Patent · US Active

System and method for providing troubleshooting in a network environment

US8619586B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
29References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 15, 2009
Grant dateDec 31, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 29, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L43/16
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An example method is provided and includes identifying a change in header information within a packet of a communication flow. The change in header information reflects a predetermined type of header change that signifies a degradation condition for the communication flow. The method also includes changing a header field within an outgoing frame to initiate a trace through a network path. Diagnostic data associated with the communication flow can be collected. In more particular embodiments, the changing of the header field includes changing an Ethernet header field for a layer two frame, or changing an Internet Protocol (IP) header field for a layer three frame. Changing of the header field can also include changing a field within an outgoing layer three header to identify an IP socket associated with the communication flow. The change to the header field can be propagated by network elements along the network path.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.