Method and apparatus for centralized monitoring and analysis of virtual private networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for monitoring virtual private networks (VPNs) supported on a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) backbone network. In one embodiment, a method for remote monitoring of a VPN supported on an MPLS backbone network includes capturing traffic to and/or from the virtual private network (e.g., via a network probe) and analyzing the captured traffic in accordance with one or more service objectives. In another embodiment, the present invention involves remotely simulating network conditions in a virtual private network, for example by sending test patterns to a shared customer edge router connected to the virtual private network, forwarding the test patterns, via the shared customer edge router, to the MPLS backbone network, and forwarding the test patterns over the MPLS backbone network to a discrete customer edge router associated with the virtual private network.

1 . A method for monitoring one or more virtual private networks supported on a multiprotocol label switching backbone network, comprising:
 remotely capturing traffic to or from at least one virtual private network supported on the multiprotocol label switching backbone network; and   analyzing said traffic that has been captured in accordance with one or more service objectives.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more service objectives include at least one of: a troubleshooting service objective, a monitoring traffic streams for malicious data service objective, an analyzing voice over Internet Protocol calls for delay service objective, or a jitter and quality of service stress testing service objective. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said traffic is captured by a network probe connected to said multiprotocol label switching backbone network. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said network probe is connected to said multiprotocol label switching backbone network via an intermediate network switch. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said intermediate switch comprises:
 a first logical connection connecting said intermediate switch to at least one customer edge router associated with said at least one virtual private network; and   a second logical connection connecting said intermediate switch to a layer-3 component of at least one provider edge switch.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said first and second logical connections are adapted to duplicate packets sent thereon and forward duplicate packets to said network probe. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 compensating for changes in network conditions of said at least one virtual private network, where said changes are related to said capture of traffic.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 remotely simulating one or more network conditions in said at least one virtual private network.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said one or more simulated network conditions include at least one of: test patterns or test data. 
   
   
       10 . A computer readable medium containing an executable program for monitoring one or more virtual private networks supported on a multiprotocol label switching backbone network, where the program performs:
 remotely capturing traffic to or from at least one virtual private network supported on the multiprotocol label switching backbone network; and   analyzing said traffic that has been captured in accordance with one or more service objectives.   
   
   
       11 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein said one or more service objectives include at least one of: a troubleshooting service objective, a monitoring traffic streams for malicious data service objective, an analyzing voice over Internet Protocol calls for delay service objective, or a jitter and quality of service stress testing service objective. 
   
   
       12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein said traffic is captured by a network probe connected to said multiprotocol label switching backbone network. 
   
   
       13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein said network probe is connected to said multiprotocol label switching backbone network via an intermediate network switch. 
   
   
       14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein said intermediate switch comprises:
 a first logical connection connecting said intermediate switch to at least one customer edge router associated with said at least one virtual private network; and   a second logical connection connecting said intermediate switch to a layer-3 component of at least one provider edge switch.   
   
   
       15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second logical connections are adapted to duplicate packets sent thereon and forward duplicate packets to said network probe. 
   
   
       16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 compensating for changes in network conditions of said at least one virtual private network, where said changes are related to said capture of traffic.   
   
   
       17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 remotely simulating one or more network conditions in said at least one virtual private network.   
   
   
       18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein said simulated one or more network conditions include at least one of: test patterns or test data. 
   
   
       19 . Apparatus comprising:
 means for remotely capturing traffic to or from at least one virtual private network supported on the multiprotocol label switching backbone network; and   means for analyzing said traffic that has been captured in accordance with one or more service objectives.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more service objectives include at least one of: a troubleshooting service objective, a monitoring traffic streams for malicious data service objective, an analyzing voice over Internet Protocol calls for delay service objective, or a jitter and quality of service stress testing service objective.