System and method for identifying issues related to messages in a communication network

1. A method of identifying issues in a network, comprising:

a) receiving a plurality of messages, each of the plurality of messages describing at least one link in the network;

b) storing each of the plurality of messages;

c) for each link corresponding to at least some of the plurality of messages received, counting the number of messages received that describe said link and are not identified as explained;

d) identifying a link with the highest number of messages per link and that are not identified as explained;

e) for each message describing the link identified:

i) assigning the message to a group; and

ii) identifying the message as explained;

repeating steps d and e, including e (i) and e (ii) at least once, using the messages not identified as explained; and

f) displaying a report responsive to steps d and e, including e (i) and e (ii).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of steps c, d and e are responsive to a number of messages received during a period of time exceeding threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the threshold is identified relative to an average number of messages received during a similar length period of time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step e is responsive to the number of messages for the link identified in step d being higher than a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the messages received at step a comprise messages about traffic carried through a plurality of autonomous systems.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the messages received at step a comprise announce messages and withdraw messages.

7. The method of claim 1 : additionally comprising:

g) identifying at least a subset of the messages assigned to at least one group as corresponding to an oscillation responsive to addresses of the at least the subset of the messages; and

wherein the report is responsive to step g.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for identifying issues in a network, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer system to:

a) receive a plurality of messages, each of the plurality of messages describing at least one link in the network;

b) store each of the plurality of messages;

c) for each link corresponding to at least some of the plurality of messages received, count the number of messages received that describe said link and are not identified as explained;

d) identify a link with the highest number of messages per link and that are not identified as explained;

e) for each message describing the link identified:

i) assign the message to a group; and

ii) identify the message as explained;

repeating operation of computer readable program code d and e, including e (i) and e (ii) at least once using the messages not identified as explained; and

f) display a report responsive to the computer readable program code d and e, including e (i) and e(ii).

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein at least some of computer readable program code c, d and e are responsive to a number of messages received during a period of time exceeding a threshold.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the threshold is identified relative to an average number of messages received during a similar length period of time.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein computer readable program code e is responsive to the number of messages for the link identified in step d being higher than a threshold.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the messages received by computer readable code a comprise messages about traffic carried through a plurality of autonomous systems.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the messages received by computer readable program code a comprise announce messages and withdraw messages.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 : additionally comprising computer readable program code configured to cause the computer system to:

g) identify at least a subset of the messages assigned to at least one group as corresponding to an oscillation responsive to addresses of the at least the subset of the messages; and wherein the report is responsive to computer readable program code g.

15. A system for identifying issues in a computer network, wherein the system comprises:

a non-transitory computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for identifying issues in the computer network, the computer readable program code:

a) receiving a plurality of messages, each of the plurality of messages describing at least one link in the computer network;

b) storing each of the plurality of messages;

c) for each link corresponding to at least some of the plurality of messages received, counting the number of messages received that describe said link and are not identified as explained;

d) identifying a link with the highest number of messages per link and that are not identified as explained;

e) for each message describing the link identified:

i) assigning the message to a group; and

ii) identifying the message as explained;

f) repeating d and e, including e (i) and e (ii) at least once using the messages not identified as explained; and

g) displaying a report responsive to the computer readable program code d and e, including e (i) and e(ii).