Capacity planning using user-level data and upward projections

• US 8,661,104 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2009
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Finkelstein, Jeff, Kim, Sung-eun
• Primary Examiner(s): BIAGINI, CHRISTOPHER D
• Application Number:
  US12/467,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20100290350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour

Abstract

A telecommunications network capacity planning system. The telecommunications network capacity planning system includes a telecommunications network including a telecommunications services provider, subscribers and a network coupling the telecommunications services provider and the subscribers for provisioning of the telecommunications services. A database system is used for collecting and storing data at the user-level associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over the telecommunications network. A processor is coupled to the database system. The processor models the telecommunications network by generating upward projections from the stored user-level data and transforms the modeling of the network to a visual display of capacity information and network parameters for manipulation to evaluate capacity planning scenarios.

Claims

1. A method of planning capacity requirements of a telecommunications network, comprising:

collecting granular data at a user-level including user bandwidth consumption and at a system-level including equipment associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over a telecommunications network;

storing the collected user-level data in a database;

presenting an interface for receiving selection of modeling parameters to apply to the collected user-level data in the database to allow a plurality of network scenarios to be analyzed, including a subscriber count and market selection;

generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level; and

combining or splitting nodes based on a summary of input data associated with the generated model results specific to the selected modeling parameters and a summary of output data projecting network upgrade requirements based on the generated model results specific to the selected modeling parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-level granular data includes subscriber data, demographic parameters, speed tiers, and application mixes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected user-level granular data includes a determination of bandwidth consumed by individual users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering on the interface a summary of output data projecting network upgrade requirements comprises presenting a periodic projection of topology and equipment modification requirements according to the generated model results specific to the selected modeling parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level further comprises determining a capacity for a selected group of fiber nodes forming a service group.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining capacity for the selected group of fiber nodes forming the service group further comprises determining capacity for a selected access device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining capacity for a selected access device further comprises determining actual bandwidth consumption associated with a network parameter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining actual bandwidth consumption associated with a network parameter further comprises determining actual bandwidth consumption on an application basis, on a group, on a protocol or on a selected fiber cable.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level further comprises calculating a historical growth rate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level further comprises using the calculated historical growth rate to generate a projected compound annual growth rate.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level further comprises manipulating capacity changes to move projected bandwidth consumption relative to a retail curve or a demand curve to identify an impact on user experience and equipment needs.

12. A non-transitory computer storage medium including executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, provide capacity planning associated with a telecommunications network by:

collecting granular data at a user-level including user bandwidth consumption and at a system-level including equipment associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over a telecommunications network;

storing the collected user-level data in a database;

presenting an interface for receiving selection of modeling parameters to apply to the collected user-level data in the database to allow a plurality of network scenarios to be analyzed, including a subscriber count and market selection;

generating model results specific to the selected model modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level; and

combining or splitting nodes based on a summary of input data associated with the generated model results specific to the selected model modeling parameters and a summary of output data projecting network upgrade requirements based on the generated model results specific to the selected model modeling parameters.

13. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein the rendering on the interface a summary of output data projecting network upgrade requirements comprises presenting a periodic projection of topology and equipment modification requirements according to the generated model results specific to the selected modeling parameters.

14. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein the generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level further comprises, determining a capacity for a selected group of fiber nodes forming a service group, determining capacity for a selected access device and determining actual consumption associated with a network parameter.

15. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein the generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level further comprises manipulating capacity changes to move projected bandwidth consumption relative to a retail curve or a demand curve to identify an impact on user experience and equipment needs.

16. A telecommunications network capacity planning system, comprising:

a telecommunications network including a telecommunications services provider, subscribers and a network coupling the telecommunications services provider and the subscribers for provisioning of telecommunications services;

a database system for collecting and storing granular data at a user-level including user bandwidth consumption and at a system-level including equipment associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over the telecommunications network; and

a processor coupled to the database system, the processor presenting an interface for receiving selection of modeling parameters to apply to the collected user-level data in the database to allow a plurality of network scenarios to be analyzed, including a subscriber count and market selection, generating model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level and combining or splitting nodes based on a summary of input data associated with the generated model results specific to the selected modeling parameters and a summary of output data projecting network upgrade requirements based on the generated model results specific to the selected modeling parameters.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor further presents a periodic projection of topology and equipment modification requirements according to the generated model results specific to the selected modeling parameters.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor generates model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level by further using the determined capacity for a fiber node to determine a capacity for a selected group of fiber nodes forming a service group, using the determined capacity of the service group to determine capacity for a selected access device and using the determined capacity of the selected access device to determine actual consumption associated with a network parameter.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor generates model results specific to the selected modeling parameters by first reconstructing bandwidth consumption at the user-level based on the user-level granular data and subsequently making projections of bandwidth capacity needs upstream through the telecommunications network from the reconstructed bandwidth consumption at the user-level by further manipulating capacity changes to move projected bandwidth consumption relative to a retail curve or a demand curve to identify an impact on user experience and equipment needs.