Multiplex communications – Diagnostic testing – Determination of communication parameters
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-13
2001-04-03
Hsu, Alpus H. (Department: 2662)
Multiplex communications
Diagnostic testing
Determination of communication parameters
C370S254000, C370S395430, C709S221000, C714S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212169
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to data traffic management in switched digital communication networks and more particularly to methods of reconfiguring traffic parameters of connected calls or logical links and determining whether the reconfigured parameters comply with network constraints, propagating the reconfiguration parameters through network elements and recovering from failures encountered in reconfiguration attempts.
BACKGROUND
Switched digital communications networks such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Frame Relay (FR) find particular application in the delivery of multimedia services. In such networks calls are transported across the network architecture by way of switching nodes within the network core. A network management system establishes and controls traffic flow between switching nodes.
Calls or logical links (trunk groups) connected in such a network have various associated call parameters. In the case of ATM, these parameters include Peak Cell Rate (PCR), Sustained Cell Rate (SCR), Maximum Burst Size (MBS), Cell Delay Variance Tolerance (CDVT), Traffic Descriptor, Traffic Policing methods etc. For Frame Relay, such parameters include Committed Information Rate (CIR), Committed Burst Size (Bc), Excess Burst Size (Be), etc. For Frame Relay calls travelling over ATM networks, many of the ATM call parameters are also required. Parameters associated with a call or a trunk group define the expected characteristics of data allowed to flow through them.
As such, these parameters are usually best guesses for the kind of data traffic expected through a call, or a trunk group. Once a call or a trunk group has been provisioned in a network, it might be discovered that some changes are required to some of the parameters in order to make better use of network resources. At this time, there might be customer data flowing through the calls, and hence any disruptions in that flow may be undesirable, or even unacceptable.
Reconfiguration of an already connected call requires a mechanism for the determination of the correctness of the new parameters, propagation of the new parameters to all the relevant network elements, and if there is a failure in propagation of such parameters, recovery from such failures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention finds application in the management of switched digital communications networks.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for reconfiguring a call or a logical link, and in doing so providing a determination of the correctness of the new parameters, propagating new parameters to relevant network elements, and recovering from any failures encountered during reconfiguration attempt.
Therefore, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided in a switched digital network having a network management system for provisioning service parameters of network elements to route communication sessions between network end points, a method of determining whether a requested parameter reconfiguration to a provisioned and connected call complies with service parameters negotiated for said call comprising: determining network requirements for requested reconfiguration parameters; comparing requested reconfiguration parameters with existing parameters for connected call and calculating a parameter differential; determining whether requested reconfiguration parameters fall within network parameter ranges; and determining whether the calculated parameter differential complies with negotiated service characteristics.
In a second aspect of the invention the algorithm provides a method of determining the correctness of a planned reconfiguration taking into account the parameter assignment respecting the logical link carrying a connected call.
In both algorithms there are provisions for transporting accepted reconfiguration parameters to network elements routing a connected call and to recover from a reconfiguration process if any of the network elements reject the new parameters.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5557748 (1996-09-01), Norris
patent: 5774689 (1998-06-01), Curtis et al.
patent: 5796723 (1998-08-01), Bencheck et al.
patent: 5872928 (1999-02-01), Lewis et al.
patent: 5905715 (1999-05-01), Azarmi et al.
patent: 5982748 (1999-11-01), Yin et al.
Bawa Satvinder Singh
Brown Bruce
Holloway Mike
(Marks & Clerk)
Alcatel Canada Inc.
Hsu Alpus H.
Hu Duc
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