Method of providing network services
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a request for a virtual circuit;
identifying said virtual circuit in an optical network based on information in said request, whereinsaid optical network comprises a plurality of nodes, andeach one of said nodes is coupled to at least one other of said nodes by at least one of a plurality of optical links;
determining a desired quality of service (QoS) level of said virtual circuit based on said information in said request, whereinsaid desired QoS level is one of a plurality of QoS levels, andsaid QoS levels are defined using a set of parameters;
determining if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit at said desired QoS level; and
provisioning said virtual circuit, if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit, wherein said provisioning comprisesconfiguring a physical circuit between a first node of said nodes and a second node of said nodes bydynamically identifying one or more intermediary nodes of said physical circuit, if said physical circuit comprises any intermediary nodes, andconfiguring said first, said second, and said one or more intermediary nodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing network services is described. The network includes a number of nodes, each one of which is coupled to at least one other of the nodes by at least one of a number of optical links. The network is preferably capable of supporting a number of virtual circuits. The method begins with the receiving of a request for a virtual circuit between a first node and a second node of the network. Preferably, the request specifies a quality of service of the virtual circuit. Next, the availability of network resources for supporting a virtual circuit at the requested quality of service is determined. Assuming sufficient network resources are available for support of the virtual circuit, the request is then serviced by provisioning (and maintaining) the requested virtual circuit. Servicing the request preferably includes actions such as provisioning, maintaining, and restoring the virtual circuit, using the requested parameters.
99 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a request for a virtual circuit; identifying said virtual circuit in an optical network based on information in said request, wherein said optical network comprises a plurality of nodes, and each one of said nodes is coupled to at least one other of said nodes by at least one of a plurality of optical links; determining a desired quality of service (QoS) level of said virtual circuit based on said information in said request, wherein said desired QoS level is one of a plurality of QoS levels, and said QoS levels are defined using a set of parameters; determining if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit at said desired QoS level; and provisioning said virtual circuit, if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit, wherein said provisioning comprises configuring a physical circuit between a first node of said nodes and a second node of said nodes by dynamically identifying one or more intermediary nodes of said physical circuit, if said physical circuit comprises any intermediary nodes, and configuring said first, said second, and said one or more intermediary nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An optical network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes that comprises a first node and a second node; a plurality of optical links, wherein each one of said nodes is coupled to at least one other of said nodes by at least one of said optical links, and said optical network supports a plurality of virtual circuits; and a processor, coupled to said first node, wherein said processor is configured to receive a request for a virtual circuit, identify said virtual circuit in an optical network based on information in said request, wherein said optical network comprises a plurality of nodes, and each one of said nodes is coupled to at least one other of said nodes by at least one of a plurality of optical links, determine a desired quality of service (QoS) level of said virtual circuit based on said information in said request, wherein said desired QoS level is one of a plurality of QoS levels, and said QoS levels are defined using a set of parameters, determine if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit at said desired QoS level, and provision said virtual circuit, if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit, by virtue of being configured to configure a physical circuit between a first node of said nodes and a second node of said nodes by virtue of being configured to dynamically identify one or more intermediary nodes of said physical circuit, if said physical circuit comprises any intermediary nodes, and configure said first, said second, and said one or more intermediary nodes.
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25. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a request for a virtual circuit; means for identifying said virtual circuit in an optical network based on information in said request, wherein said optical network comprises a plurality of nodes, and each one of said nodes is coupled to at least one other of said nodes by at least one of a plurality of optical links; means for determining a desired quality of service (QoS) level of said virtual circuit based on said information in said request, wherein said desired QoS level is one of a plurality of QoS levels, and said QoS levels are defined using a set of parameters; means for determining if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit at said desired QoS level; and means for provisioning said virtual circuit, if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit, wherein said means for provisioning comprises means for configuring a physical circuit between a first node of said nodes and a second node of said nodes, comprising means for dynamically identifying one or more intermediary nodes of said physical circuit, if said physical circuit comprises any intermediary nodes, and means for configuring said first, said second, and said one or more intermediary nodes.
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26. A method comprising:
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determining a desired quality of service (QoS) level of a virtual circuit, wherein said determining is based, at least in part, on a price associated with said virtual circuit, said virtual circuit is in an optical network, said optical network comprises a plurality of nodes, said virtual circuit is between a first node and a second node of said nodes, and each one of said nodes is coupled to at least one other of said nodes by at least one of a plurality of optical links; determining if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit at said desired QoS level, comprising attempting to identify a physical circuit between said first node and said second node that is able to provide said desired QoS level; and provisioning said virtual circuit, if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit, wherein said provisioning comprises configuring a physical circuit between a first node of said nodes and a second node of said nodes, and said virtual circuit is between said first node and said second node. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method comprising:
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receiving a request for a virtual circuit in an optical network, wherein said optical network comprises a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes is coupled to at least one other of said nodes by at least one of a plurality of optical links, said request specifies a first node of said nodes, a second node of said nodes, and a desired quality of service (QoS) level of said virtual circuit, said virtual circuit is between said first node and said second node, said desired QoS level is one of a plurality of QoS levels, and said QoS levels are defined using a set of parameters; determining if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit at said desired QoS level; and provisioning said virtual circuit, if said optical network is able to support said virtual circuit, wherein said provisioning is performed by configuring a physical circuit between said first node and said second node, and said configuring said physical circuit is performed by dynamically identifying intermediary nodes of said nodes comprising said physical circuit, if said physical circuit comprises any intermediary nodes, and configuring said first, said second, and said intermediary nodes, if said physical circuit comprises said any intermediary nodes.
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Specification