Spare capacity allocation tool
First Claim
1. A method of deriving a minimal spares network for a communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of spans interconnecting the nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
- (1) inputting a network model describing the physical topology of the network;
(2) inputting demands for the network;
(3) deriving a set of cutsite lists from said network model, wherein each cutsite list identifies at least one span from said plurality of spans, and comprises a list of affected demands that would be interrupted if said at least one span were to be severed;
(4) sorting said set of cutsite lists into a first sorted order according to a predefined sorting criteria;
(5) processing said each cutsite list in said first sorted order to derive a first spares network comprising a first set of spare resources;
(6) processing said each cutsite list in a second sorted order to derive a second spares network comprising a second set of spare resources;
(7) initializing the minimal spares network with an initial set of spare resources that are derived from the spare resources that are common among said first and said second sets of spare resources; and
(8) processing said each cutsite list to derive the minimal spares network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method is described that is used to design a minimal spares network for a given communications network. Three data files are used as input which describe the communications network. The information comprising such data files include the number and configuration of the nodes and spans, the current demand in terms of the required capacity between the source and destination nodes, current spare capacity (if any), and optionally current paths used to carry the demand traffic (including the presence or absence of glass-throughs). A three pass method is used to design an efficient and economical spares network from the given input data. A simulated cut is performed on each span in the communications network. From each simulated span cut, the affected demand traffic is identified and rerouted via spare capacity that is `purchased` on an incremental cost basis. Pre-purchased spares are used before new spares are purchased.
61 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of deriving a minimal spares network for a communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of spans interconnecting the nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
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(1) inputting a network model describing the physical topology of the network; (2) inputting demands for the network; (3) deriving a set of cutsite lists from said network model, wherein each cutsite list identifies at least one span from said plurality of spans, and comprises a list of affected demands that would be interrupted if said at least one span were to be severed; (4) sorting said set of cutsite lists into a first sorted order according to a predefined sorting criteria; (5) processing said each cutsite list in said first sorted order to derive a first spares network comprising a first set of spare resources; (6) processing said each cutsite list in a second sorted order to derive a second spares network comprising a second set of spare resources; (7) initializing the minimal spares network with an initial set of spare resources that are derived from the spare resources that are common among said first and said second sets of spare resources; and (8) processing said each cutsite list to derive the minimal spares network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer program-product storage device readable by a computer system, tangibly embodying a computer program-product comprising instructions executable by the computer system to perform method steps for deriving a minimal spares network for a communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of spans interconnecting the nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
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(1) inputting a network model describing the physical topology of the network; (2) inputting demands for the network; (3) deriving a set of cutsite lists from said network model, wherein each cutsite list identifies at least one span from said plurality of spans, and comprises a list of affected demands that would be interrupted if said at least one span were to be severed; (4) sorting said set of cutsite lists into a sorted order according to a predefined sorting criteria; (5) processing said each cutsite list in said sorted order to derive a first spares network comprising a first set of spare resources; (6) processing said each cutsite list in a reverse sorted order to derive a second spares network comprising a second set of spare resources; (7) initializing the minimal spares network with an initial set of spare resources that are derived from the spare resources that are common among said first and said second sets of spare resources; and (8) processing said each cutsite list to derive the minimal spares network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for deriving a minimal spares network for a communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of spans interconnecting the nodes, the system comprising:
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network modeling means for providing a network model that defines the physical topology of the network; demand modeling means for modeling the demands of the network; simulator means for simulating a severed span within said network model; cutsite means for deriving a set of cutsite lists from said network modeling means, wherein each cutsite list identifies at least one span from said plurality of spans, and comprises a list of affected demands that would be interrupted if said at least one span were to be severed; sorting means for sorting said set of cutsite lists into a first sorted order according to a predefined sorting criteria; first processing means for processing said each cutsite list in said first sorted order to derive a first spares network comprising a first set of spare resources; second processing means for processing said each cutsite list in a second sorted order to derive a second spares network comprising a second set of spare resources; initializing means for initializing the minimal spares network with an initial set of spare resources that are derived from the spare resources that are common among said first and said second processing means; and third processing for processing said each cutsite list to derive the minimal spares network. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification