System and method of analyzing network protocols

Abstract

A method and system for analyzing a public switched communications network from a remote place via the public Internet. The system comprises an access device which collects data from one or more links in a public switched communications network. The system further includes a server computer which receives the collected data from the access device via a dedicated network or the Internet. The server computer executes one or more applications to perform protocol analysis based on the received data. A client computer executing a Web browser may be used to communicate with the server computer via the Internet and access the outcome of the protocol analysis.

1 . A system for restricting access of an operator to a communications network, the system comprising: 
 a device configured to allow access to at least one link in the communications network;    a computer configured to communicate with the device, the computer having at least one test application; and    a selector configured to identify the at least one test application and at least one link allowed for access by the operator.    
   
   
       2 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to perform protocol analysis of the at least one link having at least one of a frame relay, ATM, TCP/IP, ISDN, and FDDI protocols.  
   
   
       3 . The system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the test application is configured to access data associated with the protocol analysis of the at least one link.  
   
   
       4 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the network comprises a public switched network.  
   
   
       5 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the device collects data from the link in the network, and communicates the data to the computer for analysis.  
   
   
       6 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one test application performs at least one of monitoring, non-intrusively testing, intrusively testing, traffic-injection, and protocol analyzing the at least one link in the network.  
   
   
       7 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the selector comprises software executed by the computer, the software configured to identify an authorization level of the operator.  
   
   
       8 . The system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the software is configured to identify the authorization level of the operator based, at least in part, on a IP address associated with the operator.  
   
   
       9 . The system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the software is configured to identify the authorization level of the operator based, at least in part, on a database of operator information.  
   
   
       10 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an interface configured to display a list of test options, the options comprising the at least one link and the at least one test application allowed for access by the operator.  
   
   
       11 . The system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the interface comprises a web browser.  
   
   
       12 . The system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the interface is further configured to communicate with the at least one test application.  
   
   
       13 . The system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the interface is configured to communicate with the computer over a second communications network.  
   
   
       14 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the selector is configured to identify the at least one link and the at least one test application based on the authorization level of the operator.  
   
   
       15 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the selector is configured to use profile information of the operator to determine, at least in part, the at least one link and at least one test to allow the operator to access.  
   
   
       16 . The system as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the profile information of the operator comprises information stored in a database.  
   
   
       17 . A method of restricting access of an operator to a communications network, the method comprising: 
 sending identification information of the operator to a computer to execute at least one test application;    verifying the identification information of the operator; and    determining at least one link and at least one test application allowed for access by the operator in response to the identification information.    
   
   
       18 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein determining at least one link and at least one test application allowed for access by the operator in response to the identification information comprises determining an authorization level for the operator based on the identification information.  
   
   
       19 . The method as defined in  claim 18 , wherein determining at least one link and at least one test application allowed for access by the operator in response to the identification information comprises comparing the authorization level for the operator to authorization levels respectively associated with the at least one link and the at least one test application.  
   
   
       20 . The method as defined in  claim 18 , wherein determining at least one link and at least one test application allowed for access by the operator in response to the identification information further comprises determining whether at least one test application is configured to perform intrusive testing of the at least one link.  
   
   
       21 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein verifying the identification information of the operator comprises comparing the identification information of the operator with predetermined operator information.  
   
   
       22 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein sending identification information comprises sending identification information over a second communications network.  
   
   
       23 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the step of sending identification information comprises transmitting a username and password to the computer.  
   
   
       24 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the step of determining comprises consulting a list of user profiles to identify which of the at least one link and at least one test application to allow access by the operator.  
   
   
       25 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the step of determining comprises identifying an IP address associated with the operator to identify which of the at least one link and at least one test application to allow access by the operator.  
   
   
       26 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising performing the protocol analysis of the link determined by the step of determining the at least one link and at least one test application.  
   
   
       27 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising executing the at least one test application determined by the step of determining the at least one link and at least one test application.  
   
   
       28 . A method of restricting access of an operator to a communications link, the method comprising: 
 receiving via a first communications network information about the identity of the operator;    verifying the information about the identity of the operator; and    determining at least one link in a second communications network and at least one test application allowed for access by the operator in response to verifying the information.    
   
   
       29 . The method as defined in  claim 27 , wherein receiving identification information comprises receiving a username and password.  
   
   
       30 . The method as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the step of determining comprises identifying an IP address associated with the operator to identify which of the at least one link and at least one test application to allow access by the operator.  
   
   
       31 . The method as defined in  claim 27 , wherein determining at least one link in a second communications network and at least one test application allowed for access by the operator comprises consulting a list of user profiles to identify which of the at least one link in the second communications network and at least one test application to allow access by the operator.  
   
   
       32 . The method as defined in  claim 27 , further comprising performing protocol analysis on the at least one link in the second communications network.  
   
   
       33 . The method as defined in  claim 27 , further comprising executing the at least one test application.  
   
   
       34 . A system for restricting access of an operator to a communications network, the system comprising: 
 means for receiving information about the identity of the operator;    means for verifying the information about the operator; and    means for determining at least one link in the communications network and at least one test application allowed for access by the operator.    
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising means for performing protocol analysis on the at least one link.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising means for executing the at least one test application.