VoIP Monitoring via Active Synthetic Probing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing approaches for monitoring VoIP network services are inadequate as they are passive and fail to provide insights into network performance and problems in the network path between endpoints, lacking information on intermediate nodes, which hinders effective troubleshooting and quality assessment.
Innovation Solution
Implementing active probing and testing techniques using network path tracing and synthetic voice streams to monitor and troubleshoot VoIP network services, including SIP and RTP active testing, to identify issues and optimize network configurations for improved performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If passive monitoring approaches are used for VoIP network services, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision and network path insight are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary components including synthetic voice stream generators, network path tracers, and quality analysis servers that act as mediators between the VoIP network and monitoring systems. These intermediaries enable active probing of network performance without requiring modification of actual VoIP traffic, thus improving measurement precision while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates synthetic copies of actual VoIP traffic using synthetic voice streams that mimic real voice communication patterns. These synthetic streams are injected into the network path under test to measure performance characteristics. This copying approach allows accurate measurement of network behavior under realistic conditions without interfering with or requiring access to actual production traffic, thereby improving measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of tapping real traffic sources
2Loss of information
If active probing techniques are implemented to gain network path insights, then measurement precision and troubleshooting capability are improved, but system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial probing by selectively injecting synthetic voice streams into specific network paths and at specific intervals rather than continuously monitoring all traffic. The system performs probing only when needed for troubleshooting or periodic performance assessment, and only on selected paths. This partial action approach provides sufficient network path information for effective troubleshooting while significantly reducing network resource consumption compared to continuous full-path monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system performs active probing periodically rather than continuously, scheduling synthetic voice stream injections at intervals appropriate for detecting network performance changes. This periodic action ensures that network path information is updated sufficiently for troubleshooting purposes while minimizing ongoing network resource consumption by leaving probing inactive during stable periods
3Reliability
If comprehensive active testing is performed to identify VoIP call quality issues, then troubleshooting capability is improved, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the VoIP quality assessment process into distinct functional modules: synthetic voice stream generation, network path tracing, packet transmission monitoring, quality parameter analysis, and reporting. Each module performs a specific function and can be independently configured and maintained. This segmentation enables comprehensive reliability assessment through multiple measurement dimensions while managing implementation complexity by breaking down the overall system into manageable, specialized components that can be developed and deployed separately
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for monitoring Voice-over-IP (VoIP) network services over the Internet are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system, process, and/or computer program product for monitoring and/or troubleshooting VoIP network services over the Internet includes performing VoIP call initiation testing using a source agent and a target agent; performing synthetic VoIP call quality testing using the source agent and the target agent over the Internet; and generating a report based on the VoIP call initiation testing and the synthetic VoIP call quality testing over the Internet.