Global Cloud Network Quality Measurement via Open Web Servers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring global cloud network quality are limited by the high cost and lack of representativeness due to the scarcity of agent devices, which are needed to cover various countries, cities, and ISPs, resulting in inadequate data coverage and quality.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using a quality measurement server to generate an IP list of open web servers with externally open ports, collect packet data, analyze network quality by calculating latency, and provide a dashboard for displaying average latency by region, ISP, and ASN, enabling more comprehensive and cost-effective network quality management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If agent devices are deployed in multiple countries, cities, and ISPs to improve measurement coverage, then data representativeness improves, but management and operation costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses publicly available web servers as virtual measurement nodes instead of deploying physical agent devices. By copying the measurement function to existing web infrastructure, the system achieves global coverage without the cost of maintaining physical devices in every location. The measurement server communicates with open web servers to infer network quality metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the measurement system universal by utilizing existing web servers that serve multiple purposes (hosting websites, email, etc.) also as measurement nodes. This multi-functionality approach allows the same infrastructure to serve both commercial web hosting and network quality measurement, eliminating the need for dedicated measurement devices.
2Quantity of substance
If a limited number of agent devices are used to reduce costs, then management cost decreases, but measurement coverage and data quality become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by leveraging the inherent openness of web servers. These servers already have external access and are designed to receive connections, so they can autonomously participate in measurements without requiring dedicated measurement hardware or complex configuration. The web servers' existing network connectivity serves the dual purpose of their primary function and measurement participation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a physical dimension (deploying devices in specific locations) to a logical dimension (utilizing virtual server addresses). By operating in the IP address space rather than physical device deployment, the system achieves unlimited scalability without proportional increases in physical infrastructure costs.
3Measurement precision
If agent devices are deployed to measure network quality, then measurement capability improves, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement function from dedicated physical devices and relocates it to software-based virtual nodes. By separating the measurement logic from hardware dependencies, the system simplifies deployment and reduces operational complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
4Reliability
If comprehensive network quality measurement is implemented across multiple regions and ISPs, then quality competitiveness improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized quality measurement server as an intermediary that coordinates all measurement activities. This server manages the complexity of multi-region, multi-ISP measurements by providing a unified control point, while the distributed web servers handle local measurements, effectively distributing system complexity across manageable components.
Data Source
AI summary
A global cloud network quality measurement method may include generating an Internet protocol (IP) list of open web servers having at least one externally open port for each country; collecting packet data through communication with each of the open web servers based on the IP list; and analyzing a network quality with respect to at least one of a region, an Internet service provider (ISP), and an autonomous system number (ASN) based on the collected packet data.