Quantifying user quality of experience by passive monitoring

摘要

A method is implemented in a network element to generate quality of experience (QoE) metrics for hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) sessions over a network between a user device and an HTTP server. The QoE metrics are based on detecting premature termination of a download process that indicate low QoE. This QoE metric data can then be utilized by network administrators or service providers to adjust network characteristics to improve the QoE or to offer changes in services to a customer that would improve the QoE.

主权项

1. A method implemented in a network element to generate quality of experience (QoE) metrics for hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) sessions over a network between a user device and an HTTP server, the QoE metrics based on detecting premature termination of a download process that indicate low QoE, the method comprising the steps of:
comparing characteristics of a data flow received at the network element with active HTTP sessions tracked by a QoE module of the network element; in response to a match of the received data flow with a matched active HTTP session, checking whether a time stamp of a latest packet of the received data flow is within a threshold time since a last packet in the matched active HTTP session; in response to not finding a match of the received data flow in the active HTTP sessions, checking whether the received data flow is related to one of the active HTTP sessions based on an address of the user device or embedded content identifier of the received data flow;
grouping the received data flow with the matched active HTTP session or a related active HTTP session;checking whether a premature termination has occurred prior to normal completion for the matched active HTTP session or the related HTTP session; andin response to detecting that the premature termination occurred, categorizing a download process linked to the matched active HTTP session or the related HTTP session as a prematurely terminated download process.