System and method for automatically determining a recommended committed information rate

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for using tolerances obtained from a user together with historical information about a communication network to analyze the network's performance and to calculate and recommend a specific change to the committed information rate (CIR) over a given permanent virtual circuit (PVC). The historical information, which is collected by a network management system connected to at least two communication devices in a communication network, relates to various performance parameters, which may include the total data transmitted, received and dropped above and within the original CIR, and the burstiness of the data. The historical information is automatically analyzed in view of the user's designated tolerances to determine the network's data transmission performance, and a forward-looking recommendation of an optimum CIR is made, based on the analysis. The results of the analysis and the recommended change to the CIR are displayed to the user in a graphical format.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 338,812, filed Jun. 23, 1999.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates generally to data communications, and more particularly, to a system and method for automatically determining a recommended committed information rate (CIR) in a frame relay network by analyzing historical information regarding network parameters in view of user designated tolerances, and recommending adjustments to the CIR based on the analysis. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Historically, in the field of data communications, modems, data service units (DSU's), or channel service units (CSU's) have been used to convey information from one location to another. Digital technology now enables other communication devices, such as frame relay data service units (DSU's) and frame relay access units (FRAU's) to communicate large amounts of data at higher speeds. The communication schem...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0028] An advantage of the invention is that it automatically determines whether a frame relay network is performing at the level agreed upon in an SLA.

[0029] Another advantage of the invention is that it automatically determines whether the CIR needs to be increased based on the actual performance on the network.

[0030] Another advantage of the invention is that it automatically recommends a specific amount of increase or decrease in the CIR if it is determined that the CIR needs to be increased or decreased.

[0031] Another advantage of the invention is that it automatically predicts when a recommendation for a specific amount of increase or decrease in the CIR will be needed.

[0032] Another advantage of the invention is that it takes into account network burstiness in determining whether the CIR needs to be increased.

[0033] Another advantage of the invention is that it takes into account the user's tolerances for lost data and excess capacity in determining whether the CIR needs to be increased or decreased.

Problems solved by technology

Although data transmission above CIR is available and even encouraged, it typically is not guaranteed by the SLA.

One problem with current communication systems is that it is difficult for an end user to adequately determine whether the service provider is meeting its guarantee with respect to data transmission below the CIR.

A related problem occurs when the end user's traffic patterns increase to a level exceeding the guaranteed CIR, which can result in data being discarded by the network due to an undersized CIR.

To the extent that current communication systems address these problems at all, such systems are limited to informing the user, in the simplest possible terms, whether or not a PVC needs a larger CIR.

However, this assumption is often inappropriate for many end user situations because the end user's objectives are not considered.

Current systems fail to account for the fact that some users have a higher tolerance for lost data than other users.

Furthermore, current systems, whether automatic or manual, are incapable of determining and recommending to the user the amount by which the CIR should be increased.

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