Patent ID: 8498219
Filing Date: 2013-07-30
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform: receiving Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) label data that indicates all interface labels that belong to each path identifier (ID) of a plurality of path IDs associated with a corresponding plurality of paths between provider edge nodes in a MPLS network, wherein each interface label is associated with a network interface on an intermediate network node in the MPLS network; wherein at least one interface label is for more than one of the path IDs; based on the MPLS label data, generating an untested list that holds data that indicates all unique interface labels of the plurality of path IDs in the MPLS network; based on the MPLS label data and the untested list, selecting a first particular path ID indicated in the MPLS label data, wherein a first set of one or more interface labels is for the first particular path ID; scheduling a first set of one or more tests for a first set of one or more network interfaces of nodes in the MPLS network, wherein the first set of one or more network interfaces comprises network interfaces having an interface label that is included in the untested list and that is in the first set of one or more interface labels; removing, from the untested list, data that indicates the first set of one or more interface labels; based on the MPLS label data and the untested list, selecting a second particular path ID indicated in the MPLS label data, wherein a second set of one or more interface labels is for the second particular path ID and wherein at least one interface label in the second set of one or more interface labels also is in the first set of one or more interface labels; wherein the second particular path ID is different than the first particular path ID; after said removing from the untested list data that indicates the first set of one or more interface labels, scheduling a second set of one or more tests for a second set of one or more network interfaces of nodes in the MPLS network, wherein the second set of one or more network interfaces comprises network interfaces having an interface label that is included in the untested list and that is in the second set of one or more interface labels; removing, from the untested list, data that indicates the second set of one or more interface labels; determining that the untested list no longer includes data for at least one interface label; in response to said determining that the untested list no longer includes data for at least one interface label, reporting performance of the MPLS network based on results from the scheduled first and second set of one or more tests.