Determining collocations with an access transport management system (ATMS)

• US 8,570,875 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Venugopal, Nandagopal, Newcomer, Thomas P
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUNIGA ABAD, JACKIE
• Application Number:
  US12/413,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 709238-244, 709223-226
• US Class Current: 370/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0826 for reduction of network costs H04L41/0833 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

A device receives network configuration information from a network, determines a new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, and constructs a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model. The device also calculates an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model, performs a collocation optimization procedure on the optimal baseline solution to produce an optimal collocation solutions for the network, and provides the optimal network collocation solutions to the network for implementation.

Claims

1. A computing device-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of the computing device, network configuration information from a network,

the network configuration information including operational states of network elements associated with the network;

determining, by the processor, a logical network based on the network configuration information,

the logical network including a new capacity model of the network, an entrance facility capacity model of the network, and an incumbent capacity model of the network,

determining the logical network including;

determining the new capacity model of the network by;

creating a potential collocation node based on a first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network,

determining a second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network to include a collocation,

providing digital signal 1 (DS1) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, and

providing digital signal 3 (DS3) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance;

constructing, by the processor, a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the logical network;

calculating, by the processor, an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model;

performing, by the processor, an automatic collocation optimization procedure, on an existing configuration of the network and based on the optimal baseline solution, to produce a ranked list of optimal collocation solutions for the network; and

providing the ranked list of optimal collocation solutions to the network for implementation.

2. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the optimal collocation solutions.

3. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where determining a logical network based on the network configuration information comprises:

determining the new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information,

determining the entrance facility capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, and

determining the incumbent capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information; and

constructing a mixed integer programming (MIP) model comprises constructing the mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model.

4. The computing device-implemented method of claim 3, where determining the new capacity model of the network comprises:

creating a potential collocation node based on a wire center of the network;

associating a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node;

upgrading the wire center to a collocation when the variable equals one; and

maintaining the wire center as a wire center when the variable does not equal one.

5. The computing device-implemented method of claim 3, where determining the new capacity model of the network comprises:

creating a potential collocation node based on a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network;

associating a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node;

upgrading the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance to a collocation when the variable equals one; and

maintaining the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance as a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance when the variable does not equal one.

6. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where constructing a mixed integer programming (MIP) model comprises:

forming sets of network nodes and arcs for the mixed integer programming (MIP) model;

defining decision variables for the mixed integer programming (MIP) model;

defining parameters for mixed integer programming (MIP) model; and

formulating the mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the sets, the decision variables, and the parameters.

7. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where performing a collocation optimization procedure comprises:

performing an interactive collocation optimization procedure, on the existing configuration of the network, to produce a total savings for new collocations.

8. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the network comprises an access network.

9. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the network configuration information further comprises one or more of:

a number of the network elements associated with the network;

routing information associated with the network;

interconnection information associated with the network;

or

cost information associated with the network.

10. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the computing device comprises one or more of:

a laptop;

a personal computer;

a workstation;

or

a server.

11. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the optimal collocation solutions comprise information for identifying new collocation locations and for performing network planning in a manner that minimizes access transport costs.

12. A device comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor to execute instructions in the memory to;

receive network configuration information from a network, the network being associated with a plurality of network elements, and the network configuration information including an operational state of each of the plurality of network elements,

determine a new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, the processor, when determining the new capacity model, being to;

create a potential collocation node based on a first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network,

determine a second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network to include a collocation,

provide digital signal 1 (DS1) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, and

provide digital signal 3 (DS3) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance,

determine an entrance facility capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information,

determine an incumbent capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information,

construct a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the network,

calculate an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model,

perform a collocation optimization procedure, on an existing configuration of the network and based on the optimal baseline solution, to produce a ranked list of optimal collocation solutions for the network, and

provide the ranked list of optimal collocation solutions to the network for implementation.

13. The device of claim 12, where the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the network are part of a logical network that models the network.

14. The device of claim 12, where the device comprises one or more of:

a laptop;

a personal computer;

a workstation;

or

a server.

15. The device of claim 12, where the network comprises an access network.

16. The device of claim 12, where the network configuration information further comprises one or more of:

information identifying a quantity of the plurality of network elements associated with the network,

routing information associated with the network, interconnection information associated with the network, or cost information associated with the network.

17. The device of claim 12, where the optimal collocation solutions comprise information for identifying new collocation locations and for performing network planning in a manner that minimizes access transport costs.

18. The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

store the optimal collocation solutions.

19. The device of claim 12, where the entrance facility capacity model of the network comprises a partial logical network relevant to an entrance facility capacity of the network.

20. The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

create a potential collocation node based on a wire center of the network,

associate a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node,

upgrade the wire center to a collocation when the variable equals one, and

maintain the wire center as a wire center when the variable does not equal one.

21. The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

create a potential collocation node based on a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network,

associate a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node, upgrade the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance to a collocation when the variable equals one, and

maintain the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance as a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance when the variable does not equal one.

22. The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to one of:

perform an automatic collocation optimization procedure, on the existing configuration of the network, to produce a ranked list of collocation solutions, or

perform an interactive collocation optimization procedure, on the existing configuration of the network, to produce a total savings for new collocations.

23. A system comprising:

an access network comprising;

a plurality of network elements, and

a plurality of links interconnecting the network elements; and

a device to;

receive, from the network, network configuration information associated with the plurality of network elements and the plurality of links, the network configuration information including operational states of the plurality of network elements and the plurality of links,

determine a new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, the device, when determining the new capacity model, being to;

create a potential collocation node based on a first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network,

determine a second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network to include a collocation,

provide digital signal 1 (DS1) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, and

provide digital signal 3 (DS3) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance,

determine an entrance facility capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information,

determine an incumbent capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information,

construct a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the network,

calculate an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the MIP model,

perform a collocation optimization mapping procedure, on an existing configuration of the access network and based on the optimal baseline solution, to produce a ranked list of optimal collocation solutions for the access network, and

provide the ranked list of optimal collocation solutions to the access network for implementation by the plurality of network elements and the plurality of links.