Patent ID: 8498210

Claim:
A machine-implemented method of encoding information indicative of measurements of a first and a second characteristic of a network, using a plurality of messages traversing a plurality of nodes in a network, said messages each having a header associated therewith comprising one or more fields, at least a selected portion of each header providing at least three codepoints; said method comprising: using at least one programmed processor at a network node on a path through the network to assign a codepoint from a first set of codepoints of the selected portion in headers associated with a first proportion of said plurality of messages traveling in one direction along a network path thereby encoding information indicative of a measurement of said first characteristic of the network, and using at least one programmed processor at a different network node on said path through the network to assign a codepoint from a second set of codepoints of the selected portion in headers associated with a second proportion of said plurality of messages traveling in said one direction along said network path thereby encoding information indicative of a measurement of said second characteristic of the network, wherein: said first proportion is determined in dependence on, and is thereby indicative of, the measurement of said first characteristic of the network; said second proportion is determined in dependence on, and is thereby indicative of, the measurement of said second characteristic of the network; and at least one of said first and second network characteristics is variable along said path through the network independently of the other of said network characteristics.