network are detected by sending route tracing messages having increasing time-to-live values and a designated type of service value from a first network element to a second network element. Type of service values are monitored in respective time exceeded messages received from respective network elements on a given network path between the first network element and the second network element responsive to the route tracing messages. At least a particular one of the network elements on the given network path that has made a modification in type of service value relative to the designated type of service value is identified, based on the monitored type of service values in the respective time exceeded messages.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed that evaluates a network path between (i) a first node in a first subnetwork of endpoint nodes, such as IP phones, and (ii) a second node in a second subnetwork. A “ricochet” node in the network path evaluates the path by probing one or both subnetworks, where the ricochet node acts as relay for traffic packets being transmitted between the two subnetworks. A given relay has only to probe a single, representative node within a subnetwork at any given time in order to obtain performance data that is representative of the subnetwork overall. By probing the representative node, the relay is able to acquire an assessment of network conditions that is valid for the path between the relay and any endpoint in the subnetwork. As a result, the disclosed technique reduces the probing overhead when many endpoint nodes on a given subnetwork are simultaneously active and experiencing adverse network conditions.

Abstract: A network monitor gets a bill of materials for a communication across a network where different communication paths may be established. A bill of materials is a list of hardware/software components that are used to establish and maintain the communication. A request to generate a test communication between the same devices involved in the communication is received. A request to sample and send samples of test data is sent to a network analyzer. The test communication is established. A bill of materials for the test communication is determined. The bill of materials for the communication is compared to the bill of materials for the test communication. Test data is sent on the test communication. The sent test data is analyzed in relation to the sent samples of the test data and the compared bills of materials.

Abstract: A network condition capture and reproduction technique captures measurement data characterizing network conditions at a given time between first and second endpoint devices of a network, and utilizes the captured measurement data in a network impairment device to reproduce the network conditions at a later time and possibly in a different place.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing a packet network to deal with rogue applications that produce non-audio packets marked as audio packets. The system analyzes packet flow through the network to identify an unauthorized source of non-audio packets marked as audio packets, and upon identifying the unauthorized source, the system stops subsequent unauthorized transmission of non-audio packets marked as audio packets from the identified unauthorized source. For example, such an unauthorized source is identified by finding that an audio marked packet has a source address that is not found on a list of authorized sources, or by detecting atypical patterns of audio queue utilization, or by determining whether audio marked packets from a source exceed a threshold value related to transmission of audio marked packets.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for analyzing packet flows and generating an alarm and for active testing of a network to localize problems. The system analyzes packet flows for bitstreams associated with a network node in order to compute a measure of protection that a queue of the network node gives to a high-priority one of the bitstreams relative to a low-priority one of the bitstreams, and uses the measure of protection to determine whether the network node is a source of a protection error with respect to priority markings for packets flowing through the network node, and generates an alarm upon determining that the network node is a source of a protection error with respect to the priority markings for the packets flowing through the network node.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing a packet network to deal with a problem of dropped audio packets. A triggering event signal indicates that audio marked packet traffic in the packet network has exceeded a capacity limit. Upon receiving the triggering event signal, a transmitting device transmits audio packets marked as non-audio packets through the packet network. The transmitting device, for example, is a VoIP telephone. The triggering event signal, for example, is generated when the audio marked packet traffic exceeds a dropped packet threshold, or when monitoring of audio marked packet traffic indicates that audio marked packet traffic approaches a committed data rate (CDR) threshold.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for adaptively and intelligently partitioning traffic among a plurality of communications channels, without injecting probe traffic into any of the channels. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, a source node transmits traffic to a receiving node via K communications channels in accordance with partition coefficients ?1, . . . , ?K, and the source node receives information regarding the quality of service (QoS) provided by each of the communications channels. The source node adjusts the values of the partition coefficients ?1, . . . , ?K adaptively based on: the current channel QoS information, prior channel QoS information, the prior values of ?1, . . . , ?K, and a measure of channel independence for one or more pairs of communications channels.

Abstract: Performance problems or other conditions are analyzed in a system comprising a plurality of endpoint devices and an associated centralized or distributed controller. End-to-end measurements are obtained for respective paths through the network, for example, using communications between the endpoint devices. For a given end-to-end measurement obtained for a particular one of the paths, a value of a performance indicator for the path is determined and the performance indicator value is assigned to each of a plurality of links of the path. The determining and assigning operations are repeated for additional ones of the end-to-end measurements, the links are grouped into one or more exculpation or inculpation sets based on how many times a particular performance indicator value has been assigned to each of the links, and the one or more sets are utilized to determine, for example, the location of a performance problem in the network.

Abstract: The system and method get a packet trace for a failed communication and a packet trace for a successful communication. The two packet traces are generated with packets from a common protocol(s) shared by the two communications. The failed and successful communications have at least some network elements in common. A field(s) in the common protocol(s) is identified. The field(s) is updated to be the same in both packet traces. The two packet traces are then compared to produce a list of remaining differences that can be used to diagnose problems in the failed communication. The list can also be compared to bills of materials for the failed and successful communications to further enhance diagnosis of the failed communication.