Multilink point-to-point protocol network access server channel allocation method and apparatus
First Claim
1. In a multilink point-to-point protocol (PPP) network access server, a method of allocating ports among various clients comprising:
- allocating a primary port to a first client responsive to a first service request;
allocating a secondary port to the first client responsive to the first service request;
monitoring usage of the primary and secondary ports by the first client to determine if the secondary port is underutilized based on a predetermined threshold usage level;
receiving a second service request from a second client;
responsive to receiving the second request, identifying the secondary port as a currently underutilized port that is available for reallocation, wherein availability is based on a predetermined secondary port reallocation threshold; and
responsive to the determining the secondary port is underutilized and available for reallocation, deallocating the secondary port from the first client and reallocating the secondary port to the second client based at least in part upon an average level of use of the secondary port over a predetermined time period by the first client.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a multilink point-to-point protocol (PPP) network access server, a method is provided in one aspect of the invention allocating ports among various users that includes allocating primary ports among various users, and thereafter, allocating secondary ports among various users only until the number of allocated secondary ports reaches a prescribed maximum.
Another aspect of the invention may be thought of as a back-channel allocation method that includes determining whether a back channel is actually being used by a first network client, and if not then allocating the unused back channel to a second network client. In a final aspect of the invention an auxiliary channel resource allocation apparatus for use with a multilink PPP access server, is provided that includes decision or detection logic determining the availability of an auxiliary channel resource previously allocated to a first user of the access server, the decision logic signaling such availability, and allocation or reallocation logic responsive to the signaling to allocate the available auxiliary channel resource to a second user of the access server. The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment which proceeds with reference to the drawings.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. In a multilink point-to-point protocol (PPP) network access server, a method of allocating ports among various clients comprising:
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allocating a primary port to a first client responsive to a first service request; allocating a secondary port to the first client responsive to the first service request; monitoring usage of the primary and secondary ports by the first client to determine if the secondary port is underutilized based on a predetermined threshold usage level; receiving a second service request from a second client; responsive to receiving the second request, identifying the secondary port as a currently underutilized port that is available for reallocation, wherein availability is based on a predetermined secondary port reallocation threshold; and responsive to the determining the secondary port is underutilized and available for reallocation, deallocating the secondary port from the first client and reallocating the secondary port to the second client based at least in part upon an average level of use of the secondary port over a predetermined time period by the first client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a network processing device configured to; allocate a primary channel resource to a first client responsive to a first service request; allocate a secondary channel resource to the first client responsive to the first service request; monitor utilization of the allocated primary and secondary channel resources; identify the secondary channel resource as underutilized based on a predetermined threshold usage level; determine that the underutilized secondary channel resource is currently available for reallocation based on one or more predetermined secondary channel resource reallocation criteria; receive a second service request from a second client; and responsive to receiving the second request, deallocate the secondary channel resource from the first client and reallocate the secondary channel resource to the second client based at least in part upon an average level of use of the secondary channel resource over a redetermined time period by the first client if the secondary channel resource is currently available for reallocation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
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allocating a primary channel resource and a secondary channel resource to a client responsive to a first service request; monitoring usage of the primary and secondary channel resources by the client to determine if the secondary channel resource is underutilized based on a predetermined threshold usage level associated with the primary channel resource or the secondary channel resource, combinations thereof; receiving a second service request; responsive to the second service request, identifying the secondary channel resource as a currently underutilized secondary channel resource that is available for reallocation based on one or more predetermined secondary channel resource reallocation criteria; and responsive to the determining the secondary channel resource is underutilized and available for reallocation, deallocating the secondary channel resource from the client and reallocating the secondary channel resource to another client based at least in part upon an average level of use of the secondary channel resource over a predetermined time period by a user. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification