End-to-End ISP Performance Measurement via Edge Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for comparing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are inadequate as they fail to provide end-to-end performance measurements, are biased towards internal network performance, and require active cooperation from ISPs, leading to incomplete and biased comparisons.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a modest number of measurement nodes placed in edge networks to measure end-to-end performance across multiple ISPs, reducing probing overhead and noise, and normalizing results based on geography to provide fair and unbiased comparisons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are used to compare ISP performance, then network performance metrics are provided, but the comparisons are biased towards internal network performance and do not reflect end-to-end performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces third-party measurement nodes positioned at strategic locations (such as content delivery networks, cloud providers, and edge networks) that act as intermediaries to measure end-to-end performance. These independent measurement nodes collect data from multiple ISPs without requiring ISP cooperation, thereby eliminating the bias towards internal network performance and providing objective end-to-end metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement system is designed to be universally applicable across multiple ISPs and network types. The same measurement infrastructure can evaluate different ISPs, services, and geographic regions, providing comprehensive end-to-end performance data that applies to any network configuration rather than being limited to specific internal network metrics.
2Reliability
If active cooperation from ISPs is required for measurements, then internal network performance can be measured, but coverage is limited and comparisons are biased
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system performs self-service by automatically deploying and operating measurement nodes without requiring active cooperation from ISPs. The system autonomously selects measurement locations, configures measurement parameters, collects data, and generates reports, thereby expanding coverage to include ISPs that do not wish to participate in coordinated measurements while maintaining measurement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from measuring network performance from the ISP's internal perspective to measuring from the customer's external perspective. By placing measurement nodes at customer-facing locations such as content delivery networks and cloud providers, the system adds a new dimensional perspective that captures end-to-end performance without requiring internal ISP cooperation.
3Measurement precision
If a large number of measurement nodes are deployed to improve measurement accuracy, then end-to-end performance can be measured comprehensively, but probing overhead and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system applies local quality by tailoring measurement parameters and node configurations to specific local conditions. Each measurement node is optimized for its specific location and network context, measuring only the relevant performance metrics for that region rather than conducting comprehensive measurements everywhere, thereby reducing overall probing overhead while maintaining local measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial action by deploying a strategically selected subset of measurement nodes rather than comprehensive coverage. By placing nodes at critical points such as content delivery networks and major cloud providers, the system achieves sufficient measurement accuracy without the excessive probing overhead that would result from universal deployment.
4Adaptability or versatility
If Service Level Agreements are offered by individual ISPs independently, then each ISP can specify performance metrics, but comparisons among ISPs become difficult due to different metrics and scales
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system creates equipotentiality by providing a common, standardized measurement framework that all ISPs are measured against using the same metrics, methods, and conditions. This level playing field allows fair comparison between ISPs with different network configurations and geographic footprints, as all are evaluated using identical end-to-end performance criteria rather than ISP-specific metrics.
Data Source
AI summary
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that uncovers detailed differences in the performance of different Internet Service Provider ISP) networks. The system can include components, devices, and/or processes that utilize a list of target Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks to create a list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to interrogate, distribute the list of addresses to measurement nodes and obtains in return probing results from the measurement nodes, the probing results employed thereafter to provide comparative performance metrics associated with the target Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks.