Granted Patent B2

US 7,616,579 · App. 11/185,881 · Granted Nov 10, 2009

Abstract

Claims (63)

1. A path diagnosis method for a VoIP network, comprising:

obtaining information on VoIP calls that are ongoing or that have been completed from the VoIP network using one or more data sources including Call Data Records (CDRs) or active testing, or both;

determining that a VoIP call between a source and a destination device on the VoIP network has a problem, based on the obtained information;

determining likely call paths between the source and destination devices on the VoIP network, the determining of likely call paths being made based on at least routing table information;

querying the VoIP network to obtain network data with respect to all devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths;

displaying a path diagnostics chart that shows network connectivities between the devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths, displaying at least one of: interfaces, links, link speeds, addresses, subnets and VLANs on the path diagnostics chart, analyzing the collected data to detect current and potential issues, and displaying a list of call issues or current and potential network problems that exist for each of the devices on the path diagnostics chart; and

receiving information entered by a user with respect to an IP address of the source device and an IP address of the destination device, as well as information entered by the user as to whether a layer 3 path diagnostic chart or a layer 2 and 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed,

wherein the likely call paths correspond to all possible routes that exist between the source device and the destination device, and

wherein, when the layer 2 and 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed, intermediate switches that exist between routers along a path between the source and destination devices are also displayed, wherein the routers and not the intermediate switches are displayed when the layer 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed.

2. The path diagnostics method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to the displaying step, entering in information by a user with respect to a time period for which the call issues are to be determined for each of the devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths.

3. The path diagnostics method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

providing hyperlinks for each of the network elements displayed on the path diagnostic chart, for enabling the user to drill down to obtain further information on the respective devices.

4. The path diagnostics method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

prior to the displaying step, determining an IP address of a gateway used in a first hop from the source device to another device in the VoIP network in a direction towards the destination device.

5. The path diagnostics method according to claim 4 , wherein the IP address of the gateway is determined automatically when a user does not enter in an IP address on a user interface for the gateway.

6. The path diagnostics method according to claim 4 , wherein the IP address of the gateway is determined based on a user entry of a gateway IP address on a graphical user interface.

7. The path diagnostics method according to claim 1 , wherein the call issues include: packet discards, device configuration differences, and lack of packet buffers, and wherein the call issues are individually provided on the path diagnostic chart adjacent to each of the devices along the likely call paths between the source and destination devices.

8. The path diagnostics method according to claim 7 , wherein the call issues further include: packet jitter above a predetermined value, packet delay above a predetermined value, and lost packets above a predetermined percentage between the source and destination devices.

9. The path diagnostics method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining that a VoIP call between a source and a destination device on the VoIP network has a problem comprises:

performing additional analysis of QoS operation and configuration for the devices existing between the source and destination devices on the VoIP network.

10. A computer readable medium embodying a program product for determining VoIP call problems on a VoIP network, the program product comprising machine-readable code for causing, when executed, one or more machines to perform the steps of:

obtaining information on VoIP calls that are ongoing or that have been completed from the VoIP network using one or more data sources including Call Data Records (CDRs) or active testing, or both;

determining that a VoIP call between a source and a destination device on the VoIP network has a problem, based on the obtained information;

determining likely call paths between the source and destination devices on the VoIP network, the determining of likely call paths being made based on at least routing table information;

querying the VoIP network to obtain network data with respect to all devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths;

displaying a path diagnostics chart that shows network connectivities between the devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths, displaying at least one of: interfaces, links, link speeds, addresses, subnets and VLANs on the path diagnostics chart, analyzing the collecting data to detect current and potential issues, and displaying a list of call issues or current and potential network problems that exist for each of the devices on the path diagnostics chart; and

means for receiving information entered by a user with respect to an IP address of the source device and an IP address of the destination device, as well as information entered by the user as to whether a layer 3 path diagnostic chart or a layer 2 and 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed,

wherein the likely call paths correspond to all possible routes that exist between the source device and the destination device, and

wherein, when the layer 2 and 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed, intermediate switches that exist between routers along a path between the source and destination devices are also displayed, wherein the routers and not the intermediate switches are displayed when the layer 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 10 , further comprising:

prior to the displaying step, entering in information by a user with respect to a time period for which the call issues are to be determined for each of the devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 10 , further comprising:

providing hyperlinks for each of the devices displayed on the path diagnostic chart, for enabling the user to drill down to obtain further information on the respective devices.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 11 , further comprising:

prior to the displaying step, determining an IP address of a gateway used in a first hop from the source device to another device in the VoIP network in a direction towards the destination device.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein the IP address of the gateway is determined automatically when a user does not enter in an IP address on a user interface for the gateway.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein the IP address of the gateway is determined based on a user entry of a gateway IP address on a graphical user interface.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 10 , wherein the call issues include: packet discards and device configuration differences, and wherein the call issues are individually provided on the path diagnostic chart adjacent to each device along the likely call paths between the source and destination devices.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein the call issues further include: packet jitter above a predetermined value, packet delay above a predetermined value, and lost packets above a predetermined percentage between the source and destination devices.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 10 , wherein the step of determining that a VoIP call between a source and a destination device on the VoIP network has a problem comprises:

performing additional analysis of QoS operation and configuration for the devices existing between the source and destination devices on the VoIP network.

19. A path diagnosis system for use on a VoIP network, comprising:

means for obtaining information on VoIP calls that are ongoing or that have been completed from the VoIP network using one or more data sources including Call Data Records (CDRs) or active testing, or both;

means for determining that a VoIP call between a source and a destination device on the VoIP network has a problem, based on the obtained information;

means for determining likely call paths between the source and destination devices on the VoIP network, the determining of likely call paths being made based on at least routing table information;

means for querying the VoIP network to obtain network data with respect to all devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths; and

means for displaying a path diagnostics chart that shows network connectivities between the devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths, displaying at least one of: interfaces, links, link speeds, addresses, subnets and VLANs on the path diagnostics chart, analyzing the collected data to detect current and potential issues, and displaying a list of call issues or current and potential network problems that exist for each of the devices on the path diagnostics; and

receiving information entered by a user with respect to an IP address of the source device and an IP address of the destination device, as well as information entered by the user as to whether a layer 3 path diagnostic chart or a layer 2 and 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed,

wherein the likely call paths correspond to all possible routes that exist between the source device and the destination device, and

wherein, when the layer 2 and 3 path diagnostic chart is to be displayed, intermediate switches that exist between routers along a path between the source and destination devices are also displayed, wherein the routers and not the intermediate switches are displayed when the layer 3 diagnostic chart is to be displayed.

20. The path diagnostics system according to claim 19 , further comprising:

means for entering in information by a user with respect to a time period for which the call issues are to be determined for each of the devices that exist between the source and destination devices along the likely call paths.

21. The path diagnostics system according to claim 19 , further comprising:

means for providing hyperlinks for each of the devices displayed on the path diagnostic chart, for enabling the user to drill down to obtain further information on the respective devices.

22. The path diagnostics system according to claim 20 , further comprising:

means for determining an IP address of a gateway used in a first hop from the source device to another device in the VoIP network in a direction towards the destination device.

23. The path diagnostics system according to claim 22 , wherein the IP address of the gateway is determined automatically when a user does not enter in an IP address on a user interface for the gateway.

24. The path diagnostics system according to claim 22 , wherein the IP address of the gateway is determined based on a user entry of a gateway IP address on a graphical user interface.

25. The path diagnostics system according to claim 19 , wherein the call issues include: packet discards and device configuration differences, and wherein the call issues are individually provided on the path diagnostic chart adjacent to each device along the likely call paths between the source and destination devices.

26. The path diagnostics system according to claim 25 , wherein the call issues further include: packet jitter above a predetermined value, packet delay above a predetermined value, and lost packets above a predetermined percentage between the source and destination devices.

27. The path diagnostics system according to claim 19 , wherein the step of determining that a VoIP call between a source and a destination device on the VoIP network has a problem comprises:

performing additional analysis of QoS operation and configuration for the devices existing between the source and destination devices on the VoIP network.

Assignments (8)