Monitoring performance of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) networks
The disclosed embodiments include a system and method for monitoring performance of a packet network. In one embodiment, a method includes collecting network performance information from a plurality of network nodes of a packet network, the network performance information being indicative of a health of the network packet network. The method includes storing the network performance information collected from the plurality of network nodes and generating a graphical user interface including a graphical representation of the network performance information, wherein the graphical representation of a network segment is indicated as a line, and wherein a width of the line widens and narrows in accordance with an amount of traffic flow over the network segment.
1. A call control manager for monitoring performance of a packet network for carrying voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) calls, said call control manager comprising:
memory operable to store data and executable instructions; and
a processing unit configured to execute instructions to:
determine network performance information of a packet network by monitoring performance information packets that are communicated along network paths of the packet network;
append the network performance information gathered at a network node along the network paths to data stored in the performance information packets;
store the network performance information in memory; and
automatically alter network operation of the packet network to provide improved performance for a VoIP call, in response to current network performance information indicating that the packet network is not operating properly;
wherein the performance information packets include information indicative of time sent and counter value indicative of number of data packets sent between a previous performance information packet and a current performance information packet;
wherein the processing unit is further configured to execute instructions to establish one or more threshold values for use in determining a performance of the packet network including establishing an upper and lower transmission rate threshold of data packets that include real-time content, and establishing a second upper and second lower transmission rate threshold of data packets that do not include real-time content.
2. The call control manager according to claim 1 , wherein determining network performance information includes determining jitter, packet loss, and delay associated with a transmission of the performance information packets.
3. The call control manager according to claim 1 , wherein the call control manager automatically alters network operation by sending a performance information packet to a network node along a network path to cause the network node to alter the network operation of 4 the network node, append addition network performance information to the performance 5 information packet, and transmit the performance information packet to a subsequent network 6 node along the network path.
4. The call control manager according to claim 1 , wherein the call control manager automatically alters network operation by establishing a different virtual path through a network node that would otherwise not have been established for the VoIP call, and wherein the call control manager issues a command to the same node to execute one or more self-tests associated with data packet communications at the network node, results of the one or more self-tests being communicated back to the call control manager.
5. The call control manager according to claim 1 , wherein the call control manager issues a command to the network node to execute one or more self-tests associated with data packet communications at the network node, results of the one or more self-tests being communicated back to the call control manager.
6. The call control manager according to claim 1 , wherein determining that the packet network is not operating properly comprises determining that the packet network is experiencing congestion.
7. The call control manager according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to execute instructions to determine inter-network network performance information associated with the communication of data packets between the packet network and a second packet network owned by another network service provider by monitoring a second set of performance information packets communicated between the packet network and 6 the second packet network.
8. The call control manager according to claim 7 , wherein the inter-2 network network performance information is limited to a subset of the network performance information.
9. A method for monitoring performance of a packet network for carrying voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) calls, said method comprising:
determining, by a call control manager, network performance information of a packet network by monitoring performance information packets that are communicated along network paths of the packet network;
appending, by the call control manager, the network performance information gathered at a network node along the network paths to data stored in the performance information packets;
storing, by the call control manager, the network performance information in memory; and
automatically altering network operation of the packet network to provide improved performance for a VoIP call, in response to current network performance information indicating that the packet network is not operating properly;
wherein the performance information packets include information indicative of time sent and counter value indicative of number of data packets sent between a previous performance information packet and a current performance information packet;
wherein the method further comprising establishing one or more threshold values for use in determining a performance of the packet network including establishing an upper and lower transmission rate threshold of data packets that include real-time content, and establishing a second upper and second lower transmission rate threshold of data packets that do not include real-time content.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein determining network performance information includes determining jitter, packet loss, and delay associated with a transmission of the performance information packets.
11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein automatically altering network operation is performed by a network node along a network path, the network node receiving the performance information packet, altering the network operation of the network 4 node, appending addition network performance information to the performance information 5 packet, and transmitting the performance information packet to a subsequent network node along 6 the network path.
12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein automatically altering network operation comprises establishing a different virtual path through a network node than would otherwise not have been established, and wherein the call control manager issues a command to the same node to execute one or more self-tests associated with data packet communications at the network node, results of the one or more self-tests being communicated back to the call control manager.
13. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising issuing a command to the network node to execute one or more self-tests associated with data packet communications at the network node, results of the one or more self-tests being communicated back to the call control manager.
14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein determining that the packet network is not operating properly comprises determining that the packet network is experiencing congestion.
15. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising determining inter-network network performance information associated with the communication of data packets between the packet network and a second packet network owned by another network service provider.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the inter-network network 2 performance information is limited to a subset of the network performance information.