UDP Traceroute Path Determination via TCP and ICMP Probing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network tracing methods using UDP traceroute are inaccurate due to internet service providers throttling ICMP/UDP traffic, making it difficult to monitor and isolate issues in user-to-cloud application experiences, especially when encrypted tunnels are involved, which are opaque to conventional tracing tools.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a method using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) probes to determine the path of UDP traceroute by sending probes through different protocols, overlapping measurements to identify throttling and accurately determine network latency and degradation, and providing notifications and remedial actions based on these findings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ICMP/UDP probes are used for network tracing, then the tracing protocol is simple and widely supported, but the measurements are inaccurate due to provider throttling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces TCP as an intermediary protocol to trace the network path. Since TCP traffic is not throttled by providers, it serves as a mediator to obtain accurate latency measurements for network segments where ICMP/UDP are blocked or throttled, thereby improving measurement accuracy despite the presence of throttling harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the protocol parameter from ICMP/UDP to TCP for tracing operations. By switching to a different protocol that is not subject to throttling, the system obtains accurate baseline measurements that can be used to infer the actual UDP path performance, effectively changing the measurement parameter to overcome the throttling issue.
2Measurement precision
If TCP probes are used to avoid throttling, then measurement accuracy improves, but the path may differ from the actual UDP traceroute path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network path into multiple legs and traces each leg separately using both TCP and UDP probes. By dividing the end-to-end path into segments and measuring each with appropriate protocols, the system reconstructs the UDP path information more accurately while using TCP where throttling occurs, thus reducing information loss about the actual UDP path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a protocol-comparison dimension to the tracing process. By performing traces in multiple protocol dimensions (TCP and UDP) and comparing the results, the system can identify where paths diverge and infer the actual UDP path, effectively using an additional measurement dimension to compensate for the limitation of using TCP alone.
3Measurement precision
If multiple protocols are used to trace the network path, then a more accurate view of the UDP path is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial multi-protocol probing by using TCP for specific segments where throttling is detected and UDP for other segments. Instead of uniformly using all protocols throughout the entire path, the system selectively applies protocols where needed, reducing unnecessary complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy where it matters most.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic protocol selection based on observed network conditions. The system adapts its probing strategy by switching between TCP and UDP protocols depending on where throttling is detected, making the tracing system flexible and responsive to network conditions rather than following a static protocol assignment, thereby managing complexity through adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for determining the path of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) traceroute probes using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). Various embodiments include sending a plurality of probes to one or more legs in a network path; obtaining measurements from each of the plurality of probes for each of the one or more legs in the network path; and performing one or more actions based on the measurements from each of the plurality of probes. The steps further include overlapping the measurements to determine latency to a destination and identifying throttling of UDP traffic based on the overlapping of measurements from the plurality of probes.