Determination and use of link performance measures

1. A method of determining a measure indicative of expected quality of experience in respect of data traversing a particular end-to-end path across a network, the particular end-to-end path comprising a plurality of communication links which together form a path via which data may traverse the network from a data-sending network-node to a data-receiving network-node, the method comprising, in respect of each of a plurality of links of which said particular end-to-end path is comprised, determining a link performance measure by:

receiving end-to-end path performance measures in respect of a plurality of monitored end-to-end paths across the network, the monitored end-to-end paths each comprising a plurality of links which together form a path for data to traverse the network from a data-sending network-node to a data-receiving network-node, the respective end-to-end path performance measures in respect of each monitored end-to-end path being dependent on and indicative of a network performance metric observed at the data-sending network node of that end-to-end path or at the data-receiving network-node of that end-to-end path; and

determining, in dependence on end-to-end path performance measures received in respect of a plurality of monitored end-to-end paths having at least one link in common, and on the basis of route information identifying the links of which those end-to-end paths are comprised, one or more link performance measures, each of the one or more link performance measures relating to a link of which at least one of those end-to-end paths is comprised;

then:

determining the measure indicative of expected quality of experience in respect of data traversing said particular end-to-end path in dependence on the respective link performance measures determined in respect of the plurality of monitored end-to-end paths;

wherein said receiving end-to-end path performance measures comprises receiving end-to-end path performance measures from one or more data-sending network nodes and/or from one or more data-receiving network-nodes; and

wherein the route information is obtained from data units that are intended to traverse, are traversing, or have traversed a path across the network.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the route information is obtained from a route information database.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the received end-to-end path performance measures comprise objective performance measures made in respect of characteristics indicative of network performance on the end-to-end path.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the received end-to-end path performance measures comprise subjective performance measures made in respect of characteristics indicative of network performance on the end-to-end path.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data traversing the network has one of a plurality of categories associated therewith, and wherein the step of determining one or more link performance measures comprises identifying end-to-end path performance measures received in respect of data of one or more categories that is traversing the network, and determining, in dependence on end-to-end path performance measures received in respect of data of said one or more categories traversing a plurality of end-to-end paths having at least one link in common, and on the basis of route information identifying the links of which those end-to-end paths are comprised, one or more category-specific link performance measures, the or each category-specific link performance measure relating to performance in respect of said one or more categories of a link of which at least one of those end-to-end paths is comprised.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the categories, with which data traversing the network are associated, relate to class of service categories or type of service categories.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data-forwarding nodes are nodes capable of implementing routing decisions whereby to forward data units via any of a plurality of links.

8. An apparatus for determining a measure indicative of expected quality of experience in respect of data traversing a particular end-to-end path across a network, the particular end-to-end path comprising a plurality of communication links which together form a path via which data may traverse the network from a data-sending network-node to a data-receiving network-node, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver arranged to receive end-to-end path performance measures in respect of a plurality of monitored end-to-end paths across the network, the monitored end-to-end paths each comprising a plurality of links which together form a path for data to traverse the network from a data-sending network-node to a data-receiving network-node, the respective end-to-end path performance measures in respect of each monitored end-to-end path being dependent on and indicative of a network performance metric observed at the data-sending network node of that end-to-end path or at the data-receiving network-node of that end-to-end path; and

a processing module operable to determine a link performance measure in respect of each of a plurality of links of which said particular end-to-end path is comprised by determining, in dependence on end-to-end path performance measures received in respect of a plurality of monitored end-to-end paths having at least one link in common, and on the basis of route information identifying the links of which those end-to-end paths are comprised, one or more link performance measures, each of the one or more link performance measures relating to a link of which at least one of those monitored end-to-end paths is comprised;

the processing module further being operable to determine the measure indicative of expected quality of experience in respect of data traversing said particular end-to-end path in dependence on the respective link performance measures determined in respect of the plurality of monitored end-to-end paths; and

wherein the route information is obtained from data units that are intended to traverse, are traversing, or have traversed a path across the network.