Patent Document ID: 8279764
Application ID: 11752039
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. An apparatus for monitoring a network comprising: a microprocessor configured to sort a plurality of network elements according to a network parameter indicative of performance of the network element, to apply a testing pool definition to the plurality of network elements, the testing pool definition specifying configuration parameters identifying network elements suitable for determining performance of the network and removing network elements for consideration as a test network element, to select a network element of the plurality of network elements as a test network element from the network elements identified as suitable for determining performance of the network based on the testing pool definition, and to send a test signal to the test network element; and a receiver configured to receive a response to the test signal from the test network element, wherein the apparatus monitors the network using responses to the test signal from only the test network element, which is indicative of the communication parameters of a majority of the network elements of the plurality of network elements, to control a parameter of the network, and wherein the network communicates with at least a subset of the plurality of network elements via burst communications and a common frequency.