Resource admission control in an access network

• US 20050276218A1
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ooghe, Sven Maurice Joseph, Pauwels, Ludwig Alice Julienne
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/41 by acting on aggregated flows or links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/765 triggered by the end-points
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

The present invention is applicable to access networks across which virtual connections have been provisioned to meet traffic and QoS requirements. The present invention improves service integrity by controlling the right for a service instance to use the network resources that have been provisioned for its class of service. Whenever a subscriber requests a service that requires a pre-determined bandwidth with a pre-determined QoS, one checks whether the virtual connection over which the service will be delivered to the subscriber can convey the required bandwidth with the required QoS. According to the check outcome, the service is granted or denied to the subscriber. The present invention may further improve the usage of the network resources. This second object is achieved by adapting the configuration of the access network according to the real traffic demand.

Claims

1. A method to guarantee for a service a bandwidth across an access network with a quality of service, said access network comprising an edge node, a plurality of subscribers being coupled to said access network, said method comprising the step of provisioning a plurality of virtual connections capable of meeting bandwidth and quality of service requirements, whereof each virtual connection is established between one of said plurality of subscribers and said edge node, characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of:

upon request of said service by a subscriber out of said plurality of subscribers, identifying a virtual connection out of said plurality of virtual connections capable of guaranteeing said quality of service between said subscriber and said edge node,

checking whether said virtual connection can convey said bandwidth,

according to the outcome of said checking step, granting or denying said service to said subscriber.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of:

if said virtual connection cannot convey said bandwidth, check additionally whether said access network can accommodate said bandwidth between said subscriber and said edge node along said virtual connection,

according to the outcome of said additional checking step;

adapting the capacity of said virtual connection for it to convey said bandwidth and granting said service to said subscriber,

else denying said service to said subscriber.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said method comprises the preliminary steps of:

provisioning a path across said access network, the bandwidth of which being determined from a traffic load expected from said plurality of subscribers,

aggregating said plurality of virtual connections over said path,

disabling any connection admission control means in said access network that may prevent from aggregating said plurality of virtual connections over said path,

and in that said method further comprises the steps of;

if said virtual connection can convey said bandwidth, checking additionally whether said path can convey said bandwidth,

according to the outcome of said additional checking step, granting or denying said service to said subscriber.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said method comprises the preliminary step of provisioning a path across said access network, the bandwidth of which being determined from a traffic load expected from said plurality of subscribers, and in that said method further comprises the steps of:

if said virtual connection can convey said bandwidth, checking additionally whether said path can convey said bandwidth,

according to the outcome of said additional checking step,

connecting said virtual connection to said path and granting said service to said subscriber,

else denying said service to said subscriber.

5. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the bandwidth of said path is determined according to a statistical traffic law, given a number of virtual connections multiplexed over said path, a traffic load per user and a service deny probability.

6. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the number of virtual connections multiplexed over said path is determined according to a statistical traffic law, given a bandwidth of said path, a traffic load per user and a service deny probability.

7. An access network comprising an edge node, a plurality of subscribers being coupled to said access network, said access network comprising administration means adapted to provision a plurality of virtual connections capable of meeting bandwidth and quality of service requirements, whereof each virtual connection is established between one of said plurality of subscribers and said edge node, characterized in that said access network further comprises access resource control means adapted to:

upon request of a bandwidth across said access network with a quality of service for a subscriber out of said plurality of subscribers requesting a service, identify a virtual connection out of said plurality of virtual connections capable of guaranteeing said quality of service between said subscriber and said edge node,

check whether said virtual connection can convey said bandwidth,

according to the outcome of said checking step, grant or deny said bandwidth to said service.

8. An access network according to claim 7, characterized in that said access resource control means are coupled to said administration means, in that said administration means are further adapted to adapt the capacity of said virtual connection, and in that said access resource control means are further adapted to:

if said virtual connection cannot convey said bandwidth, check additionally whether said access network can accommodate said bandwidth between said subscriber and said edge node,

according to the outcome of said additional checking step;

trigger said administration means to adapt the capacity of said virtual connection for it to convey said bandwidth and grant said bandwidth to said service,

else deny said bandwidth to said service.

9. An access network according to claim 7, characterized in that said administration means are further adapted to

provision a path across said access network, the bandwidth of which being determined from a traffic load expected from said plurality of subscribers,

aggregate said plurality of virtual connections over said path,

disable any connection admission control means in said access network that may prevent from aggregating said plurality of virtual connections over said path,

and in that said access resource control means are further adapted to:

if said virtual connection can convey said bandwidth, check additionally whether said path can convey said bandwidth,

according to the outcome of said additional checking step, grant or deny said bandwidth to said service.

10. An access network according to claim 7, characterized in that said access resource control means are coupled to said administration means, in that said administration means are further adapted to:

provision a path across said access network, the bandwidth of which being determined from a traffic load expected from said plurality of subscribers,

connect said virtual connections to said path,

and in that said access resource control means are further adapted to;

if said virtual connection can convey said bandwidth, checking additionally whether said path can convey said bandwidth,

according to the outcome of said additional checking step,

trigger said administration means for it to connect said virtual connection to said path and grant said bandwidth to said service,

else deny said bandwidth to said service.