Connectionless UDP Loop Testing for Redundant IP Link Health
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for diagnosing link layer impairments on active data links in VoIP communications are inadequate, as they either disrupt active data transmission, provide limited performance snapshots, or rely on external servers that can be unreliable and costly, and are slow or prone to false positives.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing connectionless loops with UDP packets to test network links locally, allowing for continuous, cost-effective, and rapid identification of link health issues without relying on external servers, by sending packets between redundant network connections and comparing expected and received data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ICMP pings are used to test network links, then link health can be detected, but the detection speed is slow and false positives occur due to external server reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary testing mechanism using UDP echo packets that bounce between the local device and the remote endpoint, eliminating direct dependency on external ICMP servers. This intermediary approach allows controlled testing without relying on external server reliability, solving both the reliability and speed contradictions by keeping the test traffic within the controlled communication path.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-testing by generating and receiving its own test packets without requiring external server responses. The local device sends UDP echo packets and processes the responses itself, making the detection system autonomous and independent of external server availability, thereby improving both reliability and speed.
2Reliability
If external servers are used for link testing, then link problems can be identified, but the system becomes reliant on external infrastructure that may be unreliable or costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the testing functionality from external servers and relocates it to the local device. By removing the dependency on external ICMP servers and implementing the echo test mechanism locally using UDP packets, the system eliminates external infrastructure requirements while maintaining reliable link detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system becomes self-sufficient by implementing its own testing mechanism. The local device generates, sends, and processes test packets without requiring external server infrastructure, thereby reducing device complexity related to external dependencies while maintaining reliable detection.
3Measurement precision
If bandwidth-intensive speed tests are conducted on active links, then current link performance can be measured, but available bandwidth for active data is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses lightweight UDP echo packets with minimal data payload for testing, rather than conducting full-bandwidth speed tests. This partial action approach provides sufficient link health information while consuming negligible bandwidth, thereby maintaining productivity for active data transmission while achieving measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the test parameters from bandwidth-intensive measurements to lightweight packet echo tests. By modifying the test methodology to use small UDP packets with sequence numbers and timestamps rather than large data transfers, the system achieves adequate performance measurement without significantly impacting available bandwidth for active data.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, methods, systems, and computer-readable media for using connectionless loops for monitoring data link health using connectionless loops over redundant Internet Protocol (IP) networks are described herein. One system includes an IP network device connected to a device used by a party to communicate with another party through an IP network, a first network device operating a first network and referring to the IP network device with a first identifier, a second network device operating a second network and referring to the IP network device with a second identifier, an intermediary device allowing communication between the first and second networks, and instructions to create a connectionless packet, send the packet through the first network addressed to the second identifier, such that the packet is routed from the first network to the intermediary device and into the second network based on the second identifier, and receive the packet.