Local Loop Stress Testing via Dummy IP Interception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Telecommunications connections experience high packet-loss despite previous field tests indicating they should support the service, necessitating a method to stress test local loop connections independently of the wider network to determine if issues lie within the local loop or deeper in the network.
Innovation Solution
A method using a test device with an emulation processor to map a port to a dummy device destination address, generating high volumes of simulated data traffic that is intercepted by the local switching system and forwarded to a data analysis processor for characterization, allowing stress testing of the local loop without overloading the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large amounts of data are generated for stress testing, then the local loop capacity can be determined, but packet loss occurs at the local exchange and the network becomes overloaded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stress testing function from the production network by introducing a dedicated performance testing platform. This platform generates high-volume test traffic that is isolated from the live network, allowing capacity determination without causing packet loss or overloading the operational network. The test traffic is routed through a separate path that terminates at the local exchange without entering the core network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network testing function by creating a separate performance testing platform distinct from the production network. This segmentation allows stress testing to be performed on the local loop independently, dividing the testing function from the operational network to prevent interference and packet loss in the live system.
2Reliability
If field tests are performed periodically, then connection integrity can be confirmed, but the local loop cannot be stress tested independently of the wider network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway as an intermediary component that enables independent stress testing of the local loop. The gateway receives test traffic from the performance testing platform and routes it through the local loop to the local exchange, acting as a mediator that isolates the test traffic from the production network while still allowing the local loop to be stress tested independently.
3Measurement precision
If test traffic is routed through the wider network, then comprehensive testing can be performed, but other users experience data overload and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts test traffic from the production network path by implementing a dedicated performance testing platform that generates and routes test traffic separately. This extraction ensures that stress testing can be performed comprehensively on the local loop without test traffic competing for bandwidth with production traffic, thereby preventing network overload and performance degradation for other users.
4Productivity
If high volume data traffic is generated, then maximum capacity of local loop can be determined, but the rest of the network cannot handle the load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into a dedicated performance testing environment and the production network. This segmentation allows high-volume data traffic to be generated for determining maximum local loop capacity without the test traffic consuming network capacity in the production environment, as the test traffic is contained within the isolated testing platform and terminated at the local exchange.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer (1) is provided with an emulation processor to generate a high volume of simulated data traffic, addressed to a predetermined network address. The emulation programme causes the computer to modify its address routing table so as to open a port (3) to a dummy network address. This address allows the test data to be forwarded to the exchange (7). As the IP address is a dummy IP address, it does not appear in Internet routing tables and so the DSLAM (7) cannot forward the traffic beyond the local exchange (5). Instead, an interception gateway (8) recognises this address as requiring to be diverted to the performance testing platform (9), which measures characteristics such as packet loss rate, to allow analysis to determine the performance of the local loop (4) in isolation, without passing through the rest of the network (6), and without needing to take account of any effects from the rest of the network. Very high volumes of test data can be transmitted, up to the maximum capacity of the local loop (4) and the router (1), so as to determine the behaviour of the local loop and router under such conditions without large amounts of data overloading the rest of the network (6) or causing contention problems for other users.