TCP performance predictor

1. A method for periodically monitoring a throughput of a network path having a circuit information rate (CIR), the method comprising:

determining during a monitoring period a burst capacity of the network path by transmitting a number of test packets over the network path, the number of test packets based on the CIR and the last determined burst capacity of the network path;

determining during the monitoring period, a round trip time of the network path;

determining during the monitoring period, the throughput of the network path based on a lesser value of:

the determined burst capacity of the network path divided by the determined roundtrip time of the network path, and

the (CIR) for the network path; and

modifying the CIR based on determined throughput for the network path.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising analyzing the determined throughput to determine if the throughout satisfies performance criteria associated with the network path.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the CIR includes increasing the CIR when the determined burst capacity of the network path divided by the determined roundtrip time for the network path is greater than the CIR.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the CIR comprises reducing the CIR for the network path when the determined throughput is less than the CIR.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the burst capacity of the network path includes performing a baselining step to ascertain an initial burst capacity of the network path, the baseline step including transmitting a number of test packets over the network path, the number of test packets based on the CIR.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the round trip time comprises determining an average round trip time associated with the network path during the transmission of the number of test packets.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for periodically monitoring a network path having a circuit information rate (CIR) that, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to at least:

determine during a monitoring period, a burst capacity of the network path by transmitting a number of test packets over the network path, the number of test packets based on the CIR and the last determined burst capacity of the network path;

measure during the monitoring period, a round trip time for the network path;

calculate, during the monitoring period, a throughput of the network path based on the lesser value of:

the determined burst capacity of the network path divided by the measured round trip time, and

the CIR for the network path; and

modify the CIR based on determined throughput for the network path.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the program instructions further direct the processor to analyze the determined throughput to determine if the throughout satisfies performance criteria associated with the network path.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the program instructions further instruct the processor to increase the CIR when the determined burst capacity of the network path divided by the measured roundtrip time for the network path is greater than the CIR.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the modification of the CIR comprises reducing the CIR for the network path when the determined throughput is less than the CIR.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the program instructions, to determine the burst capacity of the network path includes directing the processor to perform a baselining step to ascertain an initial burst capacity of the network path the baseline step including transmitting a number of test packets over the network path, the number of test packets based on the CIR.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the round trip time associated with the burst of traffic comprises an average round trip time during the transmission of the number of test packets.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the modification of the CIR comprises reducing the CIR for the network path when the determined throughput is less than the CIR and increasing the CIR when the determined burst capacity of the network path divided by the measured roundtrip time for the network path is greater than the CIR.

14. A method to measure the throughput of a network path periodically in a network having a circuit information rate (CIR) using a first and second transmission control protocol (TCP) predictor module comprising:

transmitting by the first TCP predictor module a predetermined number of test packets at wirespeed to a second TCP predictor modJustile via the network path, each test packet comprising a sequence number and a timestamp;

receiving by the second TCP predictor module a test packet of the predetermined number of test packets via the network path and comparing the test packet sequence number with a largest of previously received sequence numbers;

transmitting by the second TCP predictor module a reply packet comprising the previous sequence number received, a timestamp, and an alarm notification when the test packet sequence number is larger than the largest of the previously received test packets sequence numbers plus one;

when an alarm is received by the first TCP predictor, computing an average round trip time and the burst capacity based on the largest of the previously received test packet sequence numbers; and

determining a throughput measurement based on the lesser of the burst capacity divided by the average round trip time and the CIR; and

modifying the CIR based on determined throughput measurement for the network path.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said predetermined number of test packets is based on the largest burst transmitted over a previous period.