System and Method for Network Design

• US 20120271929A1
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Manthoulis, Orestis, Sahasrabuddhe, Laxman, Chiang, Mung
• Application Number:
  US13/540,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271929A1
• 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 method includes accessing network information stored at a remote device, the network information identifying one or more available physical locations to deploy one or more network nodes of a proposed network. The method further includes receiving data indicating a number of core layer nodes to be included in the proposed network. The method further includes determining a number of aggregator layer nodes to be included in the proposed network, the number of aggregator layer nodes determined based on incrementing a threshold number of aggregator layer nodes that supports a coverage area of the proposed network. The method further includes generating a network design of the proposed network. The network design identifies particular physical locations of the one or more available physical locations to deploy each of the core layer nodes and each of the aggregator layer nodes of the proposed network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a computing device;

accessing network information stored at a remote device, the network information identifying one or more available physical locations to deploy one or more network nodes of a proposed network;

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

determining a number of aggregator layer nodes to be included in the proposed network, the number of aggregator layer nodes determined based on incrementing a threshold number of aggregator layer nodes that supports a coverage area of the proposed network; and

generating a network design of the proposed network, wherein the network design identifies particular physical locations of the one or more available physical locations to deploy each of the core layer nodes and each of the aggregator layer nodes of the proposed network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the threshold number of the aggregator layer nodes that supports the coverage area of the proposed network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number is incremented by a user-defined positive integer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving second data indicating a demand forecast for the coverage area of the proposed network, wherein the proposed network has a core layer, an aggregation layer, and an access layer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a price information of equipment to be included in the proposed network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network information is accessed from a remote network element management system.

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

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the proposed network is a multiprotocol label switching based network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a value associated with the network design of the proposed network, wherein the value is associated with a total cost of the proposed network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a report associated with the network design of the proposed network, the report identifies equipment to be deployed based on the network design and a cost associated with the equipment.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a report associated with the network design of the proposed network, the report including information indicating one or more connections of each of the core layer nodes and each of the aggregator layer nodes of the proposed network.

12. A device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

establishing a communication link with a remote device that stores network information;

receiving data indicating a number of core layer nodes to be included in a proposed network;

determining a number of aggregator layer nodes to be included in the proposed network, the number of aggregator layer nodes determined based on incrementing a threshold number of aggregator layer nodes that supports a coverage area of the proposed network; and

generating a network design of the proposed network, the network design identifying particular physical locations to deploy each of the core layer nodes and each of the aggregator layer nodes of the proposed network, the particular physical locations determined based at least in part on the network information.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the network information identifies one or more available physical locations to deploy one or more new network nodes of the proposed network.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises initiating presentation of a graphical user interface that displays a map that illustrates the one or more available physical locations to deploy the one or more new network nodes.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises generating at least one additional network design of the proposed network.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises initiating presentation of a graphical user interface that displays a first cost associated with the network design and costs associated with the at least one additional network design.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises initiating presentation of a graphical user interface that includes one or more input controls to receive one or more parameters related to the proposed network.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the data indicating the number of core layer nodes is received via the one or more input controls.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more parameters includes a design limitation for at least one piece of equipment to be included in the proposed network.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

accessing network information stored at a remote device, the network information identifying one or more available physical locations to deploy one or more network nodes of a proposed network;

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

determining a number of aggregator layer nodes to be included in the proposed network, the number of aggregator layer nodes determined based on incrementing a threshold number of aggregator layer nodes that supports a coverage area of the proposed network; and

generating a network design of the proposed network, wherein the network design identifies particular physical locations of the one or more available physical locations to deploy each of the core layer nodes and each of the aggregator layer nodes of the proposed network.