Troubleshooting Networks Using Internet Control Message Protocol

The Internet Control Message Protocol is classic example of a client server application. The ICMP server executes on all IP end system computers and all IP intermediate systems (routers). The protocol is used to report problems with delivery of IP datagram within an IP network. It can be used to report about errors when a particular End System is not responding, when an IP network is not reachable, when a node is overloaded, when an error occurs in the IP header nformation, etc. The protocol is also frequently used by Internet managers to verify the correct operations of End Systems and to check that routers are correctly routing packets to the ecified destination address. The ICMP is also used for troubleshooting the TCP/IP networks. In this paper we demonstrate how the troubleshooting can be done more effective with the use of ICMP. We also discuss about security flaws of ICMP and problems in Source Quench message of ICMP messages and suggestions to solve the problems.