Capacity Planning Using User-Level Data and Upward Projections

• US 20100290350A1
• Filed: 05/15/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Finkelstein, Jeff, Kim, Sung-eun
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour

Abstract

A telecommunications network capacity planning system. The telecommunications network capacity planning system includes a telecommunications network including a telecommunications services provider, subscribers and a network coupling the telecommunications services provider and the subscribers for provisioning of the telecommunications services. A database system is used for collecting and storing data at the user-level associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over the telecommunications network. A processor is coupled to the database system. The processor models the telecommunications network by generating upward projections from the stored user-level data and transforms the modeling of the network to a visual display of capacity information and network parameters for manipulation to evaluate capacity planning scenarios.

Claims

1. A method of planning capacity requirements of a telecommunications network, comprising:

collecting data at the user-level associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over a telecommunications network;

storing the collected user-level data in a database;

modeling a network by generating upward projections from the stored user-level data; and

transforming the modeling of the network to a visual display of capacity information and network parameters for manipulation to evaluate capacity planning scenarios.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-level data includes subscriber data, demographic parameters, speed tiers, and application mixes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber data includes a determination of bandwidth consumed by individual users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the modeling further comprises:

reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user level; and

projecting bandwidth consumption using the stored user-level data based on the stored user-level data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modeling further comprises making upward projections for determining a capacity needed for a fiber node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the modeling and determining capacity needed for a fiber node further comprises determining a capacity for a selected group of fiber nodes forming a service group

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the modeling and determining capacity for the selected group of fiber nodes forming the service group further comprises determining capacity for a selected access device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the modeling and determining capacity for a selected access device further comprises determining actual consumption associated with a network parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining actual bandwidth consumption associated with a network parameter further comprises determining actual bandwidth consumption on an application basis, on a group, on a protocol or on a selected fiber cable.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the modeling further comprises calculating a historical growth rate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the modeling further comprises using the calculated historical growth rate to generate a projected compound annual growth rate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the modeling further comprises manipulating capacity changes to move projected bandwidth consumption relative to a retail curve or a demand curve to identify an impact on user experience and equipment needs.

13. A computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, provides capacity planning associated with a telecommunications network by:

collecting data at the user-level associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over a telecommunications network;

storing the collected user-level data in a database;

modeling a network by generating upward projections from the stored user-level data; and

transforming the modeling of the network to a visual display of capacity information and network parameters for manipulation to evaluate capacity planning scenarios.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the modeling further comprises:

reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user level; and

projecting bandwidth consumption using the stored user-level data based on the stored user-level data;

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the modeling further comprises making upward projections for determining a capacity needed for a fiber node, determining a capacity for a selected group of fiber nodes forming a service group, determining capacity for a selected access device and determining actual consumption associated with a network parameter.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the modeling further comprises manipulating capacity changes to move projected bandwidth consumption relative to a retail curve or a demand curve to identify an impact on user experience and equipment needs.

17. A telecommunications network capacity planning system, comprising:

a telecommunications network including a telecommunications services provider, subscribers and a network coupling the telecommunications services provider and the subscribers for provisioning of the telecommunications services;

a database system for collecting and storing data at the user-level associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over the telecommunications network; and

a processor coupled to the database system, the processor modeling the telecommunications network by generating upward projections from the stored user-level data and transforming the modeling of the network to a visual display of capacity information and network parameters for manipulation to evaluate capacity planning scenarios.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the processor models the telecommunications network by further reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user level and projecting bandwidth consumption using the stored user-level data based on the stored user-level data.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the processor models the telecommunications network by further making upward projections for determining a capacity needed for a fiber node, using the determined capacity for a fiber node to determine a capacity for a selected group of fiber nodes forming a service group, using the determined capacity of the service group to determine capacity for a selected access device and using the determined capacity of the selected access device to determine actual consumption associated with a network parameter.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the processor models the telecommunications network by further manipulating capacity changes to move projected bandwidth consumption relative to a retail curve or a demand curve to identify an impact on user experience and equipment needs.