Technique for providing dynamic modification of application specific policies in a feedback-based, adaptive data network

• US 7,613,126 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rawat, Vipin, Harvey, Andrew G., Lee, Hsuan-Chung, Pereira, Leo, Natarajan, Shankar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US11/017,305
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A feedback-based adaptive network is described wherein at least a portion of the network elements report operating information relating to network conditions to a centralized data store. The information which is reported to the data store is analyzed by a policy engine which includes a plurality of application specific plug-in policies for analyzing selected information from the data store and for computing updated control information based upon the analysis of the information. The updated control information is fed back to selected network elements to thereby affect operation of the selected elements. Typically, when the operation of a network element has been affected, its corresponding operating information will change. The new or changed network element operating information is then reported to the data store and analyzed by the policy engine. The policy engine may then generate new or updated control information for affecting the operation of selected elements in the network. In this way, the dynamic and automatic feedback control of network elements is provided in order to allow the network to adapt to changing conditions. Events relating to changing conditions in the network may be reported to selected elements in the network using an event notification service. Additionally the adaptive, feedback-based network of the present invention may include a network quality monitoring system for evaluating performance characteristics or other aspects of the network based upon predetermined standards or criteria. If it is determined that a particular characteristic of the network does not conform with the standards established for that characteristic, the policy which controls that particular characteristic of the network may be automatically and dynamically modified to thereby affect the network performance.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing enhanced services in a data network, the data network including a first end node associated with a first network portion, a second end node associated with a second network portion, and first service provider network portion which provides a first communication link between the first network portion and second network portion, wherein the first service provider network portion includes a plurality of network elements, and wherein the first communication link has a first plurality operating parameters associated therewith, the first plurality of operating parameters including a first operating parameter relating to a first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link, said method comprising:

detecting a first condition or event which relates to a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

automatically adjusting the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to the detection of the first condition or event; and

automatically initiating, in response to detecting the first condition or event, at least one action for implementing automatic re-provisioning of the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first communication link corresponds to an ATM circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting includes automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication link corresponds to a frame relay circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting includes automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the first communication link in order to detect at least one condition which indicates a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring the first communication link in order to detect at least one condition which indicates a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first condition relates to dropped packet information associated with the first communication link.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a request for an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a request for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a need for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition relates to detection of traffic on the first communication link which requires an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a first application being implemented at either the first node or second node.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first application corresponds to an application which utilizes, for normal operation, an amount of bandwidth exceeding the first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a need for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link, the method further comprising automatically re-adjusting the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to detecting that there is no longer a need for the temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically billing a client for the adjustment in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

13. The method of claim 1:

wherein the first node corresponds to a client system;

wherein the second node corresponds to a server system; and

wherein the first condition relates to a client request for an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

14. A system for providing enhanced services in a data network, the data network including a first end node associated with a first network portion, a second end node associated with a second network portion, and first service provider network portion which provides a first communication link between the first network portion and second network portion, wherein the first service provider network portion includes a plurality of network elements, and wherein the first communication link has a first plurality operating parameters associated therewith, the first plurality of operating parameters including a first operating parameter relating to a first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link, said system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface configured or designed to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in the data network; and

memory;

the system being configured or designed to;

detect a first condition or event which relates to a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

automatically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to the detection of the first condition or event; and

automatically initiate, in response to detecting the first condition or event, at least one action for implementing automatic re-provisioning of the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first communication link corresponds to an ATM circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting includes automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the first communication link corresponds to a frame relay circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein the system is configured or designed to automatically re-provision the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

16. The system of claim 14 being further configured or designed to monitor the first communication link in order to detect at least one condition which indicates a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

17. The system of claim 14 being further configured or designed to:

monitor the first communication link in order to detect at least one condition which indicates a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first condition relates to dropped packet information associated with the first communication link.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a request for an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a request for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a need for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the first condition relates to detection of traffic on the first communication link which requires an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a first application being implemented at either the first node or second node.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first application corresponds to an application which utilizes, for normal operation, an amount of bandwidth exceeding the first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a need for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link, the system being further configured or designed to automatically re-adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to detect that there is no longer a need for the temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

25. The system of claim 14 being further configured or designed to automatically bill a client for the adjustment in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

26. The system of claim 14:

wherein the first node corresponds to a client system;

wherein the second node corresponds to a server system; and

wherein the first condition relates to a client request for an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

27. A computer implemented computer program product for providing enhanced services in a data network, the data network including a first end node associated with a first network portion, a second end node associated with a second network portion, and first service provider network portion which provides a first communication link between the first network portion and second network portion, wherein the first service provider network portion includes a plurality of network elements, and wherein the first communication link has a first plurality operating parameters associated therewith, the first plurality of operating parameters including a first operating parameter relating to a first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code comprising;

computer code for detecting a first condition or event which relates to a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link; and

computer code for automatically adjusting the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to the detection of the first condition or event; and

computer code for automatically initiating, in response to detecting the first condition or event, at least one action for implementing automatic re-provisioning of the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first communication link corresponds to an ATM circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting includes automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first communication link corresponds to a frame relay circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting code includes computer code for automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

29. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising monitoring the first communication link in order to detect at least one condition which indicates a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

30. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

computer code for monitoring the first communication link in order to detect at least one condition which indicates a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first condition relates to dropped packet information associated with the first communication link.

31. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a request for an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

32. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a request for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

33. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a need for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

34. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first condition relates to detection of traffic on the first communication link which requires an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

35. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a first application being implemented at either the first node or second node.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the first application corresponds to an application which utilizes, for normal operation, an amount of bandwidth exceeding the first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link.

37. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a need for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link, the computer program product further comprising computer code for automatically re-adjusting the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to detecting that there is no longer a need for the temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

38. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising computer code for automatically billing a client for the adjustment in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

39. The computer program product of claim 27:

wherein the first node corresponds to a client system;

wherein the second node corresponds to a server system; and

wherein the first condition relates to a client request for an increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

40. A system for providing enhanced services in a data network, the data network including a first end node associated with a first network portion, a second end node associated with a second network portion, and first service provider network portion which provides a first communication link between the first network portion and second network portion, wherein the first service provider network portion includes a plurality of network elements, and wherein the first communication link has a first plurality operating parameters associated therewith, the first plurality of operating parameters including a first operating parameter relating to a first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link, said system comprising:

at least one processor;

memory;

means for detecting a first condition or event which relates to a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link; and

means for automatically adjusting the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to the detection of the first condition or event; and

means for automatically initiating, in response to detecting the first condition or event, at least one action for implementing automatic re-provisioning of the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first communication link corresponds to an ATM circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting includes automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the first communication link corresponds to a frame relay circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein the system further comprises means for automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein the first condition relates to detection of a need for a temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link, the system further comprising means for automatically re-adjusting the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to detecting that there is no longer a need for the temporary increase in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

43. The system of claim 40 further comprising means for automatically billing a client for the adjustment in the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

44. A method for providing enhanced services in a data network, the data network including a first end node associated with a first network portion, a second end node associated with a second network portion, and first service provider network portion which provides a first communication link between the first network portion and second network portion, wherein the first service provider network portion includes a plurality of network elements, and wherein the first communication link has a first plurality operating parameters associated therewith, the first plurality of operating parameters including a first operating parameter relating to a first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link, said method comprising:

detecting a first condition or event which relates to a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link; and

automatically adjusting the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to the detection of the first condition or event;

wherein said automatic adjusting includes;

automatically generating updated operating parameter information relating a first network element of the plurality of network elements;

automatically providing access to a first portion of the updated operating parameter information to the first network element; and

automatically initiating at least one action for implementing automatic re-provisioning of the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first communication link corresponds to an ATM circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting includes automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the updated operating parameter information includes at least a portion of information selected from a group consisting of:

(a) updated committed information rate information for adjusting at least one committed information rate value associated with the communication link, (b) updated excess information rate information for adjusting at least one excess information rate value associated with the communication link, (c) updated committed burst size parameter information for adjusting at least one committed burst size parameter value associated with the communication link, and (d) updated excess burst size parameter information for adjusting at least one excess burst size parameter value associated with the communication link.

46. A system for providing enhanced services in a data network, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

memory;

a first end node associated with a first network portion;

a second end node associated with a second network portion;

a first service provider network portion which provides a first communication link between the first network portion and second network portion, wherein the first service provider network portion includes a plurality of network elements, and wherein the first communication link has a first plurality operating parameters associated therewith, the first plurality of operating parameters including a first operating parameter relating to a first amount of committed bandwidth which has been allocated on the first communication link;

the system being operable to;

detect a first condition or event which relates to a desire to adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

automatically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link in response to the detection of the first condition or event;

automatically generate updated operating parameter information relating a first network element of the plurality of network elements;

automatically provide access to a first portion of the updated operating parameter information to the first network element; and

automatically initiate at least one action for implementing automatic re-provisioning of the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link;

wherein the first communication link corresponds to an ATM circuit;

wherein the first amount of committed bandwidth includes a committed information rate (CIR) parameter value; and

wherein said automatically adjusting includes automatically re-provisioning the value of the CIR parameter associated with the first communication link to thereby dynamically adjust the amount of committed bandwidth allocated on the first communication link.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the updated operating parameter information includes at least a portion of information selected from a group consisting of:

(a) updated committed information rate information for adjusting at least one committed information rate value associated with the communication link, (b) updated excess information rate information for adjusting at least one excess information rate value associated with the communication link, (c) updated committed burst size parameter information for adjusting at least one committed burst size parameter value associated with the communication link, and (d) updated excess burst size parameter information for adjusting at least one excess burst size parameter value associated with the communication link.