Bandwidth Activity Reporter Normalizes IPDR Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for collecting and reporting internet bandwidth data from cable modem termination systems face challenges such as inconsistent time intervals, varying counter values, and incompatibility with advanced analytics due to differences in counter sizes and service flows, leading to imprecise data for billing and network management.
Innovation Solution
The Bandwidth Activity Reporter (BAR) module normalizes data from 32-bit and 64-bit counters, adapts service flows, and distributes upload and download usage onto fixed time intervals, enabling accurate and comprehensive reporting of bandwidth utilization across multiple cable modems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If IPDR data is collected from multiple CMTS with different counter sizes (32-bit and 64-bit), then data coverage is improved, but data consistency deteriorates due to counter wrapping at different times
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of counter representation by introducing a normalized time-based metric that is independent of counter size. Instead of using raw counter values that wrap at different times for 32-bit and 64-bit counters, the system converts all counter readings into a common time reference frame, eliminating the wrapping issue and achieving data consistency across different counter types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary normalization layer that sits between data collection from diverse CMTS and the analytics processing. This intermediary component standardizes the varying counter formats and time intervals into a unified structure, allowing downstream analytics to operate on consistent data regardless of the source CMTS configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If IPDR data is collected with varying time intervals, then data collection flexibility is improved, but analytics suitability deteriorates due to inconsistent timing
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies periodic action by resampling the varying time interval data onto fixed, regular time intervals. This normalization process transforms irregularly spaced measurements into uniformly spaced data points, making the data suitable for time-series analytics while preserving the original measurement flexibility during the collection phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamics by allowing the data collection interval to be variable during gathering, then dynamically transforming this variable interval data into fixed interval format for analytics. The system adapts its processing approach based on the input data characteristics, collecting with flexibility but presenting standardized output.
3Ease of operation
If service flows are treated as exactly two (upstream and downstream), then processing simplicity is improved, but accuracy deteriorates when more than two service flows exist in practice
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies universality by designing a service flow handling mechanism that works for any number of service flows rather than being limited to exactly two. The normalization process treats each service flow generically, allowing the same processing logic to handle upstream, downstream, and any additional service flows uniformly, thus maintaining accuracy while preserving processing simplicity through consistent treatment.
4Ease of operation
If counter values are taken as simple snapshots, then data collection simplicity is improved, but analytical value deteriorates due to lack of temporal resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by pre-processing the snapshot data to extract temporal information during the normalization phase. Instead of losing temporal resolution, the system proactively calculates time deltas and rates of change from the snapshots during collection, preserving this temporal information in the normalized output for later analytics while keeping the original collection method simple.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for determining bandwidth usage from a plurality of subscribers in a cable network; the system including an engine component comprising a computer processor receiving data from an Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) module and from a subscriber module; the engine component configured to receive requests from an API module to retrieve or manipulate data and to return a reporting result; the IPDR module collecting IPDR data from a plurality of cable modem termination systems (CMTS); and wherein the data collected by the IPDR module from the plurality of cable modem termination systems (CMTS) is normalized by the IPDR module executing a normalization algorithm prior to the engine component returning a reporting result.