GOOGLE LAUNCHES M-LAB -TO TEST YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION

Global Tech Giant Google along with a couple of non profit partners has launched measurementlab.net called MLAB in short to enable users to test their internet connection using google's own list of diagnostic tools.The MLAB aims to check broadband connections by briefly communicating with a server elsewhere on the internet to reveal possible interference and traffic management by service providers.
Apart from helping users to check their broadband connection using its Network Diagnostic Tool,MLAB seems to offer much more including the Glasnost which helps to detect whether your Internet access provider is performing application-specific traffic shaping. Currently, you can test if your ISP is throttling or blocking BitTorrent.The measurement server records the user's IP address, and all data packets received by the server from your computer or sent by the server to your computer. In addition, it monitors errors in the communication with the server and the throughput of the transfers for those communication "flows," and sends them to the server.

The NPAD (Network Path and Applicaton Diagnosis) tool diagnoses some of the common problems effecting the last network mile and end-users' systems. These are the most common causes of all performance problems on wide area network paths.

The Diffprobe which helps to detect if an Internet access provider is classifying certain kinds of traffic as "low priority," providing it with an inferior level of service. DiffProbe actively and non-intrusively probes the network path and tries to diagnose the nature and extent of traffic discrimination.

The NANO attempts to detect whether an ISP is degrading the performance of a certain subset of users, applications, or destinations.NANO will conduct some tests between the client and an M-Lab server, such as generating downloads of different types of application traffic. This data will be sent to the M-Lab server.NANO will also monitor the user's network traffic and collect summary statistics about performance when the user visits popular Internet destinations. Rather than generating tests, it monitors the user's activity in the course of his or her normal Internet usage.

The MLAB is being released only in its beta form and services like Diffprobe and NANO are not yet available fully.Besides providing the users with essential diagnostic tools,google is inviting researchers who would like to help expand the platform and ensure its growth and success.