摘要 |
There is disclosed a method for scheduling verification tests to audit routing information in a packet switching network comprising a plurality of packet switching nodes and a plurality of bi-directional links each interconnecting a distinct pair of said nodes. The method begins with the steps of selecting a test time duration period for scheduling the verification tests of the routing information in the network and selecting a number of nodes to be tested. The method determines for each node to be tested in the network: (i) a number of sub-tests to be run via the bi-directional links to all destination nodes associated with the test node, (ii) generates a time gap interval based on the quotient of the scheduled test time duration period by the number of sub-tests to be conducted, (iii) generates a random number greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to the time gap interval for each sub-test to be run, and (iv) schedules the verification sub-tests in succession during the time test duration period by staggering starting of the first sub-test from the commencement of the time test duration period, and all succeeding sub-tests from the completion of the previous sub-test, by a respective time interval which is a function of the time gap interval and the random number for that sub-test. The method of the present invention has the advantage in that it randomly disperses the running of the verification sub-test in the network over a test time frame. As a result, traffic loading induced on the network by the verification tests is dispersed and risk of overloading the network is reduced. |