Patent ID: 7936695
Filing Date: 2011-05-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: operating a central media monitor configured to remotely monitor media streams transferred over network paths established between media stream endpoints in a packet switched network, wherein the central media monitor is outside of the network paths established between the media stream endpoints; requesting, with the central media monitor, multiple different network devices to monitor different associated portions of one or more of the media streams established between the endpoints and periodically generate media stream reports summarizing real-time packet transportation statistics for transportation of media packets over the different portions of the media streams, wherein the multiple different network devices are intermediary nodes positioned at different locations within the network paths used for transferring the media streams, and wherein the media stream reports summarize the real-time packet transportation statistics for the different associated portions of the network paths; setting up tunnels between the central media monitor and the multiple different network devices; and receiving the media stream reports with the central media monitor over the tunnels from the multiple different network devices that each contain the real-time packet transportation statistics for the different associated portions of requested one or more media streams,