System and method for the collection and display of network performance data in a communication network
View Patent ↗A data delivery analysis report is generated by collecting various network performance parameters from a plurality of communication devices connected to a communication network. Logic located at a network management system collects and presents the network performance information to a network administrator in a graphical format such that the network administrator may determine whether reduced network performance is attributable to the network or to the traffic characteristics of a particular network user.
1. In a communication environment having at least a first and a second communication device, said communication devices configured to couple user devices to the network, and a network management system, a system for displaying network performance information, comprising:
a plurality of network performance parameter views, comprising a bit burst analysis view, a network latency view, a data delivery success view and a frame size distribution view, wherein said views are associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device; and
display means for presenting to a user said plurality of network performance parameter views,
where said bit burst analysis view comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said display means further comprises a graphical user interface.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said display means further comprises a graphical user interface.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
7. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein said plurality of network performance parameter views are collected from said first and said second communication devices.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said display means presents said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution views simultaneously.
9. A method for displaying network performance parameters in a network comprising a network management system and at least a first and a second communication device, said communication devices configured to couple user devices to the network, the method comprising the steps of:
collecting a plurality of network performance information including bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information, and frame size distribution information, each of said plurality associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device; and
displaying views of said bit burst analysis, said network latency, said data delivery success, and said frame size distribution information,
where said bit burst analysis information comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
collecting in said network management system said plurality of network performance parameter information from said first and said second communication devices.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of displaying said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution views simultaneously.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
collecting the plurality of network performance information from the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and from the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
16. A computer readable medium having a program for displaying network performance parameters in a network comprising a network management system and at least two communication devices, said communication devices configured to couple user devices to the network, the program comprising logic configured to perform the steps of:
collecting a plurality of network performance information including bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information, and frame size distribution information, each of said plurality associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device; and
displaying views of said bit burst analysis, said network latency, said data delivery success, and said frame size distribution information,
where said bit burst analysis information comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
17. The program of claim 16 , further comprising logic configured to perform the step of:
collecting in said network management system said plurality of network performance parameter views from said first and said second communication devices.
18. The program of claim 16 , further comprising logic configured to perform the step of displaying said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution views simultaneously.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
collecting the plurality of network performance information from the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and from the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
21. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
22. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
23. A system for displaying network performance parameters, comprising:
means for collecting, from a first and a second communication device, bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information and frame size distribution information associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device, said first and second communication device each being configured to couple at least one user device to the network; and
display means for displaying said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information,
where said bit burst analysis information comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein said display means further comprises a graphical user interface.
25. The system of claim 23 , wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
26. The system of claim 23 , wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
27. The system of claim 23 , wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
28. The system of claim 23 , further comprising:
means for collecting the information from the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and from the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
29. A system for displaying network performance parameters associated with a first and a second communication device, comprising:
a poller means for polling the first and the second communication device for a plurality of network performance information comprising bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information, and frame size distribution information, each of said plurality associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device, the first and second communication device being configured to couple at least one user device to the network;
an analyzer means for producing a report of the plurality of network performance information; and
a display module means for displaying the report, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the poller is further configured to poll the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and to poll the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
31. The system of claim 29 , further comprising:
a statistics database configured to store the plurality of network performance information.
32. The system of claim 29 , further comprising:
a formatter configured to prepare the report for visual presentation.
33. The system of claim 29 , further comprising:
means for setting the rate at which the poller operates.
34. The system of claim 29 , wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
35. The system of claim 29 , wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
36. The system of claim 29 , wherein said display module means displays said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information simultaneously.