Path testing and switching

1. A method, comprising:

forming a first path from a first node to a second node;

transmitting data via the first path;

measuring, at a first network device located at a head end of the first path, at least one performance parameter associated with transmitting data via the first path;

determining whether the measured at least one performance parameter meets a required performance parameter;

sending a first notification to a customer associated with the first path in response to determining that the measured at least one performance parameter does not meet the required performance parameter, the first notification indicating that the first path is unavailable;

detecting a recovery in the first path, the recovery indicating that the measured at least one performance parameter meets the required performance parameter; and

sending a second notification to the customer in response to detecting the recovery, the second notification indicating that the first path is available.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises:

sending a plurality of test packets from the first network device to a second network device located at a tail end of the first path,

receiving, at the first network device, at least some of the plurality of test packets from the second network device,

measuring a round trip time for sending the test packets to the second network device and receiving the returned test packets, and

estimating a latency associated with the first path based on the round trip time.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the measuring further comprises:

determining a packet loss value based on the returned test packets.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

measuring a jitter value based on the returned test packets.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the sending a first notification comprises:

sending the first notification to the customer when each of the estimated latency, packet loss value and jitter value do not meet requirements associated with latency, packet loss and jitter, respectively.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises:

sending a plurality of test packets from the first network device to a second network device located at a tail end of the first path,

receiving, at the second network device, at least some of the plurality of test packets from the first network device,

measuring a time for sending the test packets from the first network device to the second network device, and

estimating a latency associated with the first path based on the time.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending a first notification comprises:

sending the first notification to the customer in response to determining that a plurality of measured performance parameters do not meet a plurality of required performance parameters.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

continuing to measure at least one of latency or packet loss associated with transmitting data via the first path; and

allowing the first path to remain in a down state when the first path does not meet the requirement.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a second path in which the at least one performance parameter exceeds the measured at least one performance parameter associated with the first path.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending a third notification to the customer in response to identifying the second path, the third notification indicating that a higher performance path is available for routing the customer's data.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

automatically switching routing of the customer's data to the second path.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

monitoring the first and second paths in real time; and

identifying which of the first and second paths corresponds to a higher performance path.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

automatically switching routing of the customer's data to the higher performance path.

14. A method, comprising:

routing data from a first network device to a second network device via a first path;

sending first test data via the first path at predetermined intervals;

receiving at least a portion of the first test data back from the second network device;

determining, using the received portion of the first test data, whether at least one performance parameter associated with the first path meets a threshold;

sending a first notification to a customer associated with the first path in response to determining that the at least one performance parameter does not meet the threshold, the notification indicating that the first path is unavailable;

detecting a recovery in the first path, the recovery indicating that the at least one performance parameter of the first path meets the threshold; and

sending a second notification to the customer in response to detecting the recovery, the second notification indicating that the first path is available.

15. A method, comprising:

routing data from a first network device to a second network device via a first path;

sending first test data via the first path at predetermined intervals;

receiving at least a portion of the first test data back from the second network device;

determining, using the received portion of the first test data, whether at least one performance parameter associated with the first path meets a threshold;

sending a first notification to a customer associated with the first path in response to determining that the at least one performance parameter does not meet the threshold, the notification indicating that the first path is unavailable, wherein the at least one performance parameter comprises packet loss, the method further comprising:

determining a packet loss value associated with the first path;

determining whether the packet loss value is less than a threshold packet loss value; and

stopping routing data via the first path when the packet loss value is not less than the threshold packet loss value.

16. A method, comprising:

routing data from a first network device to a second network device via a first path;

sending first test data via the first path at predetermined intervals;

receiving at least a portion of the first test data back from the second network device;

determining, using the received portion of the first test data, whether at least one performance parameter associated with the first path meets a threshold;

sending a first notification to a customer associated with the first path in response to determining that the at least one performance parameter does not meet the threshold, the notification indicating that the first path is unavailable, wherein the at least one performance parameter comprises latency variation, the method further comprising:

determining a variation in latency associated with the first path;

determining whether the variation in latency is less than a threshold latency variation value; and

stopping routing data via the first path when the variation in latency is not less than the threshold latency variation value.

17. A method, comprising:

routing data from a first network device to a second network device via a first path;

sending first test data via the first path at predetermined intervals;

receiving at least a portion of the first test data back from the second network device;

determining, using the received portion of the first test data, whether at least one performance parameter associated with the first path meets a threshold;

sending a first notification to a customer associated with the first path in response to determining that the at least one performance parameter does not meet the threshold, the notification indicating that the first path is unavailable;

determining, using the received portion of the first test data, a plurality of performance parameters; and

sending a second notification to the customer in response to determining that at least one of the determined performance parameters does not meet a required performance parameter.

18. A method, comprising:

routing data from a first network device to a second network device via a first path;

sending first test data via the first path at predetermined intervals;

receiving at least a portion of the first test data back from the second network device;

determining, using the received portion of the first test data, whether at least one performance parameter associated with the first path meets a threshold;

sending a first notification to a customer associated with the first path in response to determining that the at least one performance parameter does not meet the threshold, the notification indicating that the first path is unavailable; and

identifying a second path in which the at least one performance parameter is less than the determined at least one performance parameter associated with the first path.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

at least one of:

sending a second notification to the customer, the second notification indicating that a higher performance path is available for routing the customer's data, or

automatically switching routing of the customer's data to the second path.