Virtual path management in hierarchical ATM networks
First Claim
1. Dynamic virtual path connection management system in a hierarchical ATM network comprising:
- a) means for obtaining parameters characterizing a virtual path desired to be provisioned between said two switching nodes in said network and communicating said parameters to a first control device associated with a said switching node in said network;
b) means for communicating information relating to switching element resources currently available at each switching node contained in said network to said first control device;
c) means for computing from said parameters and switching element resource information an optimal route between said two switching nodes that is capable of realizing a virtual path connection there between; and
, d) means for allocating switching element resources for switching elements contained in said computed route.
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Abstract
This is a method for dynamic and distributed management of Virtual Path Connections (VPCs) in a hierarchical ATM network. VPC parameters, including VPC type (heterogeneous or homogeneous), source node characteristics, end-to-end VPC constraints (GoS and QoS), and the number of on-demand connections to be supported, are determined or specified. Network resources, such as bandwidth and buffer size availability, are also determined. The parameters and information relating to the network resources are sent to a connection server that computes an optimal physical route for the VPC, allocates resources along the computed route, and notifies switches along the route of the new allocation of resources. The switches then change their respective configurations to accommodate the new allocation.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. Dynamic virtual path connection management system in a hierarchical ATM network comprising:
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a) means for obtaining parameters characterizing a virtual path desired to be provisioned between said two switching nodes in said network and communicating said parameters to a first control device associated with a said switching node in said network;
b) means for communicating information relating to switching element resources currently available at each switching node contained in said network to said first control device;
c) means for computing from said parameters and switching element resource information an optimal route between said two switching nodes that is capable of realizing a virtual path connection there between; and
,d) means for allocating switching element resources for switching elements contained in said computed route. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel between two switching nodes of an ATM network including a plurality of interconnected switching nodes, each said switching node including at least a switching element and an associated switch control device;
- said method comprising;
a) providing at least two connection servers for path management in said ATM network;
b) associating each said switching node with one of said at least two connection servers;
c) obtaining parameters characterizing said communication channel, said parameters includes end-to-end Cell Loss Ratio and Cell Transfer Delay between said two switching nodes of said ATM network;
d) communicating said parameters to a first connection server associated with a said switching node in said network;
e) periodically communicating information relating to switching element resources currently available at each switching node contained in said network to said first connection server;
f) from said parameters and periodically communicated current switching element resource information, computing an optimal route between said two switching nodes that is capable of realizing said communication channel and apportioning end-to-end Cell Loss Ratio and Cell Transfer Delay among said switching elements along said optimal route, and allocating new switching element resources for switching elements contained in said computed route; and
g) communicating allocated switching element resources Lo each switch control device associated with a switching node along said route, each said switch control device configuring a respective switching element to maintain said new switching resources allocated thereto. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
h) monitoring switching element resource usage along said route of said communication channel; and
i) re-allocating said switching element resources of nodes contained along said route for accommodating on demand service changes along said route.
- said method comprising;
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26. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 25, wherein said monitoring step h) includes continually repeating steps c), d) and e).
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27. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 26, wherein said re-allocating step i) includes comparing said bandwidth resource information with a predetermined threshold and increasing said bandwidth resources of one or more switching elements along said route when on demand service along said route increases above a predetermined threshold, and decreasing said bandwidth resources of a switching element along said route when on demand service along said route decreases below a predetermined threshold.
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28. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 27, wherein said re-allocating step i) includes increasing said buffer quantity of a switch along said route when on demand service along said route increases above a predetermined threshold.
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29. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 25, wherein said re-allocating resources step i) includes computing a second route between said two nodes by repeating steps c) through 0 when on demand service along said route increases above a predetermined threshold.
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30. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 11, wherein said parameters characterizing said communication channel between said two nodes include a number of calls to be accommodated in the communication channel.
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31. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 11, wherein the computing step further includes obtaining parameter data comprising specified call blocking probabilities and offered traffic and calculating thereform the number of calls accommodated by the communication channel.
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32. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 25, wherein said monitoring step further includes the step of determining whether there are physical failures or additions of one of links, nodes, or connection servers in said ATM network.
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33. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel according to claim 32, wherein said message routing scheme includes exchanging information to establish an identity for a said switch and a corresponding connection server for said switch in said ATM network.
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14. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel between two switching nodes of an ATM network including a plurality of interconnected switching nodes, each said switching node including at least a switching element and an associated switch control device;
- said method comprising;
a) providing at least two connection servers for path management in said ATM network;
b) associating each said switching node with one of said at least two connection servers;
c) obtaining parameters characterizing said communication channel;
d) communicating said parameters to a first connection server associated with a said switching node in said network;
e) periodically communicating information relating to switching element resources currently available at each switching node contained in said network to said first connection server;
f) from said parameters and periodically communicated current switching element resource information, computing an optimal route between said two switching nodes that is capable of realizing said communication channel and allocating new switching element resources for switching elements contained in said computed route; and
,g) communicating allocated switching element resources to each switch control device associated with a switching node along said route, said communicating performed sequentially between each switching node along said route by means of a PNNI message routing scheme, each said switch control device configuring a respective switching element to maintain said new switching resources allocated thereto.
- said method comprising;
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15. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel between two switching nodes of an ATM network including a plurality of interconnected switching nodes, each said switching node including at least a switching element and an associated switch control device;
- said method comprising;
a) determining where to set up said communication channel by monitoring online traffic between end nodes and determining a number of connection setup requests over a certain window of time;
b) determining whether said number of connection setup requests exceeds a predetermined threshold;
c) computing a route between said end nodes by providing at least two connection servers for path management in said ATM network, associating each of said switching node with one of said at least two connection servers and obtaining parameters characterizing said communication channel;
d) communicating said parameters to a first connection server associated with a said switching node in said network;
e) periodically communicating information relating to switching element resources currently available at each switching node contained in said network to said first connection server;
f) from said parameters and periodically communicated current switching element resource information, computing an optimal route between said two switching nodes that is capable of realizing said communication channel and allocating new switching element resources for switching elements contained in said computed route; and
,g) communicating allocated switching element resources to each switch control device associated with a switching node along said route, each said switch control device configuring a respective switching element to maintain said new switching resources allocated thereto.
- said method comprising;
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16. Method for automatically provisioning a communication channel between two switching nodes of an ATM network including a plurality of interconnected switching nodes, each said switching node including at least a switching element and an associated switch control device;
- said method comprising;
a) providing at least two connection servers for path management in said ATM network;
b) associating each said switching node with one of said at least two connection servers;
c) obtaining parameters characterizing said communication channel;
d) communicating said parameters to a first connection server associated with a said switching node in said network;
e) periodically communicating information relating to switching element resources currently available at each switching node contained in said network to said first connection server;
f) from said parameters and periodically communicated current switching element resource information, computing an optimal route between said two switching nodes that is capable of realizing said communication channel and allocating new switching element resources for switching elements contained in said computed route, g) allocating bandwidth resources for each switching element by;
determining an upper threshold on the bandwidth to be allocated, said upper threshold being the minimum of the maximum bandwidth available on an outgoing link from a switch and the peak rate of the traffic along said computer route, determining upper thresholds on the Cell Transfer Delay and Cell Loss Ratio that the connection can experience at a particular switch, and determining the maximum buffer space available at said particular switch;
h) communicating allocated switching element resources to each switch control device associated with a switching node along said route, each said switch control device configuring a respective switching element to maintain said new switching resources allocated thereto.
- said method comprising;
Specification