Abstract:
A method of monitoring progress of a signalling message over a message sequence path that analyses data stored in Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messages to determine a path taken by a given message, and obtains measurement data from at least one node in the path identified.

Description:
[0001]     The present invention relates to a method of monitoring progress of a signalling message of the type, for example, that follows a message sequence path for a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling transaction, such as a SIP signalling transaction relating to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call. The present invention also relates to a network monitoring apparatus.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002]     Voice over IP is a growing Internet Protocol (IP) technology that uses packets of data to communicate voice calls between two or more terminals equipped to handle VoIP calls. Traditionally, packet switched communications have been used to communicate data between terminals, for example web pages. The popularity of VoIP is increasing due to recent technical advances in relation to the production of VoIP chipsets that are suitable for mobile computing devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and other mobile terminals. With the onset and growth in mobile and wireless Local Area Network (LAN) markets, it is predicted that VoIP will become the dominant integrating and convergent application of choice for telephony.  
         [0003]     However, one factor that will contribute to the success of VoIP telephony is Quality of Service (QoS). Consequently, Service Assurance products targeting VoIP have been developed and presently adopt either one of two technologies to address operational performance characteristics of supporting infrastructure of VoIP calls and voice quality.  
         [0004]     One Service Assurance technology is known as Active Measurement Technology, and involves the generation, transmission and capture of well-formed synthetic traffic within a packet-switched network that supports VoIP calls to address a particular performance metric of interest in relation to a service. However, the measurements relate to the synthetic traffic and not real user traffic, and so do not reflect the experience of the real user traffic.  
         [0005]     An alternative technology is known as Passive Measurement Technology, and uses a tap to couple a probe to a link between SIP components in order to observe real user traffic on the link without disruption to the service. However, the passive techniques rely on filtering, sampling and data reduction relating to observed real user traffic on the link with other annotations such as data capture timestamps. These techniques require probing of multiple links simultaneously, which complicates the deployment of such service assurance technologies and increases the associated cost. Furthermore, in large operator networks, deployment of such technology has proven non-scalable and, in some core networks, is known to make excessive demands upon available processing power with respect to monitoring of all connections to be monitored. An additional disadvantage is the processing complexity associated with making two point measurements, for example one-way delay measurements.  
       DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of monitoring progress of a signalling message over a message sequence path for a SIP signalling transaction, the method comprising: providing a data store comprising path trail data accessible by reference to message type, session and destination information related thereto; obtaining data from the path trail data, the data relating to a version of the signalling message as received at a called host node and identifying a path followed by the signalling message; and obtaining measurement data associated with the signalling message from a first intermediary node identified by the data identifying the path followed by the signalling message.  
         [0007]     The method may further comprise: obtaining measurement data associated with the message from a second intermediary node identified by the data identifying the path followed by the signalling message.  
         [0008]     The session may be identified by data identifying a calling host node, data identifying the called host node, and data identifying a group of signalling messages comprising the signalling message.  
         [0009]     The called host node may constitute a destination for the version of the signalling message as received by the called host node, obtaining the data identifying the path followed by the signalling message further comprising: using data identifying the destination for the version of the signalling message as received by the called host node to identify partially the path followed by the signalling message.  
         [0010]     The signalling message may have a session associated therewith, and obtaining the data identifying the path followed by the signalling message may further comprise: using data identifying the session associated with the signalling message to identify partially the path followed by the signalling message.  
         [0011]     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of tracing back a signalling message comprising the method of monitoring progress of a signalling message over a message sequence path for a SIP signalling transaction as set forth in relation to the first aspect of the invention.  
         [0012]     According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network monitoring apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a data store for storing path trail data accessible by reference to message type, session and destination information related thereto; a processing resource arranged to obtain, when in use, data from the path trail data, the data relating to a version of the signalling message as received at a called host node and identifying a path followed by the signalling message; the processing resource being further arranged to obtain, when in use, measurement data associated with the signalling message from a first intermediary node identified by the data identifying the path followed by the signalling message. The network monitoring apparatus may support an Operations Support Systems (OSS) application.  
         [0013]     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of sharing measurement data between a first node and a second node, the measurement data having been acquired by the first node and relating to an event associated with a SIP signalling transaction in a communications network, the method comprising: selecting a signalling packet to be sent from the first node to the second node as part of a process related to a SIP transaction, the signalling packet having a data structure definition associated therewith; incorporating the measurement data in the signalling packet in accordance with the data structure definition prior to sending the signalling packet to the second node.  
         [0014]     The method may further comprise: receiving the signalling packet at the second node; and obtaining the measurement data from the signalling packet.  
         [0015]     The SIP transaction may be supported by a Mobile IPv6 protocol.  
         [0016]     The data structure definition may be an extendible schema.  
         [0017]     The first node may be any one of a host node, a proxy node, or a redirect node.  
         [0018]     According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of measuring network performance in relation to a plurality of nodes in a communications network, the plurality of nodes comprising a first pair of communication nodes, the first pair of communication nodes participating in a signalling transaction for a SIP communication, the method comprising: sharing measurement data between the first pair of communication nodes according to the method of sharing measurement data between the first node and the second node as set forth above in relation to the third aspect of the invention, the first pair of communication nodes corresponding the first node and the second node.  
         [0019]     The plurality of nodes may comprise a second pair of communication nodes, the second pair of communication nodes participating in the signalling transaction for the SIP communication, the method further comprising: sharing measurement data between the second pair of communication nodes according to the method of sharing measurement data between the first node and the second node as set forth above in relation to the third aspect of the invention, the second pair of communication nodes corresponding to the first node and the second node.  
         [0020]     One of the first pair of communication nodes may be common to the first and second pairs of communication nodes.  
         [0021]     The method may further comprise: communicating the measurement data to a remote monitoring application.  
         [0022]     According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network node apparatus for participating in a SIP signalling transaction in a communications network, the apparatus comprising: a data store; a processing resource arranged to provide: a measurement recorder for recording measurement data relating to an event associated with the SIP transaction in the data store; a packet selector for identifying a signalling packet forming part of a process related to the SIP transaction and to be sent, when in use, to another node participating in the SIP transaction, the signalling packet having a data structure definition capable of supporting incorporation of additional information in the signalling packet; a message modifier for incorporating the measurement data in the signalling packet in accordance with the data structure definition of the signalling packet; and a packet forwarder for forwarding the signalling packet to the another node.  
         [0023]     According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network node apparatus for participating in a SIP signalling transaction in a communications network, the apparatus comprising: a data store; a processing resource arranged to provide: a message receiver for receiving a signalling packet forming part of a process related to the SIP transaction and incorporation of measurement data therein by virtue of a data structure definition of the signalling packet, the measurement data relating to an event associated with the SIP transaction; a measurement extractor for extracting the measurement data from the signalling packet; and a data recorder for recording the measurement data in the data store.  
         [0024]     According to a eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for sharing measurement data between a first node and a second node, the measurement data having been acquired, when in use, at the first node and relating to an event associated with a SIP signalling transaction in a communications network, the system comprising: a packet selector for selecting a signalling packet to be sent from the first node to the second node as part of a process related to the SIP transaction, the signalling packet having a data structure definition associated therewith; and a packet modifier for incorporating the measurement data in the signalling packet in accordance with the data structure definition prior to sending the signalling packet to the second node.  
         [0025]     According to an ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for measuring network performance in relation to a plurality of nodes in a communications network, the plurality of nodes comprising a first pair of communication nodes, the first pair of communication nodes participating, when in use, in a signalling transaction for a SIP communication, the system comprising: the system for sharing measurement data between the first node and the second node as set forth above in relation to the seventh aspect of the invention, the first pair of communication nodes corresponding the first node and the second node.  
         [0026]     It is thus possible to provide a method of sharing measurement data, a system for sharing measurement data and a node apparatus that obviates the need to perform subsequent correlation of events or messages, due to retention of related data together as part of a measurement process and “piggybacking” of information to and from collaborating measurement points. Since measurement data is added to existing packets, a low bandwidth overhead is incurred, compared to the active and passive measurement approaches described above that require fully fledged transport packets of their own. Further, the exploitation of real user signalling traffic for piggybacking measurements and triggers results in measurements that truly reflect the experience of real user traffic. Additionally, data collection from the collaborating measurement points is an external issue, for which all measurement approaches exploit existing techniques for data collection, for example, Management Information Bases (MIBs) and a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), streaming of results at periodic intervals, request/response services, or publish/subscribe services. Further, the present measurement technique is end-to-end in nature and, as such, only requires end systems to be instrumented for the provision of sufficient data to enable certain calculations to be performed, thereby reducing cost, complexity and a requirement for specialised probes to perform the same functionality. Additionally, data can be shared, progress monitored and/or measurements made in relation to messages, transactions and/or dialogues. It is also possible to perform some baseline measurements without the need for synchronised clocks, relative time being employed instead through use of local clocks of instrumented nodes. Hence, it is thus possible to provide simpler, more scalable and more cost effective VoIP Service Assurance tools than known tools. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0027]     At least one embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of network nodes for supporting SIP communications in relation to a call between a first host terminal and a second host terminal;  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack for use with the network nodes of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a message sequence chart of signalling messages communicated between the first host terminal and a SIP Registrar server of  FIG. 1 , and including timing measurements made that constitute an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a table, shown in part, of calculation results obtained from measurement data recorded in relation to the message sequence chart of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a graph of the calculation results based upon the table of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  is a message sequence chart of a VoIP message SIP dialogue for setting up a VoIP call;  
         [0034]      FIG. 7  is a table, shown in part, of sample calculation results obtained from measurement data recorded in relation to the VoIP dialogue of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0035]      FIG. 8  is a graph of a first number of the calculation results based upon the table of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 9  is a graph of a second number of the calculation results based upon the table of  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of messages communicated between proxy servers and data obtained therefrom for use in relation to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0038]     Throughout the following description identical reference numerals will be used to identify like parts.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a communications network  100  supports a protocol stack  200  ( FIG. 2 ) to provide Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications. The protocol stack  200  has sub-IP layers  202 . Since these sub-I P layers  202  are not directly relevant to the operation of the communications network  100  in relation to VoIP communications, they will not be described further herein in order to preserve clarity and conciseness of description.  
         [0040]     An IP layer  204  overlies the sub-IP layers  202 . A transport layer then overlies the IP layer  204 , for example a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer  206  and/or a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) layer  208 . In relation to the UDP layer  208 , an H.248 layer  210 , a Network-based Call Signalling (NCS) layer  212 , a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) layer  214  and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) layer  216  overlie the UDP layer  208 .  
         [0041]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , to support the above-described protocol stack  200 , the communications network  100  comprises a first host terminal  102 . The first host terminal  102  supports a first user agent application that constitutes an end-point of communications for a SIP session. In this example, the SIP session relates to a VoIP communication. The first user agent can be used to make an invitation to a multimedia session, or accept or decline an invitation to join a multimedia session, as well as starting or terminating a call and managing existing calls. The first host terminal  102  is capable of communicating with a proxy server  104 .  
         [0042]     The proxy server  104  constitutes an intermediate component for relaying signalling messages between user agent applications to allow the user agent applications to establish a communications path therebetween. The proxy server  104  acts as both a client for a called server or user agent, and as a server for a calling user agent or forwarding server. It should be noted that, although a single proxy server is described in this example, the communications network  100  can comprise a series of such proxy servers between the first host terminal  102  and a second host terminal  104 .  
         [0043]     The proxy server  104  is capable of communicating with a redirect server  106  and a second host terminal  108 , the second host terminal  108  supporting a second user agent application. At this point, it should be pointed out that a user agent that initiates a call is known as a “caller”, whereas a user agent that responds or answers a call is known as a “callee”. Typically, the user agents perform both caller and callee roles, examples of such user agents being either software or hardware SIP telephones that can, in this example, serve as the first and/or second host terminal  102 ,  108 . Like the first user agent, the second user agent can be used to make an invitation to a multimedia session, or accept or decline an invitation to join a multimedia session, as well as starting or terminating a call and managing existing calls.  
         [0044]     The redirect server  106  serves, inter alia, as an automated telephone enquiry operator that accepts SIP invitation requests to callees and maps addresses of the callees to a respective set of zero or more actual locations for each callee. Location information accessed by the redirect server  106  is stored in a location database  110 , a registrar server  112  also being able to access the location database  110  for the purpose of updating the location database  110 .  
         [0045]     The registrar server  112  is responsible for accepting registration transactions from user agents, and in this respect the second host terminal  108  is capable of communicating with the registrar server  112 . The registrar server  112  is assisted by other non-SIP specific architecture components not described herein, for example a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory server, in order to maintain up-to-date information on every registered user agent in the location database  110 . The location database  110  maintains information regarding availability, location details and contact information of user agents.  
         [0046]     The first host terminal  102 , the proxy server  104 , the redirect server  106 , the registrar server  112  and the second host terminal  108  (hereinafter also referred to as “components”), are instrumented with so-called application agnostic logic, or dynamically loadable code, that is application aware or understands SIP signalling processes (hereinafter referred to as SIP-agnostic-logic (SIP-AL) modules) in order to implement measurement and/or measurement data sharing functionality. Further, different SIP-AL modules exist depending upon the type of messages, transactions or dialogues to be observed when assisting with a specific SIP telemetry task.  
         [0047]     As described in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request For Comments (RFC) 3261 (http://www.fags.org/rfcs/rfc3261.html), two types of generic SIP transactions are defined: an INVITE transaction and a non-INVITE transaction. Additionally, associated state machines are defined for the INVITE and non-INVITE transactions. The INVITE transaction state machine implements logic to instantiate an INVITE request “progression” message, which for example provides feedback to a user at the end of a line as to the progression of a call, and a final ACK message request, thereby implementing a three-way handshake. The non-INVITE transaction state machine, similarly, implements logic to support transactions that do not use ACK message requests.  
         [0048]     Depending upon their functionality, the SIP-AL modules mentioned above implement fully or partially the two state machines defined by RFC 3261, but for the purpose of pattern matching so as to recognise relevant SIP signalling messages so as to effect measurements and record states pertaining to the SIP signalling messages relevant to a transaction of interest. The skilled person will now appreciate that partial implementation of the two state machines is possible, because the SIP-AL modules do not serve to assist in call set-up, but rather they are used to trace pertinent states of interest in a call set-up phase for the purpose of monitoring or diagnostic activities. Consequently, there are states in actual transaction state machines that are not relevant to the diagnostic tasks to be performed. In this and other embodiments, the SIP-AL modules can be simplified so as to reduce the amount of SIP signalling messages that have to be tracked by any one given SIP-AL module, thereby allowing a plurality of simplified SIP-AL modules to be deployed in respective network elements associated with receipt and/or transmission of a subset of SIP communications. Consequently, the processing requirements at the respective network elements can be reduced by confinement of the processing capabilities of the SIP-AL modules. For example, a discrete set of SIP-AL modules can be defined and implemented to monitor specific SIP transactions as follows:  
                                       ? SIP-AL Register:   for tracking signalling message patterns related to           client registrations with a SIP registrar and location           service;       ? SIP-AL Invite:   for tracking patterns related to SIP call set-up           INVITE requests;       ? SIP-AL Cancel:   for tracking patterns related to cancelling an           invitation to a SIP session;       ? SIP-AL Info:   for tracking patterns related to the transportation of           further information mid-way through a SIP session;       ? SIP-AL Bye:   for tracking SIP session termination patterns;       ? SIP-AL Options:   for tracking queries used to gather capability           information from a callee;                  
 
         [0049]     At each component, a data store, for example an active cache (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), of records pertaining to SIP transactions is maintained. The records are uniquely identified and keyed by exploiting SIP call-IDs, alphanumeric globally unique identifiers, such as 2345678@lancs.ac.uk. The SIP call-IDs can be stored as 32-bit hashes of such keys, thereby guaranteeing uniqueness within each active cache. Each active cache is managed by so-called soft-state principles, in that the records of each active cache are given lifetimes after which the records expire, resulting in the records contained therein being deleted automatically. However, this lifetime association can be used to track and monitor incomplete transactions, resulting in, prior to deletion, appropriate summaries of such incomplete transactions being generated and obtained by, for example sent to, an Operations Support Systems (OSS) application for further root cause analysis.  
         [0050]     In operation, registration delay is a fundamental latency that needs to be monitored in respect of VoIP communications supported by the communications network  100 . In this respect, as more users switch to using VoIP services and these users become mobile, the burden on SIP registrars, for example the registrar server  112 , needs to be carefully monitored, since any faults can lead to large communication delays. When users are not appropriately registered in a VoIP architecture, their whereabouts remain undetermined and hence interested parties or correspondents are not able to contact them.  
         [0051]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a registration process involves a simple transaction between the second user agent of the second host terminal  108  and the registrar server  112 . The second user agent of the second host terminal  108  sends a SIP REGISTER request message  300  to the registrar server  112 , which replies with a “ 200  OK” response message  302  once registration is complete.  
         [0052]     For the telemetry task of measuring registration delay, the second host terminal  108  and registrar server  112  are appropriately instrumented with a SIP-AL Register module described above.  
         [0053]     Consequently, a first SIP-AL Register module (not shown) detects generation of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , like other signalling messages, comprises a unique call-ID together with a source address and a destination address defining a SIP session. Detection of the generation of the SIP REGISTER request message  300  triggers the first SIP-AL Register module to generate a first SIP Registration data record  304  populated with information pertaining to the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , including for example source and destination IP addresses of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , source and destination port numbers of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , and other substrings extracted from the SIP REGISTER signalling message  300 . It should be noted that the data required for the SIP Registration data record is configurable.  
         [0054]     Thereafter, a first timestamp, t 1 , is computed ( 306 ) representing the departure time of the SIP REGISTER request message  300  from the second user agent of the second host terminal  108 , the SIP Registration data record  304  being added, together with the first timestamp, t 1 , to a first active cache (not shown) of the second host terminal  108 , the SIP Registration data record  304  being indexed by a call-ID of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 .  
         [0055]     A first IPv6 Destination Options Header (not shown) is then generated and inserted in between the payload and IPv6 header of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , the first Destinations Options Header being encoded as a first Type-Length-Value (TLV) object. The data borne in the Destinations Options Header of the SIP REGISTER request message  300  is identifiable by a suitably instrumented recipient thereof as relating to measurements of SIP Register transactions. The first timestamp, t 1 , is included in the first Destinations Options Header. The SIP REGISTER request message  300  is then sent ( 307 ) to the registrar server  112 .  
         [0056]     Upon receipt ( 309 ) of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , the reception of the SIP-AL Register TLV object constituting the first Destination Options Header of the SIP REGISTER request message  300  triggers a second SIP-AL Register module (not shown) resident in the registrar server  112  to generate a second SIP Registration data record  308  equivalent to the first SIP Registration data record  304 . Additionally, a second timestamp, t 2 , reflecting the time of reception of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , is computed ( 310 ), and the second SIP Registration data record  308 , together with the first timestamp t 1 , extracted from the first TLV object, and the second timestamp, t 2 , are stored, indexed by call-ID of the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , in a second active cache (not shown) of the registrar server  112 .  
         [0057]     When the registrar server  112  is able to respond to the SIP REGISTER request message  300 , the second SIP-AL Register module detects generation by the registrar server  112  of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302  and uses the call-ID of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302  to locate the second SIP Registration data record  308  in the second active cache of the registrar server  112 . The SIP-AL Register module then, from the second SIP Registration data record  308  extracted from the second active cache of the registrar server  112 , extracts the first and second timestamps t 1 , t 2  and builds a second IPv6 Destination Options Header equivalent to the first IPv6 Destination Options Header described above. The second SIP-AL Register module then appends the second IPv6 Destination Options Header, encoded as a second TLV object, between the payload and IPv6 header of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302 , the second TLV object, the data being borne by the second Destinations Options Header of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302  again being identifiable as relating to measurements of SIP Register transactions, and the second TLV object containing the second timestamp, t 2 , and a newly computed third timestamp, t 3  ( 312 ), representing a departure time of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302 . Thereafter, the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302  is sent ( 311 ).  
         [0058]     Finally, upon receipt ( 313 ) of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302  by the second user agent, the second TLV object constituting the Destination Options Header of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302  triggers the first SIP-AL Register module to use the Call-ID of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302  to access an appropriate data record, namely the first SIP Registration data record  304 , from the first active cache of the second host terminal  108 , and append the appropriate record with a computed fourth timestamp, t 4  ( 314 ), corresponding to an arrival time of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302 , and the second and third timestamps t 2 , t 3  borne by the second Destinations Options Header of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  302 .  
         [0059]     The measurement data shared between the second host terminal  108  and the registrar server  112  can then subsequently be collected from, in this example, the second host terminal  108  by the OSS application mentioned above. The mode of collection can be any suitable technique known in the art, including interrogation of the second host terminal  108  by the OSS application or transmission of the measurement data, in dedicated packets, to the OSS application in accordance with a predetermined release criterion, for example expiry of a predetermined period of time. Once in possession of the measurement data, the OSS application calculates, in this example, one or more of the following metrics:  
                                                   ? Total time for registration transaction, t = t 4  − t 1             ? Time spent at registrar, t r  = t 3  − t 2             ? Total transit time t tr  = t − t r             ? One Way Delay transit times t owdreq  = t 2  − t 1 , and t owdres  = t 4  − t 3                        
 
         [0060]     The results of the above calculations can be stored in a first table  400  ( FIG. 4 ) organised so as to comprise, for each host terminal, or client  402 : the identity of the registrar server accessed  404 , the time spent at the registrar server identified  406 , the one-way delay transit time  408  calculated, and the total time  410  calculated. If the measurement data is collected from the registrar server  112 , the OSS application is still able to calculate the time spent at the registrar server, t r ,  406  and the single request one-way-delay transit time, t owdreq ,  408 .  
         [0061]     To be a good service assurance tool, the OSS application abstracts over the simple concept of transactions to allow drill-down access to details pertaining to different levels of abstraction, for example dialogues and sessions. A dialogue is a group of related transactions, for example call set-up or client registration. While a session would represent a complete SIP call identified through the globally unique call ID, the session can be made up of multiple dialogues, but all dialogues will have the same call ID.  
         [0062]     Hence, using the measurement data collected, the OSS application can evaluate the performance of the registrar server  112  and the experience of the second host terminal  108 . The results of the calculations, i.e. the contents of the first table  400 , can be represented, for example, as a bar chart  500  ( FIG. 5 ) showing peak delays  502  that can be easily identified by an engineer charged with maintaining reliable operation of a VoIP service.  
         [0063]     Also, the skilled person will appreciate that since the various measurements have been distributed to both measurement points, in this example the second host terminal  108  and the registrar server  112 , most of the data needed to effect these calculations, and any subsidiary identifying information, are available at these measurement points, thereby obviating the need for correlation.  
         [0064]     In another embodiment ( FIG. 6 ), the first host terminal  102  is instrumented with a first SIP-AL Invite module, described above, for detecting generation of a SIP INVITE X A  request message  600 , the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600  having a unique Call-ID together with a source address and a destination address defining a SIP session. Upon detection of the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600 , the first SIP-AL Invite module creates a first SIP Invite data record  602  and computes ( 604 ) a first timestamp, t 1 , corresponding to a departure time of the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600 . The first SIP Invite data record  602  is then added, together with the first timestamp, t 1 , to a first active cache of the first host terminal  102 , indexed by a Call-ID of the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600 .  
         [0065]     A first IPv6 Destination Options Header is also generated and inserted between the payload and IPv6 header of the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600 ; the first IPv6 Destination Options Header being encoded as a TLV object comprising the first timestamp t 1 . The TLV object constituting the first Destinations Options Header is identifiable as containing data relating to a measure of SIP Invite transactions. The SP INVITE X A  request message  600  is then sent ( 606 ) to the proxy server  104 .  
         [0066]     The SIP INVITE X A  request message  600  is received ( 608 ) by the proxy server  104 , the presence of the first Destination Options Header in the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600  triggering a second SIP-AL Invite module in the proxy server  104  to generate a second SIP Invite data record  610 , equivalent to the first SIP Invite data record  602 . A second timestamp, t 2 , is also computed ( 612 ) corresponding to the reception time of the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600  and, the second SIP Invite data record  610  is added, together with the first timestamp, t 2 , extracted from the TLV object and the second timestamp, t 2 , to a second active cache (not shown) of the proxy server  104 , again indexed by the Call-ID of the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600 .  
         [0067]     If subsequent response signalling messages are generated and detected at the proxy server  104  having the same Call-ID as the Call-ID of the second SIP Invite data record  610  created as a result of receipt of the SIP INVITE X A  request message  600 , i.e. in a forward direction, the second SIP-AL Invite module at the proxy server  104  accesses the second SIP Invite data record  610  and extracts the second timestamp, t 2 , not yet distributed to its downstream immediate neighbour, i.e. the first user agent of the first host terminal  102 . In the present example, the subsequent response signalling message is a “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614  to be sent to the first user agent of the first host terminal  102 . The second SIP-AL Invite module then builds a second IPv6 Destination Options Header, which is inserted between the payload and IPv6 header of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 . The second Destination Options Header of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614  is encoded as a second TLV object and is identifiable by a suitably instrumented recipient thereof as bearing measurement data relating to the SIP Invite transaction. The second TLV object is provided with the second timestamps, t 2 , and a third timestamp, t 3 , which is computed ( 616 ) and corresponds to a departure time of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 . The “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614  is then sent ( 615 ) to the first user agent of the first host terminal  102 .  
         [0068]     Upon receipt ( 617 ) of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 , the first SIP-AL Invite module at the first host terminal  102  extracts the second and third timestamps t 2 , t 3  from the second Destinations Options Header of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 . A fourth timestamp, t 4 , is also calculated ( 618 ), the fourth timestamp, t 4 , corresponding to a time of receipt of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 . The first SIP-AL Invite module then accesses the first SIP Invite data record  602  and appends the second, third and fourth timestamps t 2 , t 3 , t 4  to the first SIP Invite data record  602 .  
         [0069]     If other subsequent response messages are generated by the proxy server  104 , for example a “SIP  180  Ringing” signalling message  619 , having the same call-ID as that stored in the second SIP Invite data record  610  created previously by the second SIP-AL Invite module, the second SIP-AL Invite module detects the generation of the subsequent response message and extracts timestamps not yet distributed to the first user agent of the first host terminal  102 , i.e. the downstream immediate neighbour. Thus, as described above in relation to the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 , the second timestamp, t 2 , is retrieved. In the case of a “SIP  180  Ringing” signalling message  619 , a previously computed seventeenth timestamp, t 17  ( 620 ), is retrieved through access to the second SIP Invite data record  610  previously created and stored in the second active cache of the proxy server  104 .  
         [0070]     The second SIP-AL module then builds another IPv6 Destination Options Header and inserts it between the payload and IPv6 header of the subsequent response message. The another IPv6 Destination Options Header is encoded as another TLV object and is identifiable as containing measurement data relating to the SIP Invite transaction. The another TLV object also contains the hitherto undistributed timestamps, for example the second timestamp, t 2 , in the case of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614  or the seventeenth timestamp, t 17 , in the case of the “SIP  180  Ringing” signalling message  619 . A newly computed timestamp, representing the departure time of the subsequent response message, is also included as part of the another TLV object. For example, in relation to the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 , the third timestamp,  1 , as described above is included in the TLV object. In the case of the “SIP  180  Ringing” signalling message  619 , the seventeenth timestamp, t 17 , is the only undistributed timestamp and so is the only timestamp included in the another TLV object.  
         [0071]     In the case of a “SIP  200  OK” response message  620 , the generation of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  621  is detected by the second SIP-AL Invite module, resulting in the generation of a twenty-first timestamp, t 21 , that is shared with the first user agent of the first host terminal  102  in the same way as already described above in relation to other subsequent response messages.  
         [0072]     At the first user agent of the first host terminal  102 , arrival of the subsequent response message is detected by the first SIP-AL Invite module of the first host terminal  102 , resulting in the first SIP-AL Invite module of the first host terminal  102  computing an arrival time timestamp for the subsequent response message. The Call-ID of the received subsequent response message is then used by the first SIP-AL Invite module of the first host terminal  102  to access an appropriate SIP Invite data record stored in the first active cache of the first host terminal  102 . The arrival time timestamp is then added to the appropriate SIP Invite data record along with any timestamp data carried in the another Destinations Options Header of the received subsequent response message. Therefore, in relation to receipt of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  621 , the first SIP Invite record  602  stored in the first active cache of the first host terminal  102  comprises the first, second, third and fourth timestamps t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 , the seventeenth timestamp t 17 , an eighteenth timestamp t 18 , the twenty-first timestamp t 21 , and a twenty-second timestamp t 22  corresponding to a time of receipt of the “SIP  200  OK” response message  621  by the first user agent of the first user terminal  102 .  
         [0073]     In reply to the “SIP  200  OK” response message  621 , the first user agent of the first host terminal  102  generates a SIP ACK A  request message  622  that is detected by the fist SIP-AL Invite module of the first host terminal  102 . In response to detection of the SIP ACK A  request message  622 , the first SIP-AL Invite module access the first SIP Invite data record  602  stored in the first active cache of the first host terminal  102  using the Call-ID of the SIP ACK A  request message  622 . The first SIP-AL Invite module calculates ( 623 ) a twenty-third timestamp, t 23 , corresponding to the departure time of the SIP ACK A  request message  622 , the first SIP Invite data record  602  stored in the first active cache of the first host node  102  being populated with the twenty-third timestamp, t 23 . A further IPv6 Destination Options Header is then produced and inserted in between the payload and IPv6 header of the SIP ACK A  request message  622 , the further Destinations Options Header being encoded as a further TLV object identifiably a suitably instrumented recipient thereof as carrying measurement data relating to the SIP-AL Invite transaction, the further TLV object also including any undistributed timestamps, for example, the fourth timestamp, t 1 , the eighteenth timestamp, t 18 , the twenty-second timestamp, t 22 , and the twenty-third timestamp, t 23 . The SIP ACK A  request message  622  is then sent ( 624 ) to the proxy server  104 .  
         [0074]     Upon receipt ( 625 ) of the SIP ACK A  request message  622  at the proxy server  104 , the second SIP-AL Invite module of the proxy server  104  detects the further Destination Options Header and accesses, using the Call-ID of the SIP ACK A  request message  622 , the second SIP Invite data record  610  stored in the second active cache of the proxy server  104 , and the timestamps carried in the further Destinations Options Header of the SIP ACKA request message  622  are extracted therefrom. A twenty-fourth timestamp, t 24 , corresponding to a time of arrival of the SIP ACK A  request message  622  is computed ( 626 ) and, once accessed, the second SIP Invite data record  610  is updated to include the twenty-fourth timestamp, t 24 , along with the fourth, eighteenth, twenty-second and twenty-third timestamps t 4 , t 18 , t 22 , t 23  extracted from the further Destinations Options header of the SIP ACK A  request message  612 .  
         [0075]     Using the measurement data shared between the first user agent of the first host terminal  102  and the proxy server  104  by distribution thereof in the manner described above, a number of useful calculations can be carried out to measure performance of the individual components involved in supporting a given SIP session as well as aggregate performance of a number of the components involved in supporting the given SIP session, in an analogous manner to that described above in relation to the previous embodiment, for example a call set-up time.  
         [0076]     Of course, as part of the call set-up dialogue, other messages are exchanged between the proxy server  104  and other components that support SIP sessions, for example the redirect server  106  and the second host node  108 . Consequently, and as a non-exhaustive example, after sending the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  614 , the proxy sever  104  generates a SIP INVITE X P  request message  628  to be sent ( 630 ) to the redirect server  106 , the generation of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628  being detected by the second SIP-AL Invite module of the proxy server  104 . Upon detection of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628 , the second SIP-AL Invite module creates a third SIP Invite data record  632  and computes a fifth timestamp, t 5  ( 634 ), corresponding to a departure time of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628 . The third SIP Invite data record  632  is then added, together with the fifth timestamp, t 5 , to the second active cache, indexed by the call-ID of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628 . Also, a third IPv6 Destination Options Header is produced and inserted between the payload and IPv6 header of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628 ; the third IPv6 Destination Options Header is encoded as a TLV object identifiable as bearing measurement data relating to the SIP Invite transaction. The fifth timestamp t 5 , is also included in the third TLV object.  
         [0077]     Upon receipt ( 636 ) of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628  by the redirect server  106 , a third SIP-AL Invite module resident at the redirect server  106  detects the third Destination Options Header and creates, using the Call-ID of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628  as an index, a fourth SIP Invite data record  638  in a third active cache of the redirect server  106 . The fifth timestamp, t 5 , carried in the third Destinations Options Header of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628  is also extracted from the third Destinations Options Header and added to the fourth SIP Invite data record  638 . A sixth timestamp, t 6 , corresponding to a time of arrival of the SIP ACK P  request message  628  is computed ( 640 ) and, once accessed, the fourth SIP Invite data record  638  is updated to include the sixth timestamp, t 6 , along with the fifth timestamp t 5 , extracted from the third Destinations Options Header of the SIP ACK A  request message  628 .  
         [0078]     In response to the receipt of the SIP INVITE X P  request message  628 , the redirect server  106  generates a second “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642 . The third SIP-AL Invite module of the redirect server  106  detects generation of the second “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642  and using the Call-ID of the “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642 , the third SIP-AL Invite module accesses the fourth SIP Invite data record  638  and extracts the sixth timestamp, t 6 , not yet distributed to the proxy server  104 . The third SIP-AL Invite module then builds a fourth IPv6 Destination Options Header, which is inserted between the payload and IPv6 header of the second “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642 . The fourth Destination Options Header is encoded as a fourth TLV object and identifiable as carrying measurement data relating to the “SIP  100  Trying” transaction. The sixth timestamps, t 6 , and a seventh timestamp, t 7 , that is computed ( 644 ) corresponding to a departure time of the second “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642 , are also included in the fourth TLV object created. The second “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642  is then sent ( 646 ) to the proxy server  104 .  
         [0079]     Upon receipt ( 648 ) of the second “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642 , the second SIP-AL Invite module at the proxy server  104  extracts the sixth and seventh timestamps t 6 , t 7  from the fourth Destinations Options Header of the second “SIP  100  Trying” response message  642  and accesses the third SIP Invite data record  610  and appends the sixth and seventh timestamps t 6 , t 7  to the third SIP Invite data record  610 .  
         [0080]     As previously mentioned, the above exchange of signalling messages with the corresponding distribution of timestamps between the proxy server  104  and the redirect server  106  is purely exemplary and the dialogue required to set-up a VoIP call between the first and second host terminals  102 ,  108  comprises other exchanges of signalling messages, for example between the one or more proxy server  104  and the second user agent of the second host terminal  108 , as can be seen in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0081]     Measurement data collected and distributed between the various SIP supporting components of the communications network  100  can be used, again, to carry out calculations to measure performance of individual components or aggregate performance of a number of the components supporting a given SIP session, in the analogous manner to that already described above. One example of the aggregate performance is the time taken from sending the SIP INVITE X A  signalling message  600  from the first host terminal  102  to receiving the “SIP  180  Ringing” response message at the first host terminal  102 . To achieve such calculations, the measurement data is collected, in this example, by the OSS application described above and the measurement data used to perform calculations indicative of performance of one or more component. The results of the calculations performed by the OSS application are stored, in this example, in a second table  700  ( FIG. 7 ) that is organised into columns of: source (URL type) address  702 , destination (URL type) address  704 , Call-ID  706 , times  708  to send predetermined signalling messages to respective proxy servers, callee client time  710  (the time spent processing the signalling message&#39;s request/response at a callee terminal), transit time  712  and total time  714 . The data stored in the second table  700  can then be represented graphically ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ) to provide an engineer with a visual representation of call set-up times ( FIG. 8 ) or proxy delays (the time spent processing signalling messages at a particular proxy server) in relation to call set-ups ( FIG. 9 ).  
         [0082]     In a further embodiment ( FIG. 10 ), and indeed as can be seen from  FIG. 6 , a SIP transaction can involve one or more signalling messages traversing a number of servers, for example proxy servers. Therefore, in this example, a SIP Invite message follows a path from the first user terminal  102  that traverses a series of N proxy servers  1000 , albeit modified en-route, before reaching the second host terminal  108 . The path followed by a SIP Invite signalling message  1002  that constitutes the SIP Invite transaction can be traced by reference to a Via object header recorded in the Invite signalling message. In this respect, the “Via” object header is a mandatory field added by, in this example, the first user agent of the first host terminal  102  to identify a host from which a request originates. The Via object is augmented by each SIP proxy server  1000  along the path followed by the request message. In this example, the SIP Invite signalling message  1002  is the request message. Consequently, as the SIP Invite signalling message  1002  progresses from proxy server to proxy server in the series of N proxy servers  1000 , the SIP Invite signalling message  1002  is modified through the augmentation of the Via object by each of the series of N proxy servers  1000 . Each entry in the “Via” object header identifies a SIP version, branch identifier, protocol used, source address and port number of the host from which the signalling request message, and in this example the SIP Invite signalling message  1002 , was sent.  
         [0083]     In addition to storing timestamps indexed by Call-ID, the second SIP-AL Invite module of each of the series of N proxy servers  1000  stores a copy of the Via object contained in the SIP Invite signalling message  1002  received before forwarding, after augmentation of the Via object, to the next proxy server of the series of N proxy servers  1000 . Thus, a “footprint” is left behind at each node of the series of N proxy servers  1000  visited that can be utilised at a later point in time to trace a particular call set-up dialogue. Similarly, the footprint can be used to trace a transaction or a set of transactions.  
         [0084]     In operation, a SIP signalling transaction is traced as follows. Firstly, SIP Invite data records are obtained by an OSS application from each of the series of N proxy servers  1000  and stored locally to the OSS application in a data store. As can be seen from  FIG. 10 , each SIP Invite data record I 0 , I 1 , I 2 , . . . , I N  comprises details of the type of transaction  1004 , source information  1006 , destination information  1008 , a Via object  1010 , an a Call-ID  1012 . The OSS application searches through the SIP Invitation data records in the data store files in order to identify those of the SIP Invite data records that match a predetermined SIP session that is the subject of a trace. In this respect, the SIP session is defined by the Call-ID, the source information and the destination information. Of course, if after searching the SIP Invite data records for records having predetermined source and destination information only one Call-ID exists amongst the search results, then the Call-ID is immaterial to the definition of the SIP session. In this example, the source information H 1 , the destination information H 2  (between the specified calling parties H 1  and H 2 ), and the Call-ID: 1234 serve to define the SIP session.  
         [0085]     Consequently, a “shortlist” of SIP Invite data records relating to the SIP session to be traced is obtained as a result of the above search. From the shortlist of SIP Invite data records, the OSS application chooses a SIP Invite data record having a destination IPv6 address and port number equal to those of the second host terminal  108  (the callee), i.e. an intended destination of the signalling message being traced, thereby obtaining a final SIP Invite data record corresponding to a last SIP Invite message, I N , in a chain of forwarded SIP invitation messages. The OSS application then parses the header of the “Via:” object contained in the final SIP Invite data record, which, as described above, contains an entry for each hop along the path the SIP Invite message  1002  followed from caller to callee: “Via: P N , . . . , P 2 , P 1 , H 1 ”, i.e. from the first host terminal  102  to the second host terminal  108  via the proxy servers P.  
         [0086]     The OSS application then extracts the identities of all the hosts traversed by the SIP Invite signalling message  102  that are listed in the Via object of the final SIP Invite data record, and stores the identities as a list of intermediary hosts, i.e. the series of N proxy servers  1000 , the SIP Invite signalling message went through. For each host listed in the list of intermediary hosts, the OSS application finds and keeps in an ordered list, i.e. a list to record direction and steps from a caller to a callee (including visited proxy servers therebetween) or a callee to a caller, the associated SIP Invite data record currently stored in the local data store for the OSS application, using the unique Call-ID to differentiate between other invitations between the same calling parties. The above actions are repeated until the last host in the “Via:” header, i.e. the originating caller host, in this example the first host terminal  102 , is reached.  
         [0087]     The list of extracted SIP Invite data records constructed in the above way is a complete traversal of the SIP Invite signalling message from the first host terminal  102  to the second host terminal  108 , including all hops between intermediary SIP proxy servers, i.e. the series of N proxy servers  1000 . Hence, the timestamps contained in the SIP Invite data records can be used one after the other to annotate the path with the exact time it took for the SIP Invite signalling message  1002  to move between each host on the path, and the delay incurred at every hop before the SIP Invite signalling message  1002  was forwarded any further.  
         [0088]     Maintaining the list of intermediary hosts detected in the previous action and traversing the proxy servers listed backwards, the above algorithm can then identify matching reply messages from the second host terminal  108  back to the first host terminal  102 , for example, a “SIP  180  RINGING” response message indicating a successful connection to the second user agent of the second host terminal  108  and that the caller should wait until the callee answers the invitation. The response messages again carry the same Call-ID as the associated SIP Invite signalling message, because they belong to the same SIP dialogue. A corresponding ordered list of timestamps collected in relation to response messages traversing the series of N proxy servers  1000  (the response messages need to follow the same path taken by the Invite signalling messages) can be constructed and used to annotate the response path with detailed time-measurements.  
         [0089]     Adding the results together, i.e. the constituent parts along the path, yields a complete call set set-up time for the session being measured.  
         [0090]     Although the above example has been described in the context of a request message, it should be appreciated that other messages can also comprise Via objects compatible with the above example, for example a response message, such as a “SIP  180  RINGING” message.  
         [0091]     Whilst the above examples describe particular ways of storing data, it should be appreciated that the manner of storage, for example the organisation of the data, can be varied. In this respect, the data can be organised as tables of data associated with a given parameter, such as message type.  
         [0092]     Although the above examples have been described in the context of packet communication, it should be appreciated that the term “message” is intended to be construed as encompassing packets, datagrams, frames, cells, and protocol data units and so these terms should be understood to be interchangeable.  
         [0093]     Alternative embodiments of the invention can be implemented as a computer program product for use with a computer system, the computer program product being, for example, a series of computer instructions stored on a tangible data recording medium, such as a diskette, CD-ROM, ROM, or fixed disk, or embodied in a computer data signal, the signal being transmitted over a tangible medium or a wireless medium, for example, microwave or infrared. The series of computer instructions can constitute all or part of the functionality described above, and can also be stored in any memory device, volatile or nonvolatile, such as semiconductor, magnetic, optical or other memory device.