Methods and apparatus for allocating resources in a distributed environment based on network assessment

• US 8,103,282 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Freytsis, Ilya, Ish-shalom, Ran, Rodrig, Benny
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/238,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20070072618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,309 Days
• Field of Search: 455450-453, 455/414, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 718/104, 370329-330
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for allocating resources in a distributed environment, such as a packet network, based on a network assessment. One or more resources are allocated to a request in a distributed environment by identifying one or more potential resources to handle the request; obtaining a network connection assessment between the requester and the one or more potential resources; and assigning at least one of the one or more potential resources to the request based on the evaluation. The network connection assessment can assess, for example, a quality of a network connection between the requester and each of the one or more potential resources or evaluate a topology of the network connection between the requester and each of the one or more potential resources. The one or more resources can be selected based on a score assigned to each of the one or more potential resources.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allocating one or more resources to a request in a distributed environment in which a computer system performs operations comprising:

receiving the request from a first requester, the first requester currently engaged in a communications session with a third party, the request comprising a request to identify one or more potential resources to be made available to the third party during a temporary halt of the communications session, the one or more potential resources comprising at least one segment of music data to be played to the third party, wherein the at least one segment of music data is played to the third party in accordance with a call control application associated with the first requester;

identifying one or more resources to handle said request;

obtaining a network connection assessment between one or more requesters associated with said request and each of said plurality of potential resources, wherein each of said plurality resources is at least one of a source and a destination for a corresponding one of said network connections, wherein said network connection assessment is performed by a resource allocation service which maintains state of its own service classes and service classes for other resource allocation servers in said system, wherein said resource allocation server obtains said state of service classes in other resource allocation servers from a service class summary record by way of a publish/subscribe mechanism; and

assigning at least one of said plurality of potential resources to said request based on said network connection assessment, wherein assigning includes;

prior to a communications device associated with the third party sensing the temporary halt of the communications session, transmitting an instruction to the communications device, wherein the instruction comprises a command to connect with at least one of said plurality of potential resources assigned to said request, wherein the step of transmitting the instruction is done via the call control application associated with the first requester.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying step further comprises the step of identifying potential resources that are currently available.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said network connection assessment further comprises an evaluation of a topology of a network connection between said one or more requesters and each of said plurality of potential resources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said topological evaluation is based on one or more of a dynamic assessment or known configuration information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said network connection assessment further comprises an evaluation of a quality of a network connection between said one or more requesters and each of said plurality of potential resources, wherein said network connection quality evaluates one or more of a type of connectivity, a topological assessment or a session quality assessment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said network connection assessment is combined with one or more application criteria in accordance with a predefined policy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step further comprises the step of evaluating a score assigned to each of said plurality of potential resources.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said distributed environment comprises a packet network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said network connection assessment is performed one or more of continuously, periodically or in response to said request.

10. A computer system comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a communications interface;

an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor and the communications interface; and

wherein the memory is encoded with an application allocating one or more resources to a request in a distributed environment, that when performed on the processor, provides a process for processing information, the process causing the computer system to perform the operations of;

receiving the request from a first requester, the first requester currently engaged in a communications session with a third party, the request comprising a request to identify one or more potential resources to be made available to the third party during a temporary halt of the communications session, the one or more potential resources comprising at least one segment of music data to be played to the third party, wherein the at least one segment of music data is played to the third party in accordance with a call control application associated with the first requester;

identify a plurality of potential resources to handle said request;

obtain an assessment of a network connection assessment between one or more requesters associated with said request and each of said plurality of potential resources, wherein each of said plurality of potential resources is at least one of a source and a destination for a corresponding one of said network connections, wherein said network connection assessment is performed by a resource allocation service which maintains state of its own service classes and service classes for other resource allocation servers in said system, wherein said resource allocation server obtains said state of service classes in other resource allocation servers from a service class summary record by way of a publish/subscribe mechanism; and

assign at least one of said plurality of potential resources to said request based on said network connection assessment, wherein assigning includes;

prior to a communications device associated with the third party sensing the temporary halt of the communications session, transmitting an instruction to the communications device, wherein the instruction comprises a command to connect with at least one of said plurality of potential resources assigned to said request, wherein the step of transmitting the instruction is done via the call control application associated with the first requester.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said network connection assessment further comprises an evaluation of a topology of a network connection between said one or more requesters and each of said plurality of potential resources, wherein said topological evaluation is based on one or more of an automatic assessment or known configuration information.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said network connection assessment further comprises an evaluation of a quality of a network connection between said one or more requesters and each of said plurality of potential resources.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said network connection quality evaluates one or more of a type of connectivity, a topological assessment or a session quality assessment.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said network connection assessment is combined with one or more application criteria in accordance with a predefined policy.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said processor is further configured to evaluate a score assigned to each of said plurality of potential resources.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code thereon for allocating a resource to a request in a distributed environment, the medium including instructions in which a computer system performs operations comprising:

receiving the request from a first requester, the first requester currently engaged in a communications session with a third party, the request comprising a request to identify one or more potential resources to be made available to the third party during a temporary halt of the communications session, the one or more potential resources comprising at least one segment of music data to be played to the third party, wherein the at least one segment of music data is played to the third party in accordance with a call control application associated with the first requester;

identifying plurality of potential resources to handle said request;

obtaining an assessment of a network connection between one or more requesters associated with said request and each of said plurality of potential resources, wherein each of said plurality of potential resources is at least one of a source and a destination for a corresponding one of said network connections, wherein said network connection assessment is performed by a resource allocation service which maintains state of its own service classes and service classes for other resource allocation servers in said system, wherein said resource allocation server obtains said state of service classes in other resource allocation servers from a service class summary record by way of a publish/subscribe mechanism; and

assigning at least one of said plurality of potential resources to said request based on said network connection assessment, wherein assigning includes;

prior to a communications device associated with the third party sensing the temporary halt of the communications session, transmitting an instruction to the communications device, wherein the instruction comprises a command to connect with at least one of said plurality of potential resources assigned to said request, wherein the step of transmitting the instruction is done via the call control application associated with the first requester.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein said network connection assessment further comprises an evaluation of a topology of a network connection between said one or more requesters and each of said one or more resources.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein said network connection assessment further comprises an evaluation of a quality of a network connection between said one or more requesters and each of said plurality of potential resources.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein said network connection assessment is combined with one or more application criteria in accordance with a predefined policy.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein said one or more programs which when executed further implement the step of evaluating a score assigned to each of said plurality of potential resources.