Apparatus and method for network capacity evaluation and planning

Abstract

Network capacity evaluation and planning is performed based upon the traffic across the links of the network. Once a link's traffic volume has been measured, it is compared with the link's traffic capability, and the resulting parameters compared with the traffic and capability of other links of the network to create measures of network capacity and balance. Then, simulated changes to the network configuration may be made by substituting simulated traffic volume amounts and capabilities for selected link traffic measurements and capabilities, and the resulting measures of network capacity and balance may then be compared to determine whether the simulated changes represent a preferred network configuration.

1 . A method for evaluating network traffic on a communications network, the network having a present configuration of nodes connected by a plurality of links, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) determining a traffic capability for an amount of time for each of the plurality of links of the network;    b) measuring a traffic volume for the amount of time across each of the plurality of links; and    c) evaluating a communications capability of the communications network based upon the traffic capability and the traffic volume.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein step c) includes determining a contribution to an overall bandwidth of the communications network by a first link of the plurality of links based upon the traffic capability of the first link with respect to a traffic capability of all of the plurality of links.  
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein step c) includes determining a contribution to an overall traffic of the communications network by a first link of the plurality of links based upon the traffic volume across the first link with respect to a traffic volume of all of the plurality of links.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 3   , wherein step c) further includes determining a contribution to an overall bandwidth of the communications network by the first link based upon the traffic capability of the first link with respect to a traffic capability of all of the plurality of links.  
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 4   , wherein step c) further includes a step of evaluating a link balance for the first link based upon a comparison between the contribution to overall bandwidth and the contribution to overall traffic.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein step c) includes a step of evaluating a link balance for a first link of the plurality of links based upon a comparison between a contribution to overall bandwidth of the communications network by the first link and a contribution to overall traffic of the communications network by the first link.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 1   , further comprising a step of defining an upper bound and a lower bound of link utilization for a first link of the plurality of links, and wherein step c) includes a step of evaluating a link utilization of the first link of the plurality of links with respect to the upper bound and the lower bound, based upon the traffic volume of the first link.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein step c) includes the steps of: 
 evaluating a link balance for a first link of the plurality of links based upon a comparison between a contribution to overall bandwidth of the communications network by the first link and a contribution to overall traffic of the communications network by the first link;    evaluating a link utilization of the first link of the plurality of links based upon the traffic volume of the first link; and    evaluating the communications capability of the link based upon a comparison of the link balance with the link utilization.    
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein step c) includes the steps of 
 evaluating the communications capability of each of the plurality of links; and    evaluating the communications capability of the communications network based upon the communications capability of each of the plurality of links.    
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 1   , further comprising a step of evaluating a communications capability of an alternative configuration of the communications network based upon the traffic capability and a modified traffic volume.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 10   , further comprising a step of modifying the configuration of the communications network to the alternative configuration.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus for evaluating network traffic on a communications nework having a plurality of links connecting devices, the apparatus comprising: 
 a database of link traffic information including traffic volume and link capacity;    a capacity control and evaluation module connected to the database for receiving link traffic information from the database and determining a traffic capability for an amount of time for each of the plurality of links, and comparing the traffic volume and traffic capability of the links to determine a network capacity parameter, and    a user interface for displaying the network capacity parameter.