System and Method for Network Design

• US 20090276510A1
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sahasrabuddhe, Laxman, Manthoulis, Orestis, Chiang, Mung
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0826 for reduction of network costs H04L41/0833 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system and method for network design are disclosed. In one embodiment of a method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, embedded network information describing at least one existing network element and a plurality of physical locations available for locating new network nodes may be received. A demand forecast for a coverage area of a proposed network may also be received. In an embodiment in which a proposed network has a core layer, a number of core layer nodes to be included in the proposed network may also be received. In an embodiment in which a proposed network has an aggregation layer, a number of aggregator layer nodes to include in the proposed network may be calculated by adding a positive integer to a lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes. Consideration may be given to these and other inputs in connection with generating a network design.

Claims

1. A network design method executable by at least one computer, the method comprising:

receiving embedded network information describing at least one existing network element and a plurality of physical locations available for locating new network nodes;

receiving a demand forecast for a coverage area of a proposed network, the proposed network having a core layer, an aggregation layer, and an access layer;

determining a lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes to service the coverage area;

calculating a number of aggregator layer nodes to be included in the proposed network including adding a positive integer to the lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes;

receiving a number of core layer nodes to be included in the proposed network; and

generating a network design for the proposed network, where the network design identifies a physical location for each of the core layer nodes and each of the aggregator layer nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating an optimization value representing robustness of the proposed network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network design comprises a list of line cards to be added to existing network elements, a list of to-be-added core layer nodes and to-be-added aggregator layer nodes, and connection information describing an interconnection plan.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising gathering the embedded network information from a network element management system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the positive integer is user-defined.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a proposed network report.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the proposed network report includes a cost of implementing the network design and a list of equipment to be deployed in accordance with the network design.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the proposed network is an optical network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the proposed network is a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) based network.

10. A computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a processor to:

access embedded network information;

access a proposed number of core layer nodes for a to-be-designed network;

determine a lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes to service a coverage area of the to-be-designed network;

calculate a number of aggregator layer nodes to be included in the to-be-designed network, by adding a positive integer to the lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes; and

generate at least two potential network designs for the to-be-designed network based on the number of aggregator layer nodes and based on the proposed number of core layer nodes, wherein each of the at least two potential network designs identifies physical locations of the each of the core layer nodes and each of the aggregator layer nodes.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further storing computer-readable instructions executable by the processor to consider a forecasted demand for the to-be-designed network when generating the at least two potential network designs for the to-be-designed network.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further storing computer-readable instructions executable by the processor to calculate a value representing network robustness for each of the at least two potential network designs.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further storing computer-readable instructions executable by the processor to initiate presentation of a graphical user interface comprising a field for receiving a user input defining the proposed number of core layer nodes.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the positive integer is a user-defined integer.

15. A network design system comprising:

a network interface device operable to form at least a portion of a communication link between a local component and a remote memory maintaining embedded network information; and

a design engine operable to;

determine a lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes to service a coverage area of a to-be-designed network;

calculate a number of aggregator layer nodes to be included in the to-be-designed network by adding a positive integer to the lower bound number of aggregator layer nodes; and

generate at least two potential network designs for the to-be-designed network with each of the at least two potential network designs including at least one deployed network node described in the embedded network information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the design engine is further operable to calculate a value representing network robustness for each of the at least two potential network designs.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a user interface operable to receive at least one design parameter for the to-be-designed network, wherein the design engine is further operable to consider the at least one design parameter in connection with generating the at least two potential network designs.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one design parameter includes a design limitation for at least one piece of equipment to be included in the to-be-designed network.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising an output engine operable to present design details of a first potential network design of the at least two potential network designs.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first potential network design has a lowest cost of the at least two potential network designs.