Policy-based resource management

• US 20090059785A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jogalekar, Prasad Prabhakar, Kumar, Rajneesh, Bilstad, Arnold Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction

Abstract

In one embodiment, a network device receives a request from a client in association with a connection, where the request indicates an amount of one or more resources that is requested to support the connection. The network device determines whether the amount of the resources is available. The network device may then allocate a level of the resources to the connection according to whether the amount of the resources is available.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request from a client in association with a connection, the request indicating an amount of one or more resources that is requested to support the connection;

determining whether the amount of the resources is available; and

allocating a level of the resources to the connection according to whether the amount of the resources available.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request is a connection request requesting that the connection be established.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request indicates an amount of each of the resources that is requested.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the amount of each of the resources that has been requested is not available, placing the connection on a wait list such that a reduced level of the resources is available to the connection.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the connection receives best effort service after the connection is placed on the wait list.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

removing the connection from the wait list when the amount of each of the resources that has been requested is available.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

allocating the amount of each of the resources that has been requested to the connection.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the level of the resources that has been allocated to the connection in response to a triggering event.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the triggering event is a receipt of a subsequent request from the client in association with the connection after the connection has been established.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the triggering event is a receipt of another connection.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

placing the connection on a wait list in response to a triggering event.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a resource allocation message to the client indicating a proposed resource allocation, the proposed resource allocation indicating a proposed amount of one or more of the resources.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a resource allocation message to the client, the resource allocation message indicating a wait list priority for the connection.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a resource allocation acknowledgement message from the client, the resource allocation acknowledgement message indicating whether the client accepts a proposed resource allocation.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the connection is a voice call.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein allocating a level of the resources to the connection according to whether the amount of the resources is available comprises:

allocating a level of the resources to the connection in accordance with one or more policies.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein at least one of the policies is based upon a type of the connection.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the level of the resources allocated to the connection in accordance with one or more policies.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

reducing the level of the resources allocated to the connection based upon one or more policies.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

increasing the level of the resources allocated to the connection based upon one or more policies.

21. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

when it is determined that the amount of the resources is not available, placing the connection on a wait list in accordance with one or more policies.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

determining based upon one or more policies whether the connection has a higher priority than another connection to which resources have previously been allocated; and

when the connection does not have a higher priority than another connection to which resources have previously been allocated, placing the connection on the wait list such that a reduced level of the resources is allocated to the connection.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

determining based upon one or more policies whether the connection has a higher priority than another connection to which resources have previously been allocated; and

when the connection has a higher priority than another connection to which resources have previously been allocated, placing the another connection on the wait list and allocating a level of the resources previously allocated to the another connection to the connection.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

removing the connection from the wait list based upon one or more policies; and

increasing the level of the resources allocated to the connection.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for;

receiving a request from a client in association with a connection, the request indicating an amount of one or more resources that is requested to support the connection;

determining whether the amount of the resources is available; and

allocating a level of the resources to the connection according to whether the amount of the resources is available.