Patent ID: 7356689
Filing Date: 2008-04-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for tracing a sequence of packets to a potential source thereof within a communications network, the sequence of packets being received at a target host in said communications network at a received packet rate, the method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying a plurality of network elements comprised in said communications network; (b) applying a burst load to a selected one of said identified network elements in said communications network; (c) measuring a change in said received packet rate in response to said application of said burst load to said selected network element; (d) including said selected network element in a potential path if said change in said received packet rate fails to meet a predetermined criterion; and (e) repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) on other selected network elements a plural number of times to generate a path leading from said target host to said potential source based on the selected network elements which have been included in said potential path.