Abstract: BGP Route Recorder (BRR) captures and dumps Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) messages received from BGP peers. Passive links are established between the BRR and BGP peers. All incoming and outgoing BGP messages are recorded and timestamped. Rather than tear down BGP peering sessions when errors are encountered, error conditions are recorded, and the BRR may be configured to maintain links across selected BGP errors.

Abstract: A communications apparatus is capable of being disposed in-line in a communications link that supports a main communications channel. The communications link connects a first host to a second host. The communications apparatus comprises an application logic that supports a sub-channel within the main channel. When the main channel is potentially faulty, the application logic is arranged to monitor the main channel to determine an error condition and send a message by replacing data reserved for control purposes in order to communicate the error condition as sub-channel data.

Abstract: Discovering routing policies in information networks. Large networks such as Autonomous Systems are abstracted as a single network element. A plurality of taps on the borders of the abstracted element filter ingress/egress data which is forwarded for collection and correlation. By correlating information from different taps, routing policies are discovered. These discovered policies may be compared with published policies. Access control makes discovered policies and the comparisons with published policies selectively available depending on predefined access classes.

Abstract: In a communication network architecture including mobile equipment that employs multiple functions selectable for use by the user, the functions having respective measurable parameters, a service provider monitors the user's behavior with, and use of, the mobile equipment. An agent, such as software installed on-board the mobile equipment, measures parameters that are related to the user's behavior and use of the mobile equipment, and communicates the measured parameters to the service provider, over the communication network. The agent detects change of such user behavior and use, and accordingly changes parameters to measure and report on.

Abstract: A communications apparatus is capable of being disposed in-line in a communications link that supports a main communications channel. The communications link connects a first host to a second host. The communications apparatus comprises an application logic that supports a sub-channel within the main channel. When the main channel is potentially faulty, the application logic is arranged to monitor the main channel to determine an error condition and send a message by replacing data reserved for control purposes in order to communicate the error condition as sub-channel data.

Abstract: In a communication network architecture, a service provider monitors its customer's experience as the customer selects and uses services offered by the service provider. An agent, such as software installed on-board the customer's mobile equipment, measures parameters that are related to the services, and communicates the measured parameters to the service provider, over the communication network.

Abstract: In a communication network architecture having multiple technology coverage areas that support different network technologies, a service provider monitors its customer's experience as the customer roams between technology coverage areas. An agent, such as software installed on-board the customer's mobile equipment, measures parameters that are related to the network technology, and communicates the measured parameters to the service provider, over the communication network.

Abstract: In a communication network architecture having multiple service providers over different service areas, a home service provider monitors its customer's experience as the customer roams between technology coverage areas supported by different service providers. An agent, such as software installed on-board the customer's mobile equipment, measures parameters that are related to the service provider and the services it provides, and communicates the measured parameters to the home service provider over the communication network.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring network performance include a first element in a network, the first element operable to receive a data packet and to create a clone packet based on the data packet, the clone packet having a destination the same as a destination of the data packet and having information identifying the clone packet as a clone, the first element operable to insert the clone packet into a data stream with the data packet.

Abstract: Each provider edge router in a provider network connected to one or more VPNs is identified. Each identified provider edge router is then queried to obtain VPN configuration and VPN policy information for each VPN configured on that edge router. Routing protocol messages, such as, for example, Border Gateway Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (BGP/MPLS) and Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) messages, are then collected from the provider network. Using the discovered policies and topology information, VPN routing information carried in the routing protocol messages can be used to update VPN topology and status information in near real-time.

Abstract: There are disclosed systems and methods for inferring “holes” in wireless communication coverage areas. These holes are determined based on the user's view of coverage at various locations within geographical areas covered by a broadcast signal. In one embodiment, the wireless coverage area is a cellular network and the holes are determined by actual cellular phone usage within the network. Location and direction of travel data pertaining to a cellular phone's usage is stored and refined within the cellular phone so as to define areas where the user selects to place calls or selects to terminate calls. The data stored within the mobile device is from time to time communicated to the central wireless broadcast system. By collecting such data from a plurality of such devices, the central system can map coverage holes from a user's perspective.

Abstract: BGP Route Recorder (BRR) captures and dumps Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) messages received from BGP peers. Passive links are established between the BRR and BGP peers. All incoming and outgoing BGP messages are recorded and timestamped. Rather than tear down BGP peering sessions when errors are encountered, error conditions are recorded, and the BRR may be configured to maintain links across selected BGP errors.

Abstract: Packet tracing in switched packet networks. Tracing of live packet data in a network is performed by discovering the measurement path, setting up dynamic filters along the path to collect traffic information, and collecting data as detected by the dynamic filters. Collected data is sent to a measuring entity. Filter setup may be repeated to capture data as routing changes.

Abstract: A single probe collects link state routing protocol data for two or more areas. The areas may be located within one autonomous system or divided among multiple autonomous systems. Each autonomous system operates pursuant to a link state routing protocol. A router in each area is selected to share its link state routing protocol data with the probe. A logical connection is established between each selected router and the probe. The probe will begin the process of obtaining the routing information by creating an adjacency or partial adjacency with each selected router. The probe will receive link state routing protocol data from each selected router once adjacency is established. Alternatively a router in each area to be monitored is selected, and the probe polls the selected routers periodically for the appropriate SNMP MIB tables. The probe decodes the MIB data to obtain the link state routing protocol data.

Abstract: A system and method for discovering a routing topology within a domain of interest are disclosed. In accordance with certain embodiments, a Border Gateway Protocol (“BGP”) discovery engine is provided that enables auto-discovery of BGP routers in a specified domain of interest. For instance, such a BGP discovery engine may receive, as input, an identification of a domain of interest and a “seed” BGP router within such domain of interest, and may recursively query the BGP routers identified within the domain of interest for information to compile the topology of such BGP routers in such domain of interest.

Abstract: A routing monitor is disclosed comprising at least one communication tap, wherein each of the at least one communication taps is positioned in a line of communication between two routers and a protocol emulator for reassembling routing protocol messages captured by the at least one communication tap and opening a routing protocol connection with a network device using the reassembled routing protocol messages in response to a request for connection received from the network device.

Abstract: Discovering routing policies in information networks. Large networks such as Autonomous Systems are abstracted as a single network element. A plurality of taps on the borders of the abstracted element filter ingress/egress data which is forwarded for collection and correlation. By correlating information from different taps, routing policies are discovered. These discovered policies may be compared with published policies. Access control makes discovered policies and the comparisons with published policies selectively available depending on predefined access classes.

Abstract: A system for physical location self awareness in network connected devices comprises a location server acquiring locations of the devices from a real-time location system (RTLS) and an agent running on each of the devices, the agent querying the location server for a location of the device and storing location information for the device on that device. The system may comprise a plurality of RTLSs and a hierarchical server for searching for a location of a device starting from a last known location server outward. A method for providing location self awareness in network connected devices comprises establishing a location server for acquiring a location of the device from an RTLS, executing an agent on the device, instructing the device to send a query to the location server for location information for the device, and storing the location information for the device on the device.