Multiple Test Site Bandwidth Measurement for SLA Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customers face challenges in accurately measuring and verifying the upstream and downstream bandwidth guarantees in service level agreements (SLAs) with service providers, as stated guarantees may not reflect actual network conditions, leading to misconfiguration of customer edge routers and potential packet drops due to unknown or dynamically adjusted service levels, especially in cases where specific SLAs are not provided or are unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A method for multiple test site bandwidth measurement involves generating and sending network packets at a testing transmission rate exceeding the service provider's limits, using multiple receivers to determine the actual upstream and downstream transmission rate limits by analyzing packet reports and accounting for network bottlenecks, thereby providing a more accurate measured service level agreement that can be used to adjust Quality of Service (QoS) settings and ensure compliance with SLAs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a testing transmission rate exceeding service provider limits is used to measure bandwidth, then measurement precision is improved, but packet loss increases due to exceeding upstream transmission rate limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the testing into multiple segments by using multiple test sites and multiple receivers. Each receiver captures packets independently, and the system aggregates results from all receivers to determine the bandwidth limit. This segmentation allows the system to tolerate packet loss at individual receivers while maintaining overall measurement accuracy through redundant sampling across multiple sites.
2Measurement precision
If multiple test sites are used to account for network bottlenecks, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal measurement framework where multiple test sites and receivers perform the same bandwidth measurement function. Each receiver acts as an independent measurement point that can handle both upstream and downstream testing. This multi-functionality allows the system to measure bandwidth from multiple locations simultaneously using the same methodology, improving accuracy without requiring fundamentally different measurement approaches at each site.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where receivers report packet receipt status back to the measurement system. This feedback allows the system to analyze which packets were successfully transmitted versus lost, providing information about actual bandwidth limits and network bottlenecks. The feedback loop enables continuous refinement of measurements and identification of the true service provider-imposed limits versus local network constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, methods are described to measure bandwidth limits through multiple test sites. A testing quantity of network packets is generated, the network packets are sent through a service provider network to a plurality of receivers at a testing transmission rate that exceeds an upstream transmission rate limit of the service provider network, a report indicating a received number of packets is received from each of the plurality of receivers, and an upstream transmission rate limit of the service provider network is determined based on the testing transmission and the reports. By using multiple test sites, potential bottlenecks at any one test site are reduced. A similar method can be used to calculate a downstream transmission rate limit. Once measured, the bandwidth limits may be used to adjust quality of service on an edge router or compared against a known service level agreement of the service provider network.