System and method for generating a service level agreement template

• US 7,275,037 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Lauer, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayat; Bradley B.
• Application Number:
  US10/054,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20020099669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/80, 705/8, 345418-475, 715/700
• US Class Current: 705/348
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5006 Creating or negotiating SLA contracts, guarantees or penalties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for generating a service level agreement (SLA) template are disclosed. The SLA template generated by the disclosed system enables deployment of resources to support a number of SLAs and associated VPNs. The SLA template generated by operation of the disclosed system may include a first graphical user interface (GUI) template that specifies, at least in part, a GUI for use by a customer service representative (CSR) when accepting a service request or order from a customer. The disclosed SLA template may further include a number of SLA defaults, which may consist of default values and or software program code logic. The SLA defaults enable an SLA GUI to be configured such that a relatively small amount of information can be collected and used to derive other necessary configuration data. A second GUI template may be included in the SLA template to specify information to be obtained regarding networking devices and associated resources that must be used to provide a VPN over which are provided the services described in a particular SLA.

Claims

1. A method for generating node configuration data, comprising the steps of:

forming a service level agreement template that integrates cloud and pipe service models into a single provisioning model by describing network services in terms of what is experienced by an end user'"'"'s edge devices and by determining a number of transit QoS constraints, including that network devices supporting the service level agreement in a core network must be bi-connected, respectively, said service level agreement template including a cloud SLA GUI template, cloud SLA defaults, a VPN GUI template, and VPN constraints, said forming including with a computer system, the computer generated steps of;

displaying a SLA GUI;

displaying a VPN GUI;

entering required SLA information via the SLA GUI thereby generating cloud SLA required data;

entering required VPN information via the VPN GUI;

computing SLA defaults;

computing VPN topology from the VPN information;

computing transit QoS from the VPN topology and the cloud SLA to produce a service level specification that includes a detailed description of the traffic classes, peak and committed rates to implement the VPN;

computing SLX parameters from the service level specification;

determining a plurality of traffic classes;

defining a traffic class hierarchy from the plurality of traffic classes based on each class'"'"' own service properties, including bandwidth percentage and priority of service;

determining at least one required input for a first graphical user interface for each traffic class;

determining at least one required input for a second graphical user interface;

obtaining service level agreement constraints for at least one service level agreement, said obtaining including;

generating said first graphical user interface;

obtaining, through said first graphical user interface, indication of a selected one of said plurality of traffic classes;

obtaining, through said first graphical user interface, at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface;

generating said second graphical user interface;

obtaining, through said second graphical user interface, indication of a selected second of said plurality of traffic classes;

obtaining, through said second graphical user interface, at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface; and

generating, responsive to said selected one of said plurality of traffic classes, said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface, and said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface, node configuration data, said node configuration data describing how at least one resource in at least one networking device is to be configured to support at least one network service described by said selected one of said plurality of traffic classes, said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one default equation associated with said first graphical user interface;

applying said default equation to said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface to generate a first set of outputs; and

wherein said generating said node configuration data is further responsive to said first set of outputs.

3. The method of claim 2, said forming said service level agreement template further comprising:

determining at least one optional input for said first graphical user interface;

determining at least one format of at least one screen display in said first graphical user interface, wherein said at least one screen format includes a first field associated with said required input for said first graphical user interface and a second field associated with said optional input for said second graphical user interface; and

wherein said generating said first graphical user interface includes displaying said at least one screen display.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least one default equation comprises program code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface further comprises determining required information describing at least one resource associated with at least one networking device, wherein said required information associated with said at least one resource describes, at least in part, a virtual private network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said required information describing said at least one resource comprises a virtual network identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said required information describing said at least one resource comprises an indication of whether connectivity is required between said at least one networking device and a second networking device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said forming said service level agreement template further includes:

determining at least one optional input for said second graphical user interface,

determining at least one format of at least one screen display in said second graphical user interface, wherein said at least one screen format includes a first field associated with said required input for said second graphical user interface and a second field associated with said at least one optional input for said second graphical user interface; and

wherein said generating said second graphical user interface includes displaying said at least one screen display in said second graphical user interface responsive to said at least one format.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said forming a service level agreement template comprises receiving at least one input through a third graphical user interface.

10. A system for generating node configuration data, comprising:

at least one memory for storing program code;

at least one processor, communicably coupled to said memory, said at least one processor operable to execute program code stored in said memory;

program code, stored in said memory, for forming a service level agreement template that integrates cloud and pipe service models into a single provisioning model by describing network services in terms of what is experienced by an end user'"'"'s edge devices and by determining a number of transit QoS constraints, including that network devices supporting the service level agreement in a core network must be bi-connected, respectively, said service level agreement template including a cloud SLA GUI template, cloud SLA defaults, a VPN GUI template, and VPN constraints, said program code for forming said service level agreement template including

program code for displaying a SLA GUL;

program code for displaying a VPN GUL;

program code for entering required SLA information via the SLA GUI thereby generating cloud SLA required data;

program code for entering required VPN information via the VPN GUI;

program code for computing SLA defaults;

program code for computing VPN topology from the VPN information;

program code for computing transit QoS from the VPN topology and the cloud SLA to produce a service level specification that includes a detailed description of the traffic classes, peak and committed rates to implement the VPN;

program code for computing SLX parameters from the service level specification;

program code for determining a plurality of traffic classes,

program code for defining a traffic class hierarchy from the plurality of traffic classes based on each class'"'"' own service properties, including bandwidth percentage and priority of service;

program code for determining at least one required input for a first graphical user interface, and

program code for determining at least one required input for a second graphical user interface;

program code, stored in said memory, for obtaining service level agreement constraints for at least one service level agreement, said program code for obtaining including said service level agreement constraints including;

program code for generating said first graphical user interface,

program code for obtaining, through said first graphical user interface, indication of a selected one of said plurality of traffic classes,

program code for obtaining, through said first graphical user interface, at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface,

program code for generating said second graphical user interface, and

program code for obtaining, through said second graphical user interface, indication of a selected second of said plurality of traffic classes,

program code for obtaining, through said second graphical user interface, at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface; and

program code, stored in said memory, for generating, responsive to said selected one of said plurality of traffic classes, said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface, and said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface, node configuration data, said node configuration data describing how at least one resource in at least one networking device is to be configured to support at least one network service described by said selected one of said plurality of traffic classes, said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

program code for determining at least one default equation associated with said first graphical user interface;

program code for applying said default equation to said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface to generate a first set of outputs; and

wherein said program code for generating said node configuration data is further responsive to said first set of outputs.

12. The system of claim 11, said program code for forming said service level agreement template further comprising:

program code for determining at least one optional input for said first graphical user interface;

program code for determining at least one format of at least one screen display in said first graphical user interface, wherein said at least one screen format includes a first field associated with said required input for said first graphical user interface and a second field associated with said optional input for said second graphical user interface; and

wherein said program code for generating said first graphical user interface includes program code for displaying said at least one screen display.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said at least one default equation comprises program code.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said program code for determining said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface further comprises program code for determining required information describing at least one resource associated with at least one networking device, wherein said required information associated with said at least one resource describes, at least in part, a virtual private network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said required information describing said at least one resource comprises a virtual network identifier.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said required information describing said at least one resource comprises an indication of whether connectivity is required between said at least one networking device and a second networking device.

17. The system of claim 16, said program code for forming said service level agreement template further comprising:

program code for determining at least one optional input for said second graphical user interface;

program code for determining at least one format of at least one screen display in said second graphical user interface, wherein said at least one screen format includes a first field associated with said required input for said second graphical user interface and a second field associated with said at least one optional input for said second graphical user interface; and

wherein said program code for generating said second graphical user interface includes program code for displaying said at least one screen display in said second graphical user interface responsive to said at least one format.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said program code for forming a service level agreement template comprises program code for receiving at least one input through a third graphical user interface.

19. A system for generating node configuration data, comprising:

means for forming a service level agreement template that integrates cloud and pipe service models into a single provisioning model by describing network services in terms of what is experienced by an end user'"'"'s edge devices and by determining a number of transit QoS constraints, including that network devices supporting the service level agreement in a core network must be hi-connected, respectively, said service level agreement template including a cloud SLA GUI template, cloud SLA defaults, a VPN GUI template, and VPN constraints, said program code for forming said service level agreement template including

means for displaying a SLA GUI;

means for displaying a VPN GUI;

means for entering required SLA information via the SLA GUI thereby generating cloud SLA required data;

means for entering required VPN information via the VPN GUI;

means for computing SLA defaults;

means for computing VPN topology from the VPN information;

means for computing transit QoS from the VPN topology and the cloud SLA to produce a service level specification that includes a detailed description of the traffic classes, peak and committed rates to implement the VPN;

means for computing SLX parameters from the service level specification;

means for determining a plurality of traffic classes,

means for defining a traffic class hierarchy from the plurality of traffic classes based on each class'"'"' own service properties, including bandwidth percentage and priority of service;

means for determining at least one required input for a first graphical user interface, and

means for determining at least one required input for a second graphical user interface;

means for obtaining service level agreement constraints for at least one service level agreement, said means for obtaining including said service level agreement constraints including

means for generating said first graphical user interface,

means for obtaining, through said first graphical user interface, indication of a selected one of said plurality of traffic classes,

means for obtaining, through said first graphical user interface, at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface,

means for generating said second graphical user interface, and

means for obtaining, through said second graphical user interface, indication of a selected second of said plurality of traffic classes,

means for obtaining, through said second graphical user interface, at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface; and

means for generating, responsive to said selected one of said plurality of traffic classes, said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface, and said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said second graphical user interface, node configuration data, said node configuration data describing how at least one resource in at least one networking device is to be configured to support at least one network service described by said selected one of said plurality of traffic classes, said at least one value associated with said at least one required input for said first graphical user interface.