Methods, systems, and computer programs for optimizing network performance

• US 8,631,136 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tennyson, Gary, Behi, Fariborz, Fitzpatrick, Stephen, Hill, Trevor, Sheikh, Amir M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/553,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,637 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/223, 709/224, 709/228, 703/21, 370/252
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/508 based on type of value added network service under agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1446 of transmission speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/306 for frequencies above the voice frequency, e.g. xDSL line qualification test methods, test equipment and test arrangements for subscriber lines using xDSL modems H04M3/304; systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality H04L1/0001; monitoring and/or testing of line transmission systems H04B3/46
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products, for optimizing performance of ports in a network are provided. The method includes gathering a set of performance data for a port provisioned with a profile. The profile is defined by parameters with associated metrics that are used to establish a level of service for the port. The method also includes analyzing the set of performance data in light of the parameters in the profile to determine a current performance level of the port and performing a set of actions using the current performance level as a baseline. The set of actions include incrementally adjusting at least one of the parameters, determining another set of performance data in response to the adjusting, evaluating the performance data to determine a new performance level, and determining from the new performance level if a maximum performance level for the port is realized.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a bi-directional transition path for profiles having varying levels of service parameters and rules for traversing the bi-directional transition path during evaluation of a port;

gathering a set of performance data for the port provisioned with one of the profiles, the profile defined by parameters with associated metrics used to establish a level of service for the port;

analyzing the set of performance data in light of the parameters in the profile, and determining a current performance level of the port from results of the analyzing;

iteratively performing a set of actions using the current performance level as a baseline until a maximum performance level for the port is realized, the set of actions comprising;

incrementally adjusting one of the parameters, the adjusting including increasing a data rate in the profile when the current performance level exceeds a defined threshold level;

determining another set of performance data in response to the adjusting; and

evaluating the other set of performance data to determine a new performance level; and

using results of the evaluating to determine a direction in the bi-directional transition path, and traversing the bi-directional transition path in the direction by evaluating the port using another of the profiles in the bi-directional transition path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes increasing noise immunity via imposing an increased noise margin when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining the parameters resulting from the adjusting where the maximum performance level of the port is realized if the parameters resulting from the adjusting coincide with the profile provisioned for the port; and

returning the parameters to those which coincide with the maximum performance level defined for the profile provisioned for the port if the parameters resulting from the adjusting do not coincide with the profile provisioned for the port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metrics include the data rate, the maximum attainable data rate, code violations, forward error corrections, and modem re-initializations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes:

increasing noise immunity via imposing an increased noise margin when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes decreasing the data rate in the profile when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the gathering performance data is initiated in response to a triggering event, the triggering event including an elapsed time between completed evaluations for the profile.

8. A system, comprising:

a computer processor; and

an application executing on the processor, the application implementing a method, comprising;

providing a bi-directional transition path for profiles having varying levels of service parameters and rules for traversing the bi-directional transition path during evaluation of a port;

gathering a set of performance data for the port provisioned with one of the profiles, the profile defined by parameters with associated metrics used to establish a level of service for the port;

analyzing the set of performance data in light of the parameters in the profile, and determining a current performance level of the port from results of the analyzing;

iteratively performing a set of actions using the current performance level as a baseline until a maximum performance level for the port is realized, the set of actions comprising;

incrementally adjusting one of the parameters the adjusting including increasing a data rate in the profile when the current performance level exceeds a defined threshold level;

determining another set of performance data in response to the adjusting; and

evaluating the other set of performance data to determine a new performance level; and

using results of the evaluating to determine a direction in the bi-directional transition path, and traversing the bi-directional transition path in the direction by evaluating the port using another of the profiles in the bi-directional transition path.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes increasing noise immunity via imposing an increased noise margin when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the application further performs:

maintaining the parameters resulting from the adjusting where the maximum performance level of the port is realized if the parameters resulting from the adjusting coincide with the profile provisioned for the port; and

returning the parameters to those which coincide with the maximum performance level defined for the profile provisioned for the port if the parameters resulting from the adjusting do not coincide with the profile provisioned for the port.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the metrics include the data rate, the maximum attainable data rate, code violations, forward error corrections, and modem re-initializations.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes:

increasing noise immunity via imposing an increased noise margin when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes decreasing the data rate in the profile when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the gathering performance data is initiated in response to a triggering event, the triggering event including an elapsed time between completed evaluations for the profile.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium including instructions embodied thereon for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

providing a bi-directional transition path for profiles having varying levels of service parameters and rules for traversing the bi-directional transition path during evaluation of a port;

gathering a set of performance data for the port provisioned with one of the profiles, the profile defined by parameters with associated metrics used to establish a level of service for the port;

analyzing the set of performance data in light of the parameters in the profile, and determining a current performance level of the port from results of the analyzing;

iteratively performing a set of actions using the current performance level as a baseline until a maximum performance level for the port is realized, the set of actions comprising;

incrementally adjusting one of the parameters, the adjusting including increasing a data rate in the profile when the current performance level exceeds a defined threshold level;

determining another set of performance data in response to the adjusting; and

evaluating the other set of performance data to determine a new performance level; and

using results of the evaluating to determine a direction in the bi-directional transition path, and traversing the bi-directional transition path in the direction by evaluating the port using another of the profiles in the bi-directional transition path.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes increasing noise immunity via imposing an increased noise margin when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for implementing:

maintaining the parameters resulting from the adjusting where the maximum performance level of the port is realized if the parameters resulting from the adjusting coincide with the profile provisioned for the port; and

returning the parameters to those which coincide with the maximum performance level defined for the profile provisioned for the port if the parameters resulting from the adjusting do not coincide with the profile provisioned for the port.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the metrics include the data rate and the maximum attainable data rate, code violations, forward error corrections, and modem re-initializations.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes:

increasing noise immunity via imposing an increased noise margin when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the adjusting one of the parameters further includes decreasing the data rate in the profile when the current performance level is below a defined threshold level.