Network planning tool

• US 20020087370A1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Armstrong, Mark, Blouin, Francois, Brueckheimer, Simon, Britt, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade

Abstract

A communications packet network is planned by the use of a planning tool. The tool comprises an input for inputting requirements of the network; and an input for determining factors which effect the passage of packet based data through the network. A modelling module determines the performance of the network based on the requirements and factors. The performance of model is compared with that of an objective comparison model. A feedback mechanism iteratively adjusts the input factors to improve the performance and maintain the network requirements. When the desired performance level is achieved, a plan of the network is output from the planning tool.

Claims

1. A method of planning a Network which is capable of passing packet based data therethrough, the method of planning comprising:

determining a plurality of requirements for the network;

determining factors which effect the passage of said packet based data through the network;

modelling the performance of the network based on said requirements and said factors;

comparing the performance with an objective comparison model;

iteratively adjusting said factors to improve the performance and maintain the network requirements; and

outputting a plan of the network.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said network requirements are selected from the group comprising quality, incentive, cut-price and combinations thereof.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said voice quality benchmarks comprise clarity, incentive and cut-price.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said clarity benchmark is determined as voice quality as a primary factor.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said incentive benchmark is determined as a combination of quality and low cost.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cut-price benchmark comprises a minimum price with a minimum acceptable quality.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, and embodied as a software in machine readable form on a storage medium.

8. A method of planning a telecommunications packet network, the method comprising;

specifying a bearer profile for the network;

defining a protocol stack supporting said bearer profile; and

determining a target voice quality for the network;

wherein said target voice quality determination is effected as a trade-off between a set of voice quality benchmarks.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said voice quality benchmarks comprise clarity, incentive and cut-price.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said clarity benchmark is determined as voice quality as a primary factor.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said incentive benchmark is determined as a combination of quality and low cost.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cut-price benchmark comprises a minimum price with a minimum acceptable quality.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a transmission rating factor is calculated for the network.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said transmission rating factor (R) is determined as

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein a budget allocation is determined from a combination of the transmission factor rating, the equipment impairment factor and a delay margin.

16. A network plan prepared by a method as claimed in claim 8.

17. A network plan as claimed in claim 16, and embodied in a digital signal.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said network plan is output in the form of software.

18. A method of planning a network which is capable of passing packet based data therethrough, the method comprising;

determining a set of requirements for the network;

determining the factors which affect the passage of said packet based data through the network;

modelling the performance of the network based on said requirements and said factors;

a comparer for comparing the performance with an objective comparison model;

responsive to said comparing iteratively adjusting said factors to improve the network model performance and to maintain the network requirements; and

outputting a plan of the network.

20. A network planning tool for planning a network which is capable of passing packet based data therethrough, the tool comprising:

an input for inputting requirements of the network;

an input for determining factors which effect the passage of said packet based data through the network;

a modelling module for modelling the performance of the network based on said requirements and said factors;

a comparer for comparing the performance with an objective comparison model;

a feedback mechanism for iteratively adjusting said factors to improve the performance and maintain the network requirements; and

an output for outputting a plan of the network.

21. A network planning tool as claimed in claim 20, wherein said network requirements are selected from the group comprising quality, incentive, cut-price and combinations thereof.

22. A network planning tool as claimed in claim 21, wherein said voice quality benchmarks comprise clarity, incentive and cut-price.

23. A network planning tool as claimed in claim 22, wherein said clarity benchmark is determined as voice quality as a primary factor.

24. A network planning tool as claimed in claim 23, wherein said incentive benchmark is determined as a combination of quality and low cost.

25. A network planning tool as claimed in claim 24, wherein said cut-price benchmark comprises a minimum price with a minimum acceptable quality.

26. A network planning tool as claimed in claim 20, and embodied as software in machine readable form on a storage medium.