Method and system for measuring packet loss
In a method of measuring packet loss, a flow of packets is identified at first and second locations in a network. The packets in the flow are counted at each of the first and second locations to provide first and second packet counts, respectively. When a trigger packet in the flow is identified at each of the first and second locations, the first and second packet counts are latched to provide latched first and second packet counts corresponding to same packets in the flow. The latched first and second packet counts are compared to measure packet loss between the first and second locations.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a device, a first packet associated with a first location in a network and a second packet associated with a second location in the network,
the first packet and the second packet being generated based on:
counting packets, in a flow of packets, at each of the first location and the second location, to generate a first packet count and a second packet count, respectively,
identifying a series of trigger packets, included in the flow of packets, at the first location and the second location independent of altering the flow of packets at any of the first location or the second location,
the first location and the second location each having a probe configured with a trigger filter that defines a predetermined packet in the flow of packets as a trigger packet of the series of trigger packets,
iteratively latching the first packet count and the second packet count to generate a latched first packet count and a latched second packet count based on identifying each trigger packet in the series of trigger packets, and
generating the first packet and the second packet,
the first packet including the latched first packet count and the second packet including the latched second packet count; and
measuring, by the device, a key performance indicator associated with the network, between the first location and the second location, based on the first packet and the second packet.
2. The method of claim 1 , where the key performance indicator includes at least one of:
a packet loss between the first location and the second location,
a byte loss between the first location and the second location,
a latency between the first location and the second location, or
a throughput between the first location and the second location.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing the latched first packet count and the latched second packet count to measure a packet loss between the first location and the second location.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing a first timestamp, associated with the first packet and a second timestamp, associated with the second packet, to measure a latency between the first location and the second location.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
utilizing the latched first packet count and the first timestamp to calculate a first throughput at the first location;
utilizing the latched second packet count and the second timestamp to calculate a second throughput at the second location; and
comparing the first throughput and the second throughput to measure a throughput between the first location and the second location.
6. The method of claim 1 , where the flow of packets is part of existing network traffic or is a flow of test packets.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the key performance indicator; and
providing the key performance indicator for display.
8. A device, comprising:
one or more processors to:
receive a first packet associated with a first location in a network and a second packet associated with a second location in the network,
the first packet and the second packet being generated based on:
counting packets, in a flow of packets, at each of the first location and the second location, to generate a first packet count and a second packet count, respectively,
identifying a series of trigger packets, included in the flow of packets, at the first location and the second location independent of altering the packets at any of the first location or the second location,
the first location and the second location each having a probe configured with a trigger filter that defines a predetermined packet in the flow of packets as a trigger packet of the series of trigger packets,
iteratively latching the first packet count and the second packet count to generate a latched first packet count and a latched second packet count based on identifying each trigger packet in the series of trigger packets, and
generating the first packet and the second packet,
the first packet including the latched first packet count and the second packet including the latched second packet count; and
measure a key performance indicator associated with the network, between the first location and the second location, based on the first packet and the second packet.
9. The device of claim 8 , where the key performance indicator includes at least one of:
a packet loss between the first location and the second location,
a byte loss between the first location and the second location,
a latency between the first location and the second location, or
a throughput between the first location and the second location.
10. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
compare the latched first packet count and the latched second packet count to measure a packet loss between the first location and the second location.
11. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
compare a first timestamp, associated with the first packet, and a second timestamp, associated with the second packet, to measure a latency between the first location and the second location.
12. The device of claim 11 , where the one or more processors are further to:
utilize the latched first packet count and the first timestamp to calculate a first throughput at the first location;
utilize the latched second packet count and the second timestamp to calculate a second throughput at the second location; and
compare the first throughput and the second throughput to measure a throughput between the first location and the second location.
13. The device of claim 8 , where the flow of packets is part of existing network traffic or is a flow of test packets.
14. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
store the key performance indicator; and
provide the key performance indicator for display.
15. A system, comprising:
one or more devices to:
identify a flow of packets at each of a first location in a network and a second location in the network;
count packets, in the flow of packets, at each of the first location and the second location, to generate a first packet count and a second packet count, respectively;
identify a series of trigger packets, in the flow of packets, at the first location and at the second location independent of altering the flow of packets at any of the first location or the second location,
the first location and the second location each having a probe configured with a trigger filter that defines a predetermined packet in the flow of packets as a trigger packet of the series of trigger packets;
iteratively latch the first packet count and the second packet count, based on identifying each trigger packet in the series of trigger packets, to generate a latched first packet count and a latched second packet count;
generate a first packet and a second packet;
the first packet including the latched first packet count and the second packet including the latched second packet count; and
measure a key performance indicator associated with the network, between the first location and the second location, based on the first packet and the second packet.
16. The system of claim 15 , where the key performance indicator includes at least one of:
a packet loss between the first location and the second location,
a byte loss between the first location and the second location,
a latency between the first location and the second location, or
a throughput between the first location and the second location.
17. The system of claim 15 , where the one or more devices are further to:
compare the latched first packet count and the latched second packet count to measure a packet loss between the first location and the second location.
18. The system of claim 15 , where the one or more devices are further to:
compare a first timestamp, associated with the first packet, and a second timestamp, associated with the second packet, to measure a latency between the first location and the second location.
19. The system of claim 18 , where the one or more devices are further to:
utilize the latched first packet count and the first timestamp to calculate a first throughput at the first location;
utilize the latched second packet count and the second timestamp to calculate a second throughput at the second location; and
compare the first throughput and the second throughput to measure a throughput between the first location and the second location.
20. The system of claim 15 , where the flow of packets is part of existing network traffic or is a flow of test packets.