Patent ID: 6958977
Filing Date: 2005-10-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. 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 comprising: specifying at least one packet filtering criterion; transmitting one or more data packets meeting the at least one criterion through the network from one of the end-points to another; intercepting at least one of the data packets meeting the criterion using the network agents at one or more of the respective locations in the network, intermediate the end-points, traversed by the at least one of the data packets; recording a time of arrival of the at least one intercepted packet at the one or more respective locations; and processing the recorded information to analyze a route of the at least one intercepted packet through the network, wherein processing the recorded information comprises determining, responsive to the time of arrival, transit times of the at least one intercepted packet over network links connected to the respective locations and traversed by the at least one intercepted packet, and wherein the plurality of end-points comprises a source end-point and a destination end-point, and wherein transmitting the one or more data packets comprises transmitting original packets from the source end-point to the destination end-point, and receiving corresponding echo packets returned from the destination end-point, both the original and the echo packets meeting the criterion, and wherein determining the transit times comprises determining round-trip transit times by intercepting both the original packets and the corresponding echo packets.