Bandwidth Contention Manager for Network Impairment Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network testing methods face challenges in accurately simulating and analyzing network performance under impaired conditions, such as packet loss, delay, and reordering, due to oversubscription issues in impairment units, which can lead to unexpected delays or packet drops, obscuring actual network performance data.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an impairment unit within the network test environment that selectively impairs packets by delaying, duplicating, or altering them, using a classifier and impairment profiles to manage traffic classes and prevent oversubscription, while maintaining statistics to distinguish between testing artifacts and actual network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If impairment units are used to simulate network conditions, then network performance testing capability is improved, but bandwidth contention and oversubscription cause unexpected delays and packet drops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bandwidth contention manager as an intermediary component between the impairment unit and the network. This manager monitors bandwidth usage, detects contention conditions, and controls the impairment unit to prevent oversubscription. By acting as a mediator, it eliminates the harmful effect of bandwidth contention while preserving the beneficial testing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the bandwidth contention manager continuously monitors network bandwidth usage and impairment unit operations. When contention is detected, the manager adjusts impairment parameters or pauses operations to prevent further contention. This closed-loop feedback ensures reliable testing by dynamically adapting to network conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple traffic classes are handled simultaneously, then test coverage is improved, but resource contention increases causing measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic into multiple classes with different priority levels and bandwidth allocations. The bandwidth contention manager separately tracks and controls each traffic class, preventing resource contention between them. This segmentation allows comprehensive multi-class testing while maintaining measurement precision for each class independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality of service parameters are applied to different traffic classes based on their specific requirements. The system assigns local quality attributes such as priority, bandwidth limits, and delay thresholds to each traffic class. This enables precise measurement and control for each class while maintaining overall system efficiency and avoiding cross-class interference.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and test systems for reporting transmit bandwidth contention. A histogram representing transmit bandwidth demand for a network device may be built, the histogram including a plurality of bins representing for a plurality of contiguous time intervals of equal duration including a current time bin and plural future time bins. The histogram may be displayed and periodically updated.