Adjusting network service level on a scheduled basis

• US 8,578,008 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TW Telecom Holdings Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sella, William Thomas, Caputo, Pete Joseph II, Sella, James Michael, Teets, Harold Wayne, Ewert, Travis Duane
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US13/943,686
• Time in Patent Office: 112 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/76 using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches

Abstract

A user of a network service (such as an Ethernet e-line) can request a change in capacity (such as bandwidth) for a particular time period. When that time period occurs, the network service is evaluated to determine what switches need to be configured and how to configure them. The switches are configured accordingly. When the time period expires, the switches are re-configured to their original service level.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for adjusting capacity on a network, the network including a plurality of interconnected switching devices, comprising:

(a) receiving an input that identifies;

(i) a network connectivity service provisioned to a user at a first service level, the network connectivity service providing a dedicated network connection between at least two locations, (ii) a time period in the future, and (iii) a second service level for the network connectivity service to provide during the time period in the future;

(b) identifying which of the plurality of interconnected switching devices on the network need to be configured to alter the network connectivity service to provide the second service level;

(c) determining that the time period identified in the input received in (a) is beginning;

(d) when the time period is determined to be beginning in (c), configuring the interconnected switching devices identified in (b) to provide the second service level;

(e) determining that the time period identified in the input received in (a) has ended; and

(f) when the time period is determined to have ended in (e), configuring each of the interconnected switching devices identified in (b) to provide the first service level.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second service levels is a bandwidth level for the network connectivity service to provide across the network between the at least two locations.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein identifying (b) comprises determining an endpoint device for each of the at least two locations, each endpoint device including a policer that limits bandwidth on a port associated with the user,

wherein the configuring (d) comprises altering the policer included on each of the endpoint devices to limit the bandwidth on the port associated with the user to the second service level,

wherein the configuring (f) comprises altering the policer included on each of the endpoint devices to limit the bandwidth on the port associated with the user to the first service level.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

(g) in response to receipt of the input in (a), determining a price for providing the second service level during the time period in the future based on the duration of the time period, a difference between the first and second service levels, and a pre-defined rate; and

(h) recording the price determined in (g) for billing.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

(g) tracking historical usage of the network at regular time cycles;

in response to receipt of the input in (a);

(h) determining a predicted availability of network resources on the network between the at least two locations based on historical usage of the network resources during the time period during previous time cycles;

(i) determining, based on the predicted availability determined in (g), whether the requested second service level is feasible,

wherein steps (b)-(f) occur when the requested second service level is determined to be feasible in (i).

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the determining (i) comprises determining the predicted availability according to an average of usage of the network resources during the time period in previous time cycles and a variance in usage of the network resources during the time period in previous time cycles.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the network connectivity service is an Ethernet e-line.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first and second service levels are latency levels.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the receiving (a) comprising receiving the input, the input specifying a plurality of time periods in the future such that the plurality of time periods are at regular intervals, and further comprising:

(g) for each of the plurality of time periods, repeating steps (c)-(f).

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interconnected switching devices are heterogeneous, further comprising:

(g) determining, for each of the switching devices identified in (b), a first command to configure the switching device to provide the second service level based on a type of the switching device; and

(h) determining, for each of the switching devices identified in (b), a second command to configure the switching device to provide the first service level based on a type of the switching device,

wherein the configuring (d) comprises, for each the switching devices identified in (b), sending the first command determined in (g) to the switching device, and

wherein the configuring (f) comprises, for each the switching devices identified in (b), sending the second command determined in (h) to the switching device.

11. A system for adjusting capacity on a network, the network including a plurality of interconnected switching devices, comprising:

a user interface module that receives an input that identifies;

(i) a network connectivity service provisioned to a user at a first service level, the network connectivity service providing a dedicated network connection between at least two locations, (ii) a time period in the future, and (iii) a second service level for the network connectivity service to provide during the time period in the future;

a service lookup module that identifies which of the plurality of interconnected switching devices on the network need to be configured to alter the network connectivity service to provide the second service level;

a start module that determines that the time period identified in the input received by the user interface module is beginning;

a terminate module that determines that the time period identified in the input has ended; and

a service provisioning module that;

(i) when the start module determines the time period to be beginning, configures each of the interconnected switching devices identified by the service lookup module to provide the second service level, and, (ii) when the terminate module determines the time period to have ended, configures each of the interconnected switching devices identified by the service lookup module to provide the first service level.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second service levels is a bandwidth level for the network connectivity service to provide across the network between the at least two locations.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the service lookup module determines an endpoint device for each of the at least two locations, each endpoint device including a policer that limits bandwidth on a port associated with the user,

wherein the service provisioning module, to configure the switching devices (i), alters the policer included on each of the endpoint devices to limit the bandwidth on the port associated with the user to the second service level, and

wherein the service provisioning module, to configure the switching devices (ii), alters the policer included on each of the endpoint devices to limit the bandwidth on the port associated with the user to the first service level.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a pricing module that, in response to receipt of the input, determines a price for providing the second service level during the time period in the future based on the duration of the time period, a difference between the first and second service levels, and a pre-defined rate.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a historical usage database that stores historical usage data of the network at regular time cycles;

an availability module that, in response to receipt of the input;

(i) determines a predicted availability of network resources on the network between the at least two locations based on the historical usage data of the network resources during the time period in previous time cycles stored in the historical usage database, and (ii) determines, based on the determined predicted availability, whether the requested second service level is feasible,

wherein the service lookup module, the start module, the terminate module, and the service provisioning module are enabled when the availability module determines the requested second service level to be feasible.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the availability module determines the predicted availability according to an average of usage of the network resources during the time period in previous time cycles and a variance in usage of the network resources during the time period in previous time cycles.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the network connectivity service is an Ethernet e-line.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second service levels are latency levels.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the input specifies a plurality of time periods in the future such that the plurality of time periods are at regular intervals, and further comprising:

a bandwidth control server that triggers the service lookup module, the start module, the terminate module, and the service provisioning module to repeat for each of the plurality of time periods.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of interconnected switching devices are heterogeneous,

wherein the service lookup module determines, for each of the identified switching devices and based on a type of the switching device, a first command to configure the switching device to provide the second service level and a second command to configure the switching device to provide the first service level, and

wherein the provisioning module, for each of the identified switching devices, sends the first command to the switching device at a beginning of the time period, and sends the second command to the switching device at an end of the time period.

21. A program storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by at least one machine to perform a method for adjusting capacity on a network, the network including a plurality of interconnected switching devices, said method comprising:

(a) receiving an input that identifies;

(i) a network connectivity service provisioned to a user at a first service level, the network connectivity service providing a dedicated network connection between at least two locations, (ii) a time period in the future, and (iii) a second service level for the network connectivity service to provide during the time period in the future;

(b) identifying which of the plurality of interconnected switching devices on the network need to be configured to alter the network connectivity service to provide the second service level;

(c) determining that the time period identified in the input received in (a) is beginning;

(d) when the time period is determined to be beginning in (c), configuring each of the interconnected switching devices identified in (b) to provide the second service level;

(e) determining that the time period identified in the input received in (a) has ended; and

(f) when the time period is determined to have ended in (e), configuring each of the interconnected switching devices identified in (b) to provide the first service level.