Dynamic Bandwidth Cost Assignment for Multi-Tenant Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-tenant networks face inefficiencies due to underutilization of additional capacity procured to handle peak usage, leading to unnecessary costs and resource wastage when usage varies significantly from the average.
Innovation Solution
A network metering service calculates a peak-to-average (P2A) utilization ratio and correlation coefficient for each user's bandwidth usage, allowing for dynamic cost attribution based on their contribution to peak usage, enabling discounts for synchronized usage patterns and increased costs for asynchronous patterns, thereby optimizing resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional capacity is procured to handle peak usage, then network reliability is improved, but network efficiency deteriorates due to underutilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic cost assignment that adjusts bandwidth costs in real-time based on network utilization levels. During peak periods, costs increase to discourage usage, while during off-peak periods, costs decrease to encourage usage. This dynamic pricing mechanism allows the network to maintain reliable peak capacity without permanently provisioning for maximum demand, thereby improving overall network efficiency by reducing underutilization of infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional capacity is procured to handle peak usage, then bandwidth sufficiency is improved, but cost efficiency deteriorates due to unnecessary infrastructure costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the economic parameter of bandwidth cost from a fixed rate to a variable rate that responds to network conditions. By implementing cost signals that reflect actual network utilization and peak demand conditions, the system enables bandwidth sufficiency during peak periods without requiring permanent infrastructure expansion. The variable cost structure allows the network to adapt to changing demand patterns while avoiding the wasteful expenditure of maintaining excessive capacity during low-utilization periods.
Data Source
AI summary
A network metering service obtains from a data store raw metering data specifying network bandwidth utilization for a plurality of customers. The network metering service aggregates this data in order to identify bandwidth usage for each service of a computing resource service provider and for each customer. Based on this data, the network metering service determines a peak-to-average score and a correlation coefficient for each customer, which may be used to determine a unit cost burden. The network metering service may utilize the unit cost burden for each customer to determine whether the customer should be provided with a discounted rate for network bandwidth usage or should incur a price increase.