Automated network simulation and optimization system

• US 5,809,282 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GRC International, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GRC International, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thompson, George, Cooper, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/483,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/50, 395/51, 395/60, 395/908, 395/909, 395/200.01, 395/200.02, 395/200.03, 395/527, 364/148, 364/513, 364/578
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system for selecting options for modifying a network architecture in accordance with user preferences using a knowledge base and a database. The knowledge base includes rules to select modification categories and the database includes information on a plurality of equipment and a plurality of tariffs. To select the options, the system generates a base-line simulation from the network architecture, which base-line simulation includes performance data on the network architecture under a predetermined scenario. Modification categories based on the user preferences are selected using rules in the knowledge base, and equipment information and tariff information corresponding to the network modification categories are selected from the database to create modification options for the network modification categories. The modification options are evaluated using rules in the knowledge base. The system then generates a plurality of new simulations of the network architecture as modified by the modification options, and compares the performance data of the base-line simulation with performance data of the new simulations to specify differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation. Finally, the modification options (each corresponding to one of the new simulations) are ranked using the specified differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation, user preferences, and rules of the knowledge base.

Claims

1. A method of selecting options for modifying a network architecture performed in a data processing system including a knowledge base of rules used to select modification categories and a database including information on a plurality of equipment and a plurality of tariffs, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a user preference specifying a qualitative factor for optimizing the network architecture;

generating a base-line simulation from the network architecture, the base-line simulation including performance data on the network architecture under a predetermined scenario;

selecting, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, modification categories based on the user preference;

selecting from the database at least one of equipment and tariff information corresponding to at least one of the network modification categories to create modification options for the one of the network modification categories;

generating a plurality of new simulations of the network architecture modified in accordance with the modification options;

comparing the performance data of the base-line simulation with performance data of the new simulations to specify differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation;

ordering the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new simulations, using the specified differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation, the user preference, and at least one rule of the knowledge base;

generating combinations of the modification options;

eliminating, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, ones of the combinations of modification options based on the user preference;

generating a plurality of new combination simulations of the network architecture as modified by the combinations of modification options;

comparing the performance data of the base-line simulation with performance data of the new combination simulations to specify differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new combination simulation; and

ordering the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new combination simulations, using the specified differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new combination simulation, user preference, and at least one rule of the knowledge base.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

generating a report specifying the ordered modification options and listing for each modification option of the rule from the knowledge base used to order the option.

3. A program storage device readable by a machine and encoding a program of instruction for executing the method steps specified in claim 2.

4. A program storage device readable by a machine and encoding a program of instruction for executing the method steps specified in claim 1.

5. A method of selecting options for modifying a network architecture performed in a data processing system including a knowledge base of rules used to select modification options, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a user preference specifying a qualitative factor optimizing the network architecture;

generating a base-line simulation from the network architecture, the base-line simulation including performance data on the network architecture under a predetermined scenario;

generating, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, modification options based on the user preference;

generating a plurality of new simulations of the network architecture as modified based on the modification options;

ranking the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new simulations, according to differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation and according to the user preference;

generating combinations of the modification options;

eliminating, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, ones of the combinations of modification options based on the user preference;

generating a plurality of new combination simulations of the network architecture as modified by the combinations of modification options; and

ranking the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new combination simulations, according to differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new combination simulation and according to the user preference.

6. A method of selecting options for modifying a network architecture, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a base-line simulation from the network architecture and a scenario specifying at least one transmission in the network architecture, the base-line simulation including performance data on the network architecture under conditions of the scenario;

identifying network modifications from the base-line simulation using data from a tariff/hardware database and in accordance with user preferences that specify qualitative factors for altering the input network architecture;

creating new simulations for the network architecture as modified by each network modification, the new simulations including performance data on the network architecture as modified by each network modification under conditions of the scenario;

combining the network modifications from the new simulations using data from the tariff/hardware database and in accordance with the user preferences;

creating combination simulations for the network architecture as modified by each of the combinations of network modifications, the combination simulations including performance data on the network architecture as modified by each of the combinations of network modifications under conditions of the scenario;

comparing the base-line simulation with the new simulations for the network architecture as modified by each network modification and the combination simulations for the network architecture as modified by each of the combinations of network modifications to identify differences between the performance data of the base-line simulation and the performance data of each of the new simulations and combination simulations; and

ranking the network modifications and the combinations of network modifications in accordance with the differences between the performance data of the base-line simulation and the performance data of each of the new simulations and combination simulations.

7. A computer system for selecting options for modifying a network architecture, the computer system comprising:

a simulator for generating a base-line simulation from the network architecture and a scenario specifying at least one transmission in the network architecture and using at least one of transmission, cost, and equipment data from a database, the base-line simulation including performance data on the network architecture under conditions of the scenario; and

an optimizer for generating network modifications from the base-line simulation using equipment data from the database and in accordance with user preferences defining qualitative factors for altering the input network architecture, wherein the simulator includes;

means for generating new simulations for the network architecture as modified by each network modification generated by the optimizer, the new simulations including performance data on the network architecture as modified by each network modification under conditions of the scenario, and

means for generating combination simulations for the network architecture as modified by each of the combinations of network modifications generated by the combinatorial optimizer, the combination simulations including performance data on the network architecture as modified by each of the combinations of network modifications under conditions of the scenario,

and wherein the optimizer includes;

a combinatorial optimizer for generating combinations of network modifications from the new simulations using equipment data from the database and in accordance with the user preferences that specify the manner in which a user would prefer to maintain, use, or alter the input network architecture.

8. The computer system of claim 7 further comprising an effectiveness analyzer for comparing the base-line simulation with the new simulations for the network architecture as modified by each network modification generated by the optimizer and each of the combination simulations for the network architecture as modified by each of the combinations of network modifications generated by the combinatorial optimizer to identify differences between the performance data of the base-line simulation and the performance data of each of the new simulations and combination simulations.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the effectiveness analyzer includes means for ranking the network modifications generated by the optimizer and the combinations of network modifications generated by the combinatorial optimizer in accordance with the differences between the performance data of the base-line simulation and the performance data of each of the new simulations and combination simulations.

10. A system for selecting options for modifying a network architecture using a knowledge base of rules for selecting modification categories and a database including information on a plurality of equipment and a plurality of tariffs, the system comprising:

means for receiving a user preference specifying a qualitative factor for optimizing the network architecture;

means for generating a base-line simulation from the network architecture, the base-line simulation including performance data on the network architecture under a predetermined scenario;

means for selecting, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, modification categories based on the user preference;

means for selecting from the database at least one of equipment and tariff information corresponding to at least one of the network modification categories to create modification options for the one of the network modification categories;

means for generating a plurality of new simulations of the network architecture as modified by the modification options;

means for comparing the performance data of the base-line simulation with performance data of the new simulations to specify differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation;

means for ranking the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new simulations, using the specified differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation, user preference, and at least one rule of the knowledge base;

means for generating combinations of the modification options;

means for eliminating, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, ones of the combinations of modification options based on the user preference;

means for generating a plurality of new combination simulations of the network architecture as modified by the combinations of modification options;

means for comparing the performance data of the base-line simulation with performance data of the new combination simulations to specify differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new combination simulation; and

means for ranking the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new combination simulations, using the specified differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new combination simulation, user preference, and at least one rule of the knowledge base.

11. A system for selecting options for modifying a network architecture using a knowledge base of rules used to select modification options, the system comprising:

means for receiving a user preference specifying a qualitative factor for optimizing the network architecture;

means for generating a base-line simulation from the network architecture, the base-line simulation including performance data on the network architecture under a predetermined scenario;

means for generating, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, modification options based on the user preference;

means for generating a plurality of new simulations of the network architecture as modified based on the modification options; and

means for ranking the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new simulations, according to differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new simulation and according to the user preference;

means for generating combinations of the modification options;

means for eliminating, using at least one rule in the knowledge base, ones of the combinations of modification options based on the user preference;

means for generating a plurality of new combination simulations of the network architecture as modified by the combinations of modification options; and

means for ranking the modification options, each corresponding to one of the new combination simulations, according to differences in performance data between the base-line simulation and each new combination simulation and according to the user preference.