Abstract: A method for testing a communication network includes transmitting a flow of test packets over a path through the network. The flow includes a series of bursts of the test packets separated by intervals having an interval duration, each burst comprising a sequence of the test packets and having a burst duration less than the interval duration. Arrival characteristics of the test packets in the flow are measured at a receiving end of the path. The arrival characteristics include at least one of a packet loss characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, and a packet jitter characteristic. A quality defect in the network is detected based on the measured arrival characteristics.

Abstract: A method for testing a communication network includes transmitting at least one unidirectional flow over a path through the network, and measuring arrival characteristics of the least one unidirectional flow at a receiving end of the path. The arrival characteristics include at least one of a packet throughput characteristic, a packet delay characteristic, a packet loss characteristic, a packet jitter characteristic and a packet misordering characteristic. A bidirectional flow is transmitted over the path from both ends of the path simultaneously, and the arrival characteristics of the bidirectional flow are measured at least at one of the ends. The arrival characteristics of the unidirectional and bidirectional flows are compared in order to detect a fault in the path.

Abstract: A method for testing of a communication network having a plurality of end-points, using one or more network agents coupled to the network at respective locations. The method includes specifying at least one packet filtering criterion, and transmitting one or more data packets meeting the at least one criterion through the network from one of the end-point to another. At least one of the data packets meeting the criterion is intercepted using the network agents at one or more of the respective locations in the network traversed by the at least one of the data packets. Information regarding the at least one intercepted packet at the one or more respective locations is recorded and processed to analyze a route of the at least one intercepted packet through the network.