MyConnection Server (MCS) delivers a hyperthreaded framework that is specifically designed to support client-initiated network testing as a single one-off test between two endpoints or automated client network testing to initiate multiple network tests between many test endpoints. The single test approach is primarily focused on help desk troubleshooting and problem resolution whereas automated testing is focused on establishing an assessment or baseline for an application service level acceptance.
Fig 1 below documents the protocol path for delivery and execution of the test process(s) [purple] and the results delivery on the test conclusion [green].
Support-initiated problem discovery testing is browser-hosted. The MCS plug-in enables the browser to accommodate application testing that is not native to the browser, such as VoIP, Route, Firewall, Quality, DHCP, Efficiency, etc.
Automated testing extends the test framework to allow a client to test many connections, any number of times from any client. For example, to isolate an internal private network as a problem caused by a public ISP network as a problem cause, an automated client can initiate a test to the private network egress gateway(s) as well as the ingress application service.
To accommodate the world of large distributed cloud-based application services, the MCS test framework supports the inclusion of Network Connection Satellite(s) (NCS). An NCS is a highly secure multipurpose deployable asset.
An NCS can establish a client presence to initiate testing from one or more clients (I-points), or establish a server presence to terminate testing at one or more network locations (e-points).
Additionally, any location can support an NCS that is simultaneously both an I-point and e-point to establish a full mesh test capability. To accurately understand asymmetric paths, location 'a' can test to 'b' and 'b' can test to 'a'.
The MCS Business Edition framework supports up to 500 simultaneous threads to accommodate up to 50 test I-points/e-points. MCS Enterprise Edition framework supports up to 5000 simultaneous threads to accommodate 50,000 test I-points/e-points.
This delivers a test framework that can establish high visibility across very large global networks. More importantly, MCS Enterprise incorporates a test engine that can initiate any test from any number of I-points simultaneously. This allows the MCS framework to accurately test any size of demand across very high bandwidth connections (e.g., 100Gb) to assess the network behavior when shared across a global enterprise network.
MCS supports a family of highly secure solid-state hardware-based NCSDs. NCSDs are designed for the data center (1U rack-mountable) and support 2-16 1Gbps ports. Portable 2-port devices are provided for field support engineers.
Portable NCSDs are designed to support all standard MCS testing. Two 1Gbps ports provide an independent integrated I-point and e-point client which allows a single device to run an accurate test, without an operating system and shared application overheads, as both client and server.
A solid-state NCSD eliminates all threats from deployment in a public or private domain. Additionally, tests can be run in a customer private network, accurately, safely, and securely, because a NCSD eliminates the requirement for an assessment test to be hosted directly on customer-owned equipment.
By design, primarily for security, only MCS provides persistent store test result data. Additionally, for security and low deployment costs, NCS I-points and e-points do not store or maintain any persistent data. NCS I-points and e-points, therefore, have no requirement for any persistent files or access to the filesystem of the host operating system. This eliminates all OS/filesystem threats.
MCS database is a proprietary database that is automatically generated when MCS is first initiated. The MCS database will accommodate up to 1 billion test results. There is no public API for access to the MCS database however MCS Business and Enterprise editions provide an optional real-time SQL data externalization engine. The MCS SQL engine supports local and remote SQL database integration for customer configuration and reporting