Monitoring network performance to identify sources of network performance degradation

Abstract

A method of measuring, for communication paths between a networked computer and at least one other networked computer connected via a network performance, network information to detect network performance degradation and diagnose source(s) of the performance degradation. The diagnosis may be performed by a progressive elimination of possible sources. Network performance degradation may be attributed to problems at a local network or the Internet. The problem sources on the Internet may comprise, for example, an internet server provider (ISP) or a single remote server in communication with the networked computer. A network performance baseline established and maintained for each path may be employed in diagnosing the network performance degradation.

1 . A method comprising:
 establishing, by a computing device, a network performance baseline for a communication path of a network between the computing device and another computing device;   collecting network performance data regard ng the communication path over a time interval; and   updating the established network performance baseline based on the collected network performance data unless it is determined that the network is underutilized or congested.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining that the network is underutilized; 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the determining that the network is underutilized is based on communications on the communication path consumed a bandwidth within a range of an estimated bandwidth. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the determining comprises determining whether a sender congestion window has a size exceeding a threshold percentage of a value representing a product of the estimated bandwidth and an estimated round trip delay on the communication path. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining that the network is congested. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the determining that the network is congested is based on communications on the communication path consumed a bandwidth within a range of an estimated throughput. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the determining is based on a bandwidth metric increasing and a mean bandwidth value decreasing. 
     
     
         8 . At least one computer storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
 establishing a network performance baseline for a communication path of a network between the computing device and another computing device;   collecting network performance data regarding the communication path over a time interval; and   updating the established network performance baseline based on the collected network performance data unless it is determined that the network is underutilized or congested.   
     
     
         9 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 8 , the method further comprising determining that the network is underutilized; 
     
     
         10 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 9  wherein the determining that the network is underutilized is based on communications on the communication path consumed a bandwidth within a range of an estimated bandwidth. 
     
     
         11 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 10  wherein the determining comprises determining whether a sender congestion window has a size exceeding a threshold percentage of a value representing a product of the estimated bandwidth and an estimated round trip delay on the communication path. 
     
     
         12 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 8 , the method further comprising determining that the network is congested. 
     
     
         13 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 12  wherein the determining that the network is congested is based on communications on the communication path consumed a bandwidth within a range of an estimated throughput. 
     
     
         14 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 13  where n the determining is based on a bandwidth metric increasing and a mean bandwidth value decreasing. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 a computing device configured for establishing a network performance baseline for a communication path of a network between the computing device and another computing device;   the computing device further configured for collecting network performance data regarding the communication path over a time interval; and   the computing device further configured for updating the established network performance baseline based on the collected network performance data unless it is determined that the network is underutilized or congested.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the computing device further configured for determining that the network is underutilized; 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the determining that the network is underutilized is based on communications on the communication path consumed a bandwidth within a range of an estimated bandwidth. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the determining comprises determining whether a sender congestion window has a size exceeding a threshold percentage of a value represent ng a product of the estimated bandwidth and an estimated round trip delay on the communication path. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , the computing device further configured for determining that the network is congested. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the determining that the network is congested is based on communications on the communication path consumed a bandwidth within a range of an estimated throughput.