Load balancing for network devices

• US 8,788,647 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nolle, Steven Paul, Barker, Brian Jay, Olsen, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Jung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong M
• Application Number:
  US13/097,401
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-229, 710/38, 710/200, 370/230, 370/431, 375/222
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/633 Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client management of faults, events, alarms in data networks H04L41/06

Abstract

Systems and methods can be operable to provide improved load balancing for network devices. In some implementations, such systems and methods can operate to create success list and/or fail list for use in optimizing improved load balancing for network devices. In other implementations, such systems and methods can also operate to manage and remove entries from success list and/or fail list. The success list and/or fail list can be used to optimize load balancing thereby reducing or preventing interruption in service to customers.

Claims

1. An improved load balancing system for network devices, comprising:

a network interface operable to receive an incoming signal comprising a network device identifier and a channel compatibility, wherein the channel compatibility is based upon results of one or more attempts to assign the network device to a channel;

a storage module operable to store the network device identifier and the channel compatibility;

a processor operable to generate one or more load groups wherein the load group contains one or more channels and one or more network devices, the processor being further operable to compare the network device identifier and the channel compatibility when determining subsequent attempts to assign a network device to a channel;

the processor being further operable to instruct the network device to change a channel without rebooting the network device, the channel being based on the comparison between the network device identifier and the channel compatibility; and

the processor being further operable to update the network device identifier and the channel compatibility based upon results from the subsequent attempts to assign a network device to the channel.

2. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 1, wherein the channel compatibility is a count of one or more successful assignments of a network device and a channel.

3. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 2, wherein the channel compatibility further comprises time-based information associated with the count of one or more successful assignments of the network device and the channel.

4. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 3, wherein the processor module is further operable to delete the network device identifier and the channel compatibility based on the time-based information associated with the count of one or more successful assignments of the network device and the channel.

5. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 1, wherein the channel compatibility comprises a count of one or more failed assignments of a network device and a channel.

6. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 5, further comprising:

a user interface operable to establish a failure count threshold, wherein the failure count threshold comprises a number of failed assignments of the network device and the channel, at which point the number of failed assignments is used when determining subsequent attempts to assign a network device to a channel; and

wherein the channel compatibility further comprises time-based information associated with the count of one or more failed assignments of a network device and a channel.

7. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 6, wherein the processor module is further operable to delete the network device identifier and the channel compatibility based on the time-based information associated with the count of one or more failed assignments of a network device and a channel.

8. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 1, wherein the channel compatibility further comprises time-based information associated with the channel compatibility.

9. The improved load balancing system for network devices of claim 8, wherein the processor module is further operable to delete the network device identifier and the channel compatibility based on the time-based information associated with the channel compatibility.

10. A computer implemented method comprising:

forming a plurality of load groups based on a network device characteristic associated with one or more of a plurality of channels;

wherein the network device characteristic associated with the one or more of the plurality of channels comprises one or more tables, wherein the one or more tables comprise results of one or more attempts to assign the network device to the one or more of the plurality of channels;

storing the network device characteristic in a data store; and

comparing the network device characteristic in determining subsequent network device attempts to assign a network device to the one or more of the plurality of channels.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the network device characteristic is based on one or more successful attempts to assign a network device to the one or more of the plurality of channels.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the network device characteristic further comprises time-based information associated with network device attempts to assign to one or more of the plurality of channels.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the network device characteristic is based on one or more failed attempts to assign a network device to the one or more of the plurality of channels.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the network device characteristic further comprises time-based information associated with network device attempts to attach to a channel.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the stored network device characteristic is removed after a period of time.

16. A computer implemented method comprising:

reallocating network devices from a higher-load group channel to one or more lower-load group channels based upon compatibility characteristics associated with one or more network devices and one or more of a plurality of channels;

wherein the compatibility characteristics comprise one or more tables, wherein the one or more tables comprise results of one or more attempts to reallocate a network device to a channel from the one or more lower-load group channels; and

comparing the compatibility characteristics in subsequent network device attempts to reallocate a network device to the channel when reallocating a load group.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 16, wherein each of the compatibility characteristics comprises a threshold count.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein a network device reallocation to the channel is skipped based on the threshold count.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein the threshold count is modified based on a successful network device attachment to the channel.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein the threshold count is modified based on a failed network device attachment to the channel.