Abstract: A method for measuring the propagation time of data routing information in a data communication system including a data communication network which comprises a plurality of router nodes operating according to a routing protocol for routing data packets between nodes of the data communication network is disclosed. The method includes, at a router node referred to as the generator node: generating timestamp data for the transmission of data routing information; inserting the transmission timestamp data into a field of a routing protocol message carrying the data routing information, the field being intended to receive data relating to data routing; and sending the message to a different router node referred to as the receiver node.

Abstract: This method of testing a router in a test environment that is isolated from an operational telecommunications network comprises initially collecting data from a node of said operational network by copying data packets being conveyed thereby, and then: a step of modifying collected data packets, this step comprising at least one substep of replacing the identity data of the original senders and receivers of the collected packets with identification data for senders and receivers in the test environment; and a step of testing the router and comprising at least one substep of routing modified data packets via said router in said test environment.