Abstract:
A method and system for testing broadband networks and broadband applications. The system performs customer-centric, subscriber-initiated broadband network and broadband application service testing by validating network setup and gateway configuration for broadband application(s); characterizing application service performance; and identifying faults while recommending remedial actions. The method and system optionally pushes fault information and diagnostic test results to service provider(s).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications and in particular to broadband network and application service testing. More specifically, our invention facilitates the testing/diagnosis of broadband applications by a broadband application customer or broadband service provider.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Broadband—high speed, always-on Internet connectivity—represents the next phase in the evolution of the Internet. In fact, experts predict broadband will enable applications and services that transform our economy, education, health-care, Research and Development, entertainment, homeland security, military effectiveness and quality of life. The continued deployment and usage of broadband and broadband applications and services will therefore significantly impact future broadband customers of all types, be they individual consumers or businesses.  
         [0003]     With such extraordinary possibilities, robust broadband demand and usage seems inevitable. Despite this tremendous potential however, there are a number of factors that negatively impact the robustness of the demand. In particular, for consumers and businesses alike, disappointment with the quality and or reliability of service, coupled with frustration caused by difficult provisioning, installation, diagnosis, repair, or service, may seriously limit or delay broadband adoption.  
         [0004]     The magnitude and difficulty of the problem is understood by first noting that much of the attractiveness of broadband is derived from the rich array of “in-demand” applications such as: streaming media including Internet radio, peer-to-peer or multiplayer game playing, video-on-demand, and telephony including voice-over-IP (VoIP) and video phone/conferencing. Deploying and delivering these services requires a complex combination of multiple technologies, systems, and commercial organizational entities including access service providers, Internet service providers and broadband application service providers.  
         [0005]     Consequently, there is developing in the broadband environment an almost infinite number of combinations of hardware, operating systems, installed applications software, telecommunications facilities, and interconnected and/or related devices. When this is further combined with the varied access services/providers and Internet services/providers and application service providers available, it results in a customer service nightmare in diagnosing problems, let alone solving them. In the broadband-connected home for example, customer service expertise must now include computing equipment, networking equipment, telecommunications equipment, systems software, applications software, consumer electronics, and—down the road—intelligent consumer appliances.  
         [0006]     Unfortunately however, broadband service quality and application service quality is typically viewed from the perspective of the service provider network and, as a result, service diagnosis and test tools take a “network-centric” approach without regard to, or ignorant of, the complex premises configuration(s) that are becoming common. As a result, this network-centric approach falls far short of solving the testing needs of today&#39;s broadband network environment(s), and will likely become increasingly deficient in the future.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, a continuing need exists for systems and methods that further facilitate the diagnosis, test, troubleshooting and repair of necessarily complex broadband services and systems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In recognition of this deficiency in the Art, we have developed a suite of diagnostic tools—including methods and systems which we have named Push2Test (P2T)—that assist broadband customers, broadband service providers, and broadband application service providers, in provisioning, diagnosing, testing, troubleshooting, repairing and maintaining broadband systems and broadband applications.  
         [0009]     In sharp contrast to the network-centric approach of the prior art, our inventive P2T takes a consumer or “customer-centric” approach in which testing takes place starting on the premises—with knowledge of the customer premises environment —and expands outward through the broadband service provider network and on to the broadband application service provider network(s). Advantageously our inventive P2T operates in both individual consumer (residential) and business broadband environments.  
         [0010]     According to an aspect of our invention, and unlike common telecommunications testing initiated by a service provider such as a Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOC), a broadband customer initiates a test/test suite to be performed (on-demand testing). This testing originates at the customer premises from a Push-2-Test client and propagates outward into an access network and further into an application service provider network where it optionally interacts with specific Push-2-Test server(s). The initiated test/suite dictates a set of atomic tests to be performed, and in what particular sequence. The performed atomic tests are then interpreted by a rule-based expert system and the interpreted results are presented to the broadband customer.  
         [0011]     Advantageously, the reported results may be presented in a readily-recognizable manner using, for example, colors such as red, yellow, and green indicative of problems, potential problems, or no problems respectively. In addition, an expert discussion on the results may be presented to the broadband customer, describing in detail the presented test results.  
         [0012]     Of further advantage, an expert prescription may be provided, so that automatic adjustments and/or fixes can be performed in an attempt to remedy the diagnosed problem(s).  
         [0013]     A further aspect of our invention provides data and/or information specific to a local customer network—data that may be indicative of service incompatibilities and which was up-to-now unavailable to access and service providers—such that service provisioning is enhanced and further facilitated, for both customer and access and/or application service provider.  
         [0014]     Yet another aspect of our invention is its ability to examine a broadband environment under test across a spectrum of possible broadband application services, thereby determining/reporting particular service needs based on service requirements.  
         [0015]     Further features and advantages will become apparent with reference to the accompanying drawing and illustrative detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is an architectural block diagram depicting an illustrative broadband network including representative broadband services, according to the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is an architectural block diagram depicting an illustrative Push-2-Test client (P2T c ) software architecture according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the relationship between user interface, rules engine, test sequencer, and tests according to the present invention; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing operationally, a representative testing according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     Illustrative examples of our invention will now be presented with reference to the attached drawing. Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an architectural block diagram that depicts a broadband network including representative broadband services according to our inventive teaching. Specifically, shown therein is a broadband network  100  that is further divided into three broad sections namely, a home network  110 , an access network  140  and a service provider network  160 .  
         [0021]     For the purposes of this discussion and to further spotlight advantageous aspects of our invention, the home network  110  is shown in  FIG. 1  having a modest complexity. Importantly, our invention works in home environments covering a range of complexities, from a simple, single personal computer to those involving a number of networked elements or systems. Interestingly, our invention may show its greatest value in complex environments in which testing, diagnosis, maintenance and repair is most difficult. Of further importance—and what will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art—is the observation that while we have shown a representative home network  110 , in  FIG. 1 , we could have equally well shown a business network for the purpose(s) of our discussion.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the home network  110  is interconnected to access network  140  through access device  115  via access facility(ies)  125 . Advantageously, the interconnect between the home network  110  and the access network  140  is variable, as a number of access configurations are possible and accommodated by our invention.  
         [0023]     In particular, the access device  115  may be a cable modem utilizing cable television facilities as access facility  125 . Alternatively, access device  115  may be a DSL modem, operating via existing copper media as access facility  125 . Both of these options are becoming increasingly available and affordable, leading to their ready adoption.  
         [0024]     At this point, it is useful to note that our invention is not limited to these two, commonly available access options. More specifically, it is expected that a number of technologies are either available or emerging that hold promise for broadband access and therefore use with our invention. Direct satellite, for example, is already available in a number of geographic locations, and in such a configuration the access device  115  would be a satellite interface unit. Looking forward, optical fiber to the home (FTTH), broadband wireless, broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN), fixed wireless, and even free-space optical networking may offer desirable customer access. In such environments, the access device  115  would be accordingly matched to the type of access facility  125  being used. Simply stated, the particular access device  115  that is employed, provides connectivity between the home network  110  and the access network  140  and further to the Internet  142 , via an appropriately matched access facility  125 .  
         [0025]     Returning our attention now to  FIG. 1 , the home network  110  environment may include one or more personal computers  112 [ 1  . . .  3 ] which are shown connected to gateway  111  via wired i.e., Ethernet, UTP, USB, etc., or wireless i.e., 802.11x technologies. Also shown connected to the gateway  111  is internet protocol telephone interface  118  (VoIP gateway), which provides connectivity from internet protocol telephone(s)  119 [ 1  . . . N] to home network out to the Internet  142 , thereby enabling voice-over-IP applications (VoIP).  
         [0026]     As can be appreciated, the gateway  111  (which for our purposes may be called home router, or home gateway or residential gateway) is an intelligent network interface device located on the customer premises which, as we noted before, could be either a home network or a business network equally well.  
         [0027]     Continuing in our discussion, gateway  111  provides the means for the customer to access the Internet  142  and its services, as well as different devices located within the home network  110 . Common, commercially available gateways may perform the bridging/routing, protocol and address translation between an external broadband network and an internal home network having a number and variety of networked devices. It may operate as a secure firewall—defending the home network  110  from outside intruders—while serving as the focal point for applications. Gateway devices may even allow users to access a home network  110  and control various networked devices from a remote location via the Internet  142 . Some gateways even include access device  115  characteristics, (such as a cable modem) thereby eliminating the need for an additional physical device. Advantageously, our inventive teachings apply to such variations as well.  
         [0028]     Completing our discussion of the home network  110 , we note the presence of our inventive Push-2-Test client (P2S c ), which advantageously may be located in any of the devices described previously, i.e., personal computers  112 [ 1  . . .  3 ], gateway  111 , IP Telephony interface  118 , in a stand alone P2T c  device  113  or others (not specifically shown). In operation (which will be discussed in detail later), the P2T c  software system works in conjunction with Push-2-Test server (P2T s ) systems located external to the home network, i.e., in the access network  140 , or service provider network(s)  160  to test the broadband network and applications.  
         [0029]     With further reference to  FIG. 1 , access network  140  is interconnected with the home network  110  via access facility(ies)  125  and to Internet  142 . As can be appreciated, precisely defining the Internet  142  and in particular depicting it in a figure such as  FIG. 1  is rather imprecise. More specifically, and as used throughout this specification, it is understood that the Internet  142  is a collection of interconnected networks some of which may provide further services/features accessed and or utilized by a customer.  
         [0030]     As such, service provider network  160  is shown in  FIG. 1  as being connected to Internet  140 , is comprised of an array of individual services. Shown in FIG.  1 , are familiar emerging broadband services such as streaming media service(s)  162 , Voice-over-IP (VoIP) services  164 , gaming services  166 , and others  168 [ 1  . . . N]. Shown associated with each of these services, is a corresponding Push-2-Test server (P2T s ),  163 ,  165 ,  167 , and  169 [ 1  . . . N] for each of the services shown, streaming media service(s)  162 , Voice-over-IP services  164 , gaming services  166 , and others  168 [ 1  . . . N], respectively. Each or any of these Push-2-Test servers, as well as any others situated within the access network  140 , such as P2T s    143 , will interact with individual Push-2-Test client(s) to test and diagnose the broadband network and applications.  
         [0031]     Of particular importance, the combined capability of the Push-2-Test clients with the Push-2-Test server(s) may produce a significant improvement in customer service experience for consumers of broadband services, while lowering operational costs for service providers. More specifically, customers will be able to perform tests and diagnostics independently from access providers, while providing the service providers with invaluable test and diagnostic results as perceived from the perspective of the home network  110 .  
         [0032]     This is due, in part, to the fact that service providers today typically have no “visibility” into home networks, such as home network  110 . Push-2-Test overcomes this “blindness” by providing and coordinating real-time statistics and characteristics of the home network  110  with those of the particular service and/or service provider, as required or desired.  
         [0033]     Turning our attention now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an architectural block diagram of a representative Push-2-Test client (P2T c ) software architecture  200 . In particular, client architecture  200  includes a diagnostic engine  210  that interacts with and coordinates the use of specific diagnostic modules  220 [ 1  . . . N]. Advantageously, and as should be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the specific diagnostic modules used in a particular client will depend upon that client&#39;s broadband environment. As such, diagnostic modules may be distributed and/or deployed separately and “plugged-into” (or “unplugged from”) existing or new systems as appropriate and/or desired.  
         [0034]     In operation, a user of the system may interact with the diagnostic engine  210  through graphical user interface  250 . As can be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are well known in the Art and a general discussion of same is beyond the scope of this description. Examples of such GUIs which work well with our invention include: MS-Windows (98,2000,XP, etc), Apple Macintosh, as well as the variety of GUIs available for Unix/Linux variants. And while the specific graphical user interface used is not particularly important, it should be noted that whatever interface is used should be at least: 1) clear, concise, and sufficiently “non-technical” for a user; 2) intuitive in its operation; and 3) able to provide items of informational value to a user, i.e., reports or alarms, with distinguishing characteristics such as color/cursor attributes/audible or other visual cues.  
         [0035]     Other components of the client architecture  200  include a CMD Generator and Interpreter  240 , network sniffer  242 , network traffic generator  244  and a set of configuration/environmental databases including a broadband services configuration database  230 , a packet signature and help database, and a home network and gateway database  234 .  
         [0036]     The broadband services adaptor  230  contains broadband services specific data characterizing the broadband services that may be tested by the specific Push-2-Test client. In particular, the broadband services adaptor  230  contains data such as service provider specific configuration and performance parameters including throughput, latencies as well as historical data on specific services. Similarly, the home network and gateway adaptors  234  contains that data specific to the characteristics of the particular home network and gateway which may also include historical data of the home network. Lastly, the packet signature and help adaptor  232  contains the rules engine data, which is used to intelligently evaluate test results for diagnosis and presentation to a user.  
         [0037]     Diagnostic modules  220 [ 1  . . . N] operate to provide specific tests and/or diagnostics for particular aspects of the broadband network. Specifically, the home network and gateway module  220 [ 1 ] performs at least the following functions: 1) Validating home gateway configuration; 2) determining attached network devices; and 3) analyzing home network traffic analysis.  
         [0038]     When validating the home gateway configuration, the home network and gateway module  220 [ 1 ] checks and/or modifies the home gateway settings such that they conform to a specific, selected broadband service provider requirements.  
         [0039]     In determining attached network devices, the home network gateway configuration module  220 [ 1 ] will: 1) determine attached network devices such as: desktops, laptops, network printers, VoIP gateway(s), Internet gaming consoles, etc.; 2) graphically display the determined network devices for view by a user; 3) validate communication with each of the attached devices through one of a variety of methods such as the well-known “PING”; and 4) graphically display relative communication “health” of the attached devices. In this manner, a user of the system will readily recognize when communications problems are present.  
         [0040]     Home network traffic analysis is performed by the home network and gateway module  220 [ 1 ] by: 1) generating and displaying network device/application/bandwidth utilization table(s); and 2) identifying potential problem areas such as: excess broadcast traffic, virus related traffic; or unused protocol traffic.  
         [0041]     The broadband module  220 [ 2 ] of  FIG. 2 , provides specific testing and/or diagnostics of the broadband access. Specifically, the broadband module  220 [ 2 ] will validate the home gateway setup for particular broadband access service(s) by examining characteristic settings such as: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Network Address Translation (NAT); firewall settings; content filter settings; and router settings including port forwarding and static routing assignments.  
         [0042]     Additionally, broadband module  220 [ 2 ] will validate the broadband access performance of a service provider network by communicating with an access network Push-2-Test server such as that depicted by reference numeral  143  of  FIG. 1 . Specific measurements of broadband access performance may include, but not limited to: domain name service(s) (DNS) delay; “real” throughput measurements; and latency.  
         [0043]     Lastly, broadband module  220 [ 2 ] will monitor/diagnose uniform resource locator (URL) performance by: 1) receiving a user specified URL to monitor; 2) monitoring the performance metrics to the specified URL and; 3) diagnosing the performance and identifies the source of any bottlenecks.  
         [0044]     The VoIP module  220 [ 3 ] performs both local, home area network (HAN) testing of the home network, and end-to-end testing of VoIP services in conjunction with VoIP Push-2-Test server such as that depicted by reference numeral  165  in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0045]     In testing the HAN, VoIP module  220 [ 3 ] validates home gateway setup for VoIP application(s). In particular, the home gateway validation for VoIP applications includes: DHCP and NAT settings; firewall settings; content filter settings; and router settings such as port forwarding, static routing and Universal Plug and Play (UpnP) characteristics.  
         [0046]     In addition to validating the home gateway setup for VoIP applications, the VoIP module  220 [ 3 ] will validate any VoIP adaptor settings if such device data is present and available. Specific settings include network settings such as DHCP, NAT and DNS; and VoIP Protocol settings including the characteristics of any proxy(ies); media ports and audio compression settings.  
         [0047]     Lastly, the VoIP module  220 [ 3 ] performs error checking by reading/analyzing any error related data such as log entries from the home gateway and VoIP adaptor and subsequently analyzes that data for potential VoIP related problems.  
         [0048]     Advantageously, the VoIP testing is not limited to HAN components. By interacting with VoIP Push-2-Test server  165 , end-to-end service performance is determined. In particular, end-to-end testing includes call setup/call control functions such as: server discovery delay; registration and admission/proxy authentication delay; post-dial delay (PDD); post-pickup delay (PPD); call completion and signaling message transaction history. Setup/control protocols tested include the familiar H.323; Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP); Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP); and PacketCable Network-based Call Signaling (NCS) protocols.  
         [0049]     In addition to the setup/control functions, characteristics affecting perceived VoIP call quality are determined by the VoIP test module  220 [ 3 ]. Specifically, standardized call quality measurement(s) such as that based on ITU-T G.107 are performed as well as other measured characteristics that affect the perceived call quality are determined. In particular, measurements of latency including one-way as well as round-trip are determined along with statistical analysis of same including average trip times, median trip times, relative standard deviation and min/max.  
         [0050]     Additional end-to-end measurements performed VoIP test module  220 [ 3 ] include jitter (both directions, and its distribution(s)); and packet loss including: loss totals, consecutive bursts; as well as early/late/out of sequence packets. Lastly, the end-to-end call quality characteristics are evaluated across a variety of coding schemes including G.711, G.722, G.723.1, G.726, G.728, G.729, G.729A, G.729B, and G.729AB. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that our invention permits/accommodates variations in the above-described testing as standards/technologies evolve and/or change. As such, new standards and/or protocols may be readily implemented by our Push-2-Test system.  
         [0051]     A particular advantage to our inventive Push-2-Test client system is its ability to accommodate future broadband applications testing such as the future gaming module  220 [ 4 ], future video module  220 [ 5 ] and future custom modules  220 [ 6 ], through and including yet undefined broadband application modules  220 [N]. These test modules will interact with corresponding Push-2-Test server such as the video game service and respective video game Push-2-Test server shown in  FIG. 1  as reference  166  and  167 , respectively. Similarly, other, undefined applications/servers which may be defined in the future are represented by  168  and  169  in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0052]     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a block diagram depicting the logical relationships among functions comprising our inventive Push-2-Test system and is useful in understanding its operation. In particular, a user of the Push-2-Test system initiates testing (typically from the customer premises) through the system user interface system,  310  by specifying one or more tests to be performed.  
         [0053]     In response to the user-initiated specific testing request, test sequencer module  330  determines which particular atomic tests  345 [ 1 ] . . .  345 [N] from test set  340  are to be used in the testing and in what order (sequence). As can be appreciated, atomic tests do not commute, that is, they are order dependent. For example, if a user initiated a throughput test, the system must first determine connectivity prior to determining throughput. Consequently, in this example, atomic tests would be sequenced such that connectivity is determined first, and then throughput is determined subsequently. Of further importance, additional atomic tests and/or rules may be added to the test set  340  or rules engine  320 , respectively, as the broadband environment chages.  
         [0054]     Finally rules engine  320 , interprets the specific sequenced test results and based upon rules and thresholds, interprets the results.  
         [0055]     The operational flow of this set of functions is shown in  FIG. 4 . Specifically, a customer initiates a demand or set of demands for tests  420 . In this example, the testing involves VoIP testing  430 , which defines a set of atomic tests  440  performed in a particular sequence  441 . Raw test results are interpreted by rules  450  and the interpreted results  460  are presented to the customer, who may optionally, initiate another demand or refined demand for further testing.  
         [0056]     As noted prior, but not specifically shown in this figure, interpreted test results  460  may be presented to the user in a color-coded report format in which, for example, a red color indicates an issue/problem; a yellow color indicative of a potential issue/problem; and a green color indicative of no issue/problem detected. Along with this report, an expert discussion on the results may be also provided along with one or more recommendations for further action, as appropriate.  
         [0057]     Of course, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention, and that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, my invention is to be limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto.