Patent ID: 8619594
Filing Date: 2013-12-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for comparing communications comprising: a processor getting a first packet trace of a failed communication, wherein the failed communication was sent through a first network; the processor getting a second packet trace of a successful communication, wherein the successful communication was also sent through the first network, wherein the first packet trace of the failed communication and the second packet trace of the successful communication are generated from packets of a common communications protocol, and wherein the failed communication and the successful communication involve at least one common element of the first network; the processor identifying a common field in both the first packet trace and the second packet trace, wherein the common field is defined by the common communications protocol; the processor changing the identified common field in at least one of the first packet trace of the failed communication or the second packet trace of the successful communication to produce a same value in the identified common field of both the first packet trace and the second packet trace; the processor comparing the updated first packet trace and second packet trace to produce a list of all remaining differences between the first packet trace of the failed communication and the second packet trace of the successful communication; providing the list of remaining differences; the processor getting a bill of materials of the failed communication, wherein the bill of materials for the failed communication comprises one or more of: devices, software elements, and communication links in a communication path of the failed communication; the processor getting a bill of materials of the successful communication, wherein the bill of materials for the successful communication comprises one or more of: devices, software elements and communication links in a communication path of the successful communication; the processor comparing the bill of materials of the failed communication with the bill of materials of the successful communication to produce a list of differences between the bill of materials of the failed communication and the bill of materials of the successful communication; and displaying the list of differences between the first packet trace of the failed communication and the second packet trace of the successful communication in relation to the list of differences between the bill of materials of the failed communication and the bill of materials of the successful communication.