Apparatuses and methods involving a monitor device for use with endpoint devices
A system includes a plurality of SIP servers that are configured and arranged to provide services for a respective set of endpoints. A monitor server having at least one processor circuit receives connectivity status of the respective set of endpoint devices based on registration status provided by the endpoints to the SIP servers. Based upon the received connectivity status, endpoints having connectivity problems are identified, and potential problem sources for the connectivity problems of the parsed endpoints are identified. A monitor device having at LAN interface circuit connected to the LAN and at least one processor circuit receives the command from the monitor server and performs a diagnostic test on the LAN. Results from the at least one diagnostic test are provided to the monitor server.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a monitor circuit to perform diagnostic tests in response to instructions and concerning call quality of data communications services provided by a set of one or more servers (server set) for endpoints that include data communications circuitry to use the data communications services by communicating with the server set via an Internet communication protocol; and
at least one server from among the server set to:
receive connectivity status of the endpoints and receive data to update a change associated with a routing path used to provide the data communications services;
assess a set of call quality metrics of the data communications services by using data which corresponds to connections between the endpoints and the server set or which is provided by the endpoints to the server set and in response, identifying a set of the endpoints having connectivity issues or problems; and
transmit, based upon potential problem sources associated with the connectivity status or the change associated with a routing path, a command for causing the monitor circuit to perform a diagnostic test involving a local area network (LAN) interface circuit which is communicatively coupled or connected to one or more of the identified set of the endpoints.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to identify potential problem sources of call quality by identifying potential sources that are common among endpoints exhibiting one or more call quality metrics from among the set of call quality metrics.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to passively monitor network packets on the LAN and to include results of the passive monitoring with results from the diagnostic test.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to transmit results from the diagnostic test over an additional communication interface circuit in response to detecting problems with the LAN interface circuit.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to transmit results from the diagnostic test over a cellular network interface circuit in response to detecting problems with the LAN interface circuit.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to transmit results from the diagnostic test over a wireless interface circuit in response to detecting problems with the LAN interface circuit.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set of call quality metrics include information selected from the group consisting of: transmission latency, jitter, packet loss, dropped calls, feedback from users, and a combination thereof.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to identify the diagnostic test by decoding the command.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to measure and provide, to the server set, additional information associated with said one or more of the identified set of the endpoints.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to measure and provide, to the server set, information that includes data from among one of or a combination of the group consisting of: additional call quality metrics, a network of a client associated with a subset of endpoints, the LAN, firewall, and Internet Service Provider (ISP) routing.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server set is to:
determine whether a subset of endpoints exceeds a corresponding trigger threshold associated with at least one of the set of call quality metrics and connectivity status; and
access, in response to determining that the corresponding trigger threshold is exceeded for the subset of endpoints, an action profile specifying an entity.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server set is to transmit, to an entity specified in a profile linked to at least one of the endpoints, a notification identifying a corresponding potential problem source.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server set is to receive notifications including call-quality data concerning the endpoints, the call-quality data being indicative of the set of call quality metrics.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server set is to determine a nominal value for a call quality metric among the set of call quality metrics for at least one of the endpoints and to use a trigger threshold that is based upon a deviation from the determined nominal value.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server set is to determine a nominal value for a connectivity status associated with loss of connectivity for one or more endpoints associated with a particular internet service provider (ISP) as a potential source for the loss of connectivity.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the server set is to respond to the nominal value being outside a trigger threshold for the one or more endpoints, by transmitting a notification to an administrator specified in an action profile of an entity associated with the one or more endpoints.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to determine that the LAN is experiencing problems concerning communications between the monitor circuit and the server set and in response, the monitor circuit is to attempt to contact the server set by using a secondary network interface circuit.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitor circuit is to determine whether an individual is using a certain endpoint from among a subset of endpoints by detecting whether or not an individual is indicated as being active for receiving other services via communications over the Internet.
19. A method comprising:
performing, via a monitor circuit, diagnostic tests in response to instructions and concerning call quality of data communications services being provided by a set of one or more servers (server set) for endpoints that include data communications circuitry to use the data communications services by communicating with the server set via an Internet communication protocol; and
via at least one server from among the server set:
receiving connectivity status of the endpoints and receiving data to update a change associated with a routing path used to provide the data communications services;
assessing a set of call quality metrics of the data communications services using data which corresponds to connections between the endpoints and the serve set or which is provided by the endpoints to the server set and in response, identifying a set of the endpoints having connectivity issues or problems; and
transmitting, based upon potential problem sources associated with the connectivity status or the change associated with a routing path, a command for causing the monitor circuit to perform a diagnostic test involving a local area network (LAN) interface circuit which is communicatively coupled or connected to one or more of the identified set of the endpoints.
20. A storage device including instructions which, in response to being executed by a computing processor circuit, prompts or causes a method to be carried out, the method comprising:
performing diagnostic tests in response to instructions and concerning call quality of data communications services being provided by a set of one or more servers (server set) for endpoints that include data communications circuitry to use the data communications services by communicating with the server set via an Internet communication protocol; and
via at least one server from among the server set:
receiving connectivity status of the endpoints and receiving data to update a change associated with a routing path used to provide the data communications services;
assessing a set of call quality metrics of the data communications services using data which corresponds to connections between the endpoints and the server set or which is provided by the endpoints to the server set and in response, identifying a set of the endpoints having connectivity issues or problems; and
transmitting, based upon potential problem sources associated with the connectivity status or the change associated with a routing path, a command for causing performance of a diagnostic test involving a local area network (LAN) interface circuit which is communicatively coupled or connected to one or more of the identified set of the endpoints.