Method and apparatus of measuring and reporting data gap from within an analysis tool

Abstract

Network data gap is determined and reported to enable a user to validate that all the traffic that was intended to be monitored is being monitored in monitoring and/or troubleshooting tools for observation of network traffic and network installation and maintenance. Span port oversubscription, incomplete span configuration, incorrectly placed network taps and monitoring device packet drop may thereby be detected and reported as data gap.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A network analysis device, comprising:
 a network traffic observing unit for observing network traffic data and compiling transaction details data; and 
 a data gap analysis device for determining existence of data gap in the compiled network traffic transaction details data, 
 wherein said data gap analysis device includes packet processing for processing the observed network packet data to determine for any ack packet, whether a corresponding packet sequence number was noted, and if not, indicating data gap. 
 
     
     
       2. The network analysis device according to  claim 1 , further comprising said data gap analysis device determining when one transaction should be complete and another transaction has started based on the existence of a data gap between subsequent client or server packets. 
     
     
       3. A method of analyzing network traffic data to determine data gap, comprising:
 selecting a packet of network traffic; 
 determining if said selected packet is an ack; 
 if said packet is an ack, then determining whether a sequence number of a packet corresponding to said ack had been noted, and if not noted, indicating a data gap. 
 
     
     
       4. A method of analyzing network traffic data to determine data gap, comprising:
 observing network traffic data and determining transaction details therefrom; 
 storing said determined transaction details; 
 analyzing said stored determined transaction details to determine existence of data gap, 
 wherein said analyzing comprises: 
 selecting a transaction detail for a packet of network traffic; 
 determining if said selected transaction detail represents an ack packet; 
 if said transaction detail represents an ack packet, then determining whether a sequence number of a packet corresponding to said ack packet had been noted, and if not noted, indicating existence of a data gap. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising the step of reporting the results of determined existence of data gap. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said analyzing said stored determined transaction details to determine existence of data gap is performed at a location physically away from a location where said observing occurred. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said analyzing said stored determined transaction details to determine existence of data gap is performed as a post processing step in other than real time relative to said observing and storing. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said analyzing said stored determined transaction details to determine existence of data gap is performed as a substantially real time operation relative to said observing and storing. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising determining when one transaction should be complete and another transaction started based on the existence of a data gap between subsequent client or server packets. 
     
     
       10. A network test instrument, comprising:
 network interface for receiving network traffic; 
 a network traffic observing unit for observing received network traffic data and compiling transaction details data; 
 a data gap analysis device for determining existence of data gap in the compiled network traffic transaction details data, wherein said data gap analysis device includes packet processing for processing the observed network packet data to determine for any ack packet, whether a corresponding packet sequence number was noted, and if not, indicating data gap; 
 a user interface for interacting with a user for receiving operating instructions for the network test instrument and reporting determination results from the data gap analysis device. 
 
     
     
       11. The network test instrument according to  claim 10 , wherein said packet processing is performed in substantially real time relative to said observing and compiling. 
     
     
       12. The network test instrument according to  claim 10 , wherein said packet processing is performed in other than real time relative to said observing and compiling. 
     
     
       13. The network test instrument according to  claim 10 , further comprising said data gap analysis device determining when one transaction should be complete and another transaction has started based on the existence of a data gap between subsequent client or server packets.