Method and system for network segment performance monitoring

1. A computer-executable method for monitoring performance of a network, the method comprising:

determining a portion of the network is experiencing adverse network conditions resulting in a determination;

receiving a performance-monitoring request based on the determination;

in response to the receiving the performance-monitoring request, selecting a plurality of network devices along an end-to-end path from an application server to a terminal device;

configuring each selected network device to function as an observation point to obtain flow-specific packet information, wherein the configuring comprises activating a performance-monitoring unit residing on each selected network device to capture packets arriving at a network interface of each selected network device, and applying a filter on the captured packets based on a four-tuple comprising a source address, a destination address, a source port number, and a destination port number;

receiving, from each observation point, the flow-specific packet information; and

aggregating flow-specific packet information received from multiple observation points to obtain performance data associated with one or more segments along the end-to-end path, each segment being defined by a pair of observation points.

2. The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein the adverse network conditions correspond to a network delay, packet loss rate, or a combination thereof.

3. The computer-executable method of claim 2 , wherein the performance-monitoring unit collects packet statistics.

4. The computer-executable method of claim 3 , wherein the performance data is based on the packet statistics.

5. The computer-executable method of claim 2 , wherein configuring each selected network device further comprises activating the performance-monitoring unit for a predetermined time interval.

6. The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein the flow-specific packet information comprises a roundtrip delay of a packet.

7. The computer-executable method of claim 6 , wherein the roundtrip delay is obtained by comparing timestamps of the packet and a corresponding response packet.

8. The computer-executable method of claim 6 , wherein the flow-specific packet information further comprises jitter and packet loss information.

9. The computer-executable method of claim 6 , wherein aggregating the flow-specific packet information comprises subtracting roundtrip delays of the packet observed at two observation points to determine a delay caused by a segment between the two observation points.

10. The computer-executable method of claim 1 , further comprising generating and displaying a graphical representation of the performance data associated with the one or more segments.

11. A computer system for monitoring performance of a network, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining a portion of the network is experiencing adverse network conditions resulting in a determination;

receiving a performance-monitoring request based on the determination;

in response to the receiving the performance-monitoring request, selecting a plurality of network devices along an end-to-end path from an application server to a terminal device;

configuring each selected network device to function as an observation point to obtain flow-specific packet information, wherein the configuring comprises activating a performance-monitoring unit residing on each selected network device to capture, over a predetermined time interval, packets arriving at a network interface of each selected network device resulting in captured packets and applying a filter on the captured packets based on a four-tuple comprising a source address, a destination address, a source port number, and a destination port number;

receiving, from each observation point, the flow-specific packet information; and

aggregating flow-specific packet information received from multiple observation points to obtain performance data associated with one or more segments along the end-to-end path, each segment being defined by a pair of observation points.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the adverse network conditions correspond to a network delay, packet loss rate, or a combination thereof.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the performance-monitoring unit collects packet statistics, wherein the performance data is based on the packet statistics.

14. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the flow-specific packet information comprises a roundtrip delay of a packet, and wherein the roundtrip delay is obtained by comparing timestamps of the packet and a corresponding response packet.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the flow-specific packet information further comprises jitter and packet loss information.

16. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein aggregating the flow-specific packet information comprises subtracting roundtrip delays of the packet observed at two observation points to determine a delay caused by a segment between the two observation points.

17. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises generating and displaying a graphical representation of the performance data associated with the one or more segments.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for monitoring performance of a network, the method comprising:

determining a portion of the network is experiencing adverse network conditions resulting in a determination;

receiving a performance-monitoring request based on the determination;

in response to the receiving the performance-monitoring request, selecting a plurality of network devices along an end-to-end path from an application server to a terminal device;

configuring each selected network device to function as an observation point to obtain flow-specific packet information, wherein the configuring comprises activating a performance-monitoring unit residing on each selected network device to capture, over a predetermined time interval, packets arriving at a network interface of each selected network device resulting in captured packets, and applying a filter on the captured packets based on a four-tuple comprising a source address, a destination address, a source port number, and a destination port number;

receiving, from each observation point, the flow-specific packet information; and

aggregating flow-specific packet information received from multiple observation points to obtain performance data associated with one or more segments along the end-to-end path, each segment being defined by a pair of observation points.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the adverse network conditions correspond to a network delay, packet loss rate, or a combination thereof.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the flow-specific packet information comprises a roundtrip delay of a packet, and wherein aggregating the flow-specific packet information comprises subtracting roundtrip delays of the packet observed at two observation points to determine a delay caused by a segment between the two observation points.