Access point capacity management

• US 8,825,895 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sethi, Gurdev S., Dharmarajan, Mohanraj, Brackebusch, Kirk M., Callahan, David S., Tangri, Manish V., Lacey, Mitchell G., Seshadri, Aravind K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Oanh
• Application Number:
  US12/903,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/226, 709/235, 709/238, 709/246, 709/223, 709241-242, 455/452.1, 455/453
• US Class Current: 709/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Capacity management is described. In an implementation, a method includes executing a module on a computing device to monitor use of a product during a measurement interval to determine a maximum capacity of the product used during the measurement interval and whether a capacity failure point is reached during the measurement interval. A learned capacity limit is set based on the monitoring for determining whether one or more of a plurality of clients, if any, are to receive a list which references at least the monitored product, wherein the learned capacity limit is set such that when the capacity failure point is not reached, the learned capacity limit is set according to the maximum capacity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

dynamically adjusting via a processor, for each measurement interval of a plurality of measurement intervals, a connectivity value for each of a plurality of access points, the connectivity value of each of the plurality of access points is adjustable based on a comparison of a maximum capacity determined during a current measurement interval to a learned capacity limit determined during a previous measurement interval, such that a likelihood that one of the plurality of access points is chosen for assignment as the maximum capacity approaches the learned capacity limit, the learned capacity limit computed over time as a historical value of maximum capacity used without reaching a capacity failure point and varying for the plurality of measurement intervals; and

assigning a subset of the plurality of access points to one or more of a plurality of clients based at least in part on a contracted capacity guaranteed for the each of the access points and the connectivity value of the each of the access points.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subset is assigned using an access point list for communication to a respective one of the plurality of clients.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising computing the learned capacity limit for each of the access points by:

determining whether a capacity failure point has been reached;

determining a maximum number of the plurality of clients that used the access point;

for each of the access points that has not exceeded a respective capacity failure point, setting the learned capacity limit based on the maximum number; and

for each of the access points that has exceeded the respective capacity failure point, setting the learned capacity limit based on a previous learned capacity limit which did not result in the access point reaching the respective capacity failure point.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the connectivity value is configured such that each of the access points may be compared, one to another, to describe a relative connectivity experience of the clients with the access point.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the access points is associated with a communication device.

6. A method comprising:

determining a learned capacity limit of each of a plurality of access points during a first measurement interval, the access points associated with respective communication devices; and

during a second measurement interval ensuing after the first measurement interval;

determining a maximum capacity of the each of the plurality of access points;

adjusting a connectivity value for the each of the plurality of access points, the connectivity value adjusted based on a comparison of a maximum capacity of the each of the plurality of access points to learned capacity limit, the learned capacity limit varying over measurement intervals; and

assigning a subset of the access points to one or more of a plurality of clients based on the connectivity value of the each of the plurality of access points and a contracted capacity guaranteed for the each of the plurality of access points.

7. The method as described in claim 6, wherein the access points are selected from a group consisting of:

one or more telephone numbers,

a wireless access point and

a data distribution point.

8. The method as described in claim 6, wherein:

the access points are configured as access numbers for obtaining Internet access; and

each access point includes a plurality of references to the access numbers.

9. The method as described in claim 6, wherein:

the maximum capacity is configured as a capacity failure rate threshold; and

at least one access point has a capacity failure rate threshold which is different from another capacity failure rate threshold for another of the access points.

10. The method as described in claim 6, wherein the learned capacity limit exceeds the contracted capacity for a monitored product.

11. The method as described in claim 6, wherein said maximum capacity is a capacity failure rate threshold.

12. One or more computer-readable devices storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

dynamically adjusting a connectivity value for a plurality of access points, the connectivity value for the each of the access points adjusted based at least in part on access point data and a difference between a maximum capacity of the each of the access points and a learned capacity limit of the each of the access points, the learned capacity limit computed over time as a historical value of maximum capacity used without reaching a capacity failure point and the access point data including a cost associated with at least one access point of the plurality of access points; and

assigning a subset of the plurality of access points, respectively, to one or more of a plurality of clients based on the connectivity values and a contracted capacity guaranteed for the each of the plurality of access points.

13. The one or more computer-readable devices as recited in claim 12, wherein the dynamically adjusting is performed such that the assigning of the subset is reduced when a relationship indicates that the maximum capacity used for at least one product is approaching the learned capacity limit.

14. The one or more computer-readable devices as recited in claim 12, wherein the plurality of access points includes at least one of:

a telephone number,

a wireless access point, or

a data distribution point.

15. The one or more computer-readable devices as recited in claim 12, wherein

the access points are configured access numbers for obtaining Internet access;

and

each access point includes a plurality of references to the access numbers.

16. The one or more computer-readable devices as recited in claim 12, further comprising determining a maximum capacity of each of the plurality of access points being utilized during a plurality of measurement intervals.