Field deployable message compromiser
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus are disclosed for establishing a field deployable message compromiser which is connected between two network elements and identifies and removes predetermined messages from an incoming message stream. Subsequent to removal the test protocol processor may perform one or more of several actions according to the results of statistical calculations. These actions include allowing the message to drop, replacing the message after a delay, replacing the message after altering the payload of the message, and replacing the message after altering the message type. The disclosed field deployable message compromiser is particularly useful for providing a means to perform in situ field testing of network performance indicators under desired statistical conditions.
1. A field-deployable message compromiser comprising:
a first port having a first port buffer;
a second port having a second port buffer; and
a test protocol processor having access to said first and second port buffers;
wherein said test protocol processor is configured to:
in the event that a first protocol message is stored in said first port buffer, remove said first protocol message from said first port buffer;
generate a first value according to a first statistical distribution in the event said first protocol message corresponds to a predetermined message type;
compare said first value to a first threshold; and
when said first value exceeds said first threshold, immediately store said first protocol message in said second port buffer.
2. The message compromiser of claim 1 wherein said test protocol processor is further configured to:
generate a second value according to a second statistical distribution if said first value does not exceed said first threshold;
compare said second value to a second threshold;
associate a delay with said first protocol message if said second exceeds of said second threshold; and
then to store said first protocol message in said second port buffer after the transpiring of said associated delay time.
3. The message compromiser of claim 2 wherein said test protocol processor is further configured to, prior to said store step:
generate a third value according to a third statistical distribution;
compare said third value to a third threshold; and
associate a change in message contents with said first protocol message if said third value exceeds said third threshold;
provide said associated change in message contents to said first protocol message.
4. The message compromiser of claim 3 wherein said test protocol processor is further configured to, prior to said store step:
generate a fourth value according to a fourth statistical distribution;
compare said fourth value to a fourth threshold; and
associate a change in message type with said first protocol message if said fourth value exceeds said fourth threshold;
provide said associated change in message type to said first protocol message.
5. The message compromiser of claim 4 wherein
said associated change in message type is that of a failure message.
6. The message compromiser of claim 4 wherein
said fourth statistical distribution is one of the set of a uniform random distribution, a truncated Normal random distribution, a truncated Poisson random distribution, and a truncated exponential random distribution.
7. The message compromiser of claim 3 wherein
said third statistical distribution is one of the set of a uniform random distribution, a truncated Normal random distribution, a truncated Poisson random distribution, and a truncated exponential random distribution.
8. The message compromiser of claim 2 wherein
said delay is chosen from a range of delays having a lower delay limit and an upper delay limit.
9. The message compromiser of claim 8 wherein
a chance of said delay being a particular delay is defined by a random distribution.
10. The message compromiser of claim 9 wherein
the random distribution is one of the set of a uniform random distribution, a truncated Normal random distribution, a truncated Poisson random distribution, and a truncated exponential random distribution.
11. The message compromiser of claim 2 wherein
said second statistical distribution is one of the set of a uniform random distribution, a truncated Normal random distribution, a truncated Poisson random distribution, and a truncated exponential random distribution.
12. The message compromiser of claim 1 wherein
said first statistical distribution is one of the set of a uniform random distribution, a truncated Normal random distribution, a truncated Poisson random distribution, and a truncated exponential random distribution.
13. The message compromiser of claim 1 wherein
said predetermined message type is one of a plurality of predetermined message types.
14. A message compromiser comprising:
a first port having a first port buffer;
a second port having a second port buffer; and
a test protocol processor having access to said first and second port buffers;
wherein said test protocol processor is configured to:
generate a first value according to a first statistical distribution in the event that a first protocol message stored in said first port buffer corresponds to a predetermined message type;
select a condition to apply to said first protocol message according to said first value, wherein, selecting a condition further comprises selecting a condition from among the set of removing said first protocol message from said first port buffer, removing said first protocol message from said port buffer and replacing it in said second port buffer after a delay, removing said first protocol message from said first port buffer and replacing it in said second port buffer after altering the message payload contents, and removing said first protocol message from said first port buffer and replacing it in said second port buffer after altering the message type.
15. The message compromiser of claim 14 wherein the message type is altered to that of a failure message.
16. The message compromiser of claim 15 wherein
said delay is chosen from a range of delays having a lower delay limit and an upper delay limit.
17. The message compromiser of claim 16 wherein
a chance of said delay being a particular delay is defined by a random distribution.
18. The message compromiser of claim 17 wherein
the random distribution is one of the set of a uniform random distribution, a truncated Normal random distribution, a truncated Poisson random distribution, and a truncated exponential random distribution.
19. The message compromiser of claim 17 wherein
the first statistical distribution comprises a weighted value corresponding to said condition.