System and method for provisioning resources of a packet network based on collected network performance information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9929923-B2
Application number	US-201414257741-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2014
Priority date	Aug 22, 2006
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for provisioning resources of a packet network, including monitoring at least one network performance information parameter associated with communications of data packets. The at least one network performance information parameter(s) may be compared with at least one respective threshold value indicative of degradation of communications of the data packets. A determination may be made that the network performance information parameter(s) crosses the respective threshold value(s). In response to determining that the network performance information parameter(s) crosses the respective threshold value(s), a network resource may be provisioned to compensate for the degradation of communications of the data packets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for provisioning resources of a packet network, the method comprising:
monitoring at least one network performance information parameter associated with communications of data packets, wherein the step of monitoring at least one network performance information parameter comprises;
generating, at a first network communications device, a first data packet including first network performance information;
communicating the first data packets including the first network performance information from the first network communications device to a second network communications device;
generating, at the second network communications device, a second data packet including the first network performance information received from the first network communications device and second network performance information generated at the second network communications device; and
communicating the second data packets including the first and second network performance information from the second network communications device to a third network communications device, wherein the at least one network performance information parameter comprises the first and second network performance information;

comparing the at least one network performance information parameter with a threshold value indicative of degradation of communications of the data packets;
determining that the at least one network performance information parameter crosses the threshold value;
initiating a trace route signal, that extends over an entire network path including a second packet network, to determine a specific network resource that has deteriorated, wherein the specific network resource is a node within the network path or a link between two adjacent nodes in the network path; and
in response to the at least one network performance information parameter crossing the threshold value, provisioning, using a microprocessor, network resources to compensate for the degradation of communications of the data packets, wherein provisioning network resources includes sending a message to another communications carrier who owns the second packet network to notify the other communications carrier of degradation in the packet network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the at least one network performance information parameter includes monitoring at least one network performance information parameter associated with communications of data packets including real-time content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein provisioning network resources includes load balancing communications of the data packets across multiple network resources.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein provisioning network resources includes stopping communications of data packets including non-real-time content.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein provisioning network resources includes notifying an operator of the network of a network resource causing the degradation of communications of the data packets.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the at least one network performance information parameter crosses back over the threshold value; and
in response to the at least one network performance information parameter crossing back over the threshold value, unprovisioning the network resource.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein provisioning network resources includes halting provisioning of new communication sessions over a network node associated with the degradation of communications of the data packets.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein provisioning network resources includes rerouting of communications of non-real-time data packets that do not include real-time content from a first network segment to a second network segment to improve communications of real-time data packets that include real-time content.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the trace route includes initiating a modified trace route signal that includes at least one performance information packet communicated over a duration of time to collect network performance information over that duration of time.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving feedback from the second packet network in response to receiving the trace route signal.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network path comprises a first portion on a first packet network operated by a first service provider and a second portion on the second packet network operated by a second service provider.

12. A system for provisioning resources of a packet network, the system comprising:
a database configured to store network performance information of a packet network;
an input/ output (I/O) unit in communication with the packet network and configured to communicate commands to network resources operating on the packet network; and
a processing unit in communication with the database and I/O unit, the processing unit configured to:
monitor at least one network performance information parameter associated with communications of data packets, wherein the step of monitoring at least one network performance information parameter comprises;
generating, at a first network communications device, a first data packet including first network performance information;
communicating the first data packets including the first network performance information from the first network communications device to a second network communications device;
generating, at the second network communications device, a second data packet including the first network performance information received from the first network communications device and second network performance information generated at the second network communications device; and
communicating the second data packets including the first and second network performance information from the second network communications device to a third network communications device, wherein the at least one network performance information parameter comprises the first and second network performance information;
compare the at least one network performance information parameter with a threshold value indicative of degradation of communications of the data packets;
determine that the at least one network performance information parameter crosses the threshold value;
initiate a trace route signal, that extends over an entire network path including a second packet network, to determine a specific network resource that has deteriorated, wherein the specific network resource is a node within the network path or a link between two adjacent nodes in the network path; and
in response to the at least one network performance information parameter crossing the threshold value, provision network resources to compensate for the degradation of communications of the data packets, wherein provisioning network resources includes sending a message to another communications carrier who owns the second packet network to notify the other communications carrier of degradation in the packet network.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to monitor at least one network performance information parameter associated with communications of data packets including real-time content.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to load balance communications of the data packets across multiple network resources.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to slow rate of communications of data packets including non-real-time content.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the p

Assignees

• Centurylink Ip Llc

Inventors

• Heinz John M
• Mcnaughton James L

Classifications

• H04L43/0847

  Transmission error · CPC title

• H04L43/0852

  Delays · CPC title

• H04L43/087

  Jitter · CPC title

• H04L47/82

  Miscellaneous aspects · CPC title

• H04L43/0829

  Packet loss · CPC title