Downloadable Virtual Client Testing Without Network Downtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network devices require firmware updates or reboots to perform network testing, leading to administrative overhead and network downtime.
Innovation Solution
A network device simulates a network instance using downloadable software packages stored in volatile memory, allowing performance monitoring and testing without updating firmware or interrupting network traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If firmware updates or reboots are performed on network devices to enable network testing, then network testing capability is improved, but network downtime and administrative overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network testing functionality from the core firmware by implementing it as a separate software package that can be downloaded and executed independently. This allows the testing capability to be added without modifying or rebooting the device firmware, thus avoiding network downtime while maintaining testing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary software package that acts as a bridge between the network device and testing requirements. This package can be loaded into the device's execution environment without requiring firmware updates, enabling network testing while keeping the device operational and avoiding administrative overhead associated with firmware management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If firmware updates are performed on network devices to add network testing functionality, then network testing capability is improved, but administrative overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables network devices to self-provision testing functionality by automatically downloading and executing software packages from a repository. This eliminates the need for administrators to manually update firmware or configure testing parameters, significantly reducing administrative overhead while maintaining versatile network testing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal software package framework that can provide multiple network testing functions through a single downloadable package. This approach allows one package to perform various testing operations (latency, throughput, packet loss) without requiring separate firmware updates for each function, thereby reducing administrative complexity.
3Measurement precision
If network devices perform network testing using traditional methods, then network performance data is obtained, but network traffic forwarding is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic testing where the software package can be loaded, executed, and unloaded during device operation. The testing functionality dynamically shares the device's processing resources with the traffic forwarding function, allowing both operations to occur concurrently without complete interruption of network traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous network traffic forwarding by designing the testing software package to operate in parallel with the device's normal forwarding operations. The package utilizes available processing cycles without blocking the traffic path, maintaining continuous useful action for both testing and network service delivery.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for sending downloadable software packages that may be executed to perform tests of a network device without requiring the network device to update firmware. In one example, the network device obtains a software package comprising instructions for simulating a network instance and stores the software package in a volatile memory of the network device. The network device simulates, based on the instructions, the network instance to obtain data indicative of a performance of the network instance. The network device sends, via a communication channel established with a network management system (NMS) based on the software package, the data indicative of the performance of the network instance. In some examples, the NMS uses the data indicative of the performance of the network instance to identify a root cause of a failure of the network device or a remedial action to be performed upon the network device.