METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING COMMUNICATIONS EFFICIENCY IN DATA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

• US 20020013847A1
• Filed: 07/07/1998
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: FISHER, BRADFORD AUSTIN, HAYES, KENT FILLMORE Jr., SAYLOR, CHARLES RAY, OʼHARE, ANTHONY BRIAN
• Granted Patent: US 6,571,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0889 Techniques to speed-up the configuration process

Abstract

A method and system for use within at least one network. The method and system achieve their objects via computing equipment engineered to do the following: define one or more pools of network resources; and assign network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources.

Claims

1. A method for improving network management, said method comprising the steps of:

defining one or more pools of network resources; and

assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of defining one or more pools further comprises the step of defining one or more sub-pools of network resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of defining one or more pools of network resources further comprises the step of populating the one or more pools of network resources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of populating the one or more pools of network resources further includes the step of dynamically populating the one or more pools of network resources.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of populating the one or more pools of network resources further includes the step of pre-populating the one or more pools of network resources.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises the steps of:

determining a type of network parameter to which a network resource is to be assigned;

in response to said step of determining, selecting a network resource from the one or more pools of network resources based on the type of network parameter; and

in response to said step of selecting, assigning the network resource to the network parameter to which a network resource is to be assigned.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises the step automatically engaging in said steps of determining, selecting, and assigning.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises the steps of:

in response to a user specified parameter, listing at least one previously allocated resource; and

in response to user selection from a list previously allocated resources, assigning a resource to a user-designated parameter.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises the steps of:

in response to a user-specified parameter, listing at least one previously unallocated resource; and

in response to user selection from a list previously allocated resources, assigning a resource to the user-specified parameter.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

accepting a user-specified parameter;

accepting a user-specified resource; and

in response to the user-specified parameter and the user-specified resource, designating the resource as either allocated or unallocated.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

accepting user input; and

in response to the user input, listing system resources consonant with the user input.

12. A system for improving network management, said system comprising the steps of:

means for defining one or more pools of network resources; and

means for assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said means for defining one or more pools further comprises means for defining one or more sub-pools of network resources.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said means for defining one or more pools of network resources further comprises means for populating the one or more pools of network resources.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for populating the one or more pools of network resources further includes means for dynamically populating the one or more pools of network resources.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for populating the one or more pools of network resources further includes means for pre-populating the one or more pools of network resources.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises:

means for determining a type of network parameter to which a network resource is to be assigned;

means, responsive to said step of determining, for selecting a network resource from the one or more pools of network resources based on the type of network parameter; and

means, responsive to said step of selecting, for assigning the network resource to the network parameter to which a network resource is to be assigned.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said means for assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises means for automatically engaging in said steps of determining, selecting, and assigning.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises:

means, responsive to a user specified parameter, for listing at least one previously allocated resource; and

means, responsive to user selection from a list previously allocated resources, for assigning a resource to a user-designated parameter.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for assigning network resources on the basis of the one or more pools of network resources further comprises:

means, responsive to a user-specified parameter, for listing at least one previously unallocated resource; and

means, responsive to user selection from a list previously allocated resources, for assigning a resource to the user-specified parameter.

21. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for accepting a user-specified parameter;

means for accepting a user-specified resource; and

means, responsive to the user-specified parameter and the user-specified resource, for designating the resource as either allocated or unallocated.

22. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for accepting user input; and

means, responsive to the user input, for listing system resources consonant with the user input.