Automated management of network addresses in a broadband managed access environment
First Claim
1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
- determining an address utilization state of a network, wherein the address utilization state is based on at least one of;
a percentage of a certain address space allocated to a network service provider that is in use by at least one of a physical interface and a sub-interface of network access devices that couple subscribers of the network service provider to the network, over a total address space available to the network service provider;
a percentage of address space that is in use at a physical interface over the total address space allocated by an internet service provider owner;
ora percentage of address space in use at a physical interface over the amount of address space allocated to that interface and to a network service provider; and
wherein the determining comprises at least one of;
collecting address utilization data from all Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers allocated to the network service provider; and
polling a broadband terminal directly to obtain the address utilization data therefrom; and
performing a specified action on addresses from the certain address space in response to the determining the address utilization state wherein at least one attribute of the certain address space is changeable with the specified action;
wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.
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Abstract
Automatically managing network addresses in a managed access environment is described. A managed access environment is defined as one in which a service provider delegates responsibility for a portion of their address space to an access provider, which is responsible for distributing the addresses to devices used by subscribers of the service provider. An aspect of the invention allows rule-action associations to be defined. The method includes accessing network address utilization data and evaluating rule conditions in relation to the utilization data. When a rule condition is met, an associated address management action is executed. Different embodiments of the invention provide execution of different actions, such as allocating, reconfiguring, and reclaiming addresses from a service provider'"'"'s address space.
52 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
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determining an address utilization state of a network, wherein the address utilization state is based on at least one of; a percentage of a certain address space allocated to a network service provider that is in use by at least one of a physical interface and a sub-interface of network access devices that couple subscribers of the network service provider to the network, over a total address space available to the network service provider; a percentage of address space that is in use at a physical interface over the total address space allocated by an internet service provider owner;
ora percentage of address space in use at a physical interface over the amount of address space allocated to that interface and to a network service provider; and wherein the determining comprises at least one of; collecting address utilization data from all Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers allocated to the network service provider; and polling a broadband terminal directly to obtain the address utilization data therefrom; and performing a specified action on addresses from the certain address space in response to the determining the address utilization state wherein at least one attribute of the certain address space is changeable with the specified action; wherein the method is performed by one or more processors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory computer storage media for execution and when executed, operable to perform:
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determining an address utilization state of a network, wherein the address utilization state is based on at least one of; a percentage of a certain address space allocated to a network service provider that is in use by at least one of a physical interface and a sub-interface of network access devices that couple subscribers of the network service provider to the network, over a total address space available to the network service provider; a percentage of address space that is in use at a physical interface over the total address space allocated by an internet service provider owner;
ora percentage of address space in use at a physical interface over the amount of address space allocated to that interface and to a network service provider; and wherein the determining comprises at least one of; collecting address utilization data from all Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers allocated to the network service provider; and polling a broadband terminal directly to obtain the address utilization data therefrom; and performing a specified action on addresses from the certain address space in response to the determining the address utilization state wherein at least one attribute of the certain address space is changeable with the specified action. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system comprising:
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a network interface; and one or more processors connected to the network interface, the one or more processors configured for; receiving a description of a condition describing a network address utilization state for triggering an action; determining an address utilization state of a network, wherein the address utilization state is based on at least one of; a percentage of a certain address space allocated to a network service provider that is in use by at least one of a physical interface and a sub-interface of network access devices that couple subscribers of the network service provider to the network, over a total address space available to the network service provider; a percentage of address space that is in use at a physical interface over the total address space allocated by an internet service provider owner;
ora percentage of address space in use at a physical interface over the amount of address space allocated to that interface and to a network service provider; and wherein the determining comprises at least one of; collecting address utilization data from all Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers allocated to the network service provider; and polling a broadband terminal directly to obtain the address utilization data therefrom; and performing a specified action on addresses from the certain address space in response to the determining the address utilization state wherein at least one attribute of the certain address space is changeable with the specified action. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for automated management of network addresses, the apparatus comprising:
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means for determining an address utilization state of a network, wherein the address utilization state is based on at least one of; a percentage of a certain address space allocated to a network service provider that is in use by at least one of a physical interface and a sub-interface of network access devices that couple subscribers of the network service provider to the network, over a total address space available to the network service provider; a percentage of address space that is in use at a physical interface over the total address space allocated by an internet service provider owner;
ora percentage of address space in use at a physical interface over the amount of address space allocated to that interface and to a network service provider; and wherein the determining means comprises at least one of; means for collecting address utilization data from all Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers allocated to the network service provider; and means for polling a broadband terminal directly to obtain the address utilization data therefrom; means for performing a specified action on addresses from the certain address space in response to the determining the address utilization state at least one attribute of the certain address space is changeable with the specified action. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification