Method and device for remotely controlling the congestion of meshed flow in a packet mode telecommunication network

1. Method for remotely controlling congestion of meshed flow exchanged in a packet mode telecommunication network between a number N of central sites C i provided with active devices for managing flow and a number M of remote sites D m devoid of such devices, said central sites exchanging between them information intended specifically for managing the flow exchanged between each of the central sites and each of the remote sites, the method comprising the following steps:

dynamically associating each remote site to a subset of central sites according to actual traffic observed,

establishing a dynamic traffic matrix indicating, for each remote site, the group of central sites exchanging data with this remote site during a given observation period, the establishment of the dynamic traffic matrix being executed periodically during a first processing loop having a duration configured to establish an aggregate traffic matrix that takes into account the superposition of all of the traffic types during said period,

exchanging between the different central sites of each group of minimal information on real time traffic with each of said remote sites, the exchanges of information between the central sites and the definition of a local image that indicates the state of pre-congestion being executed periodically during a second processing loop having a duration configured to establish a traffic matrix in real time in such a way as to detect in real time the different states of congestion,

defining using the information exchanged in the previous step a local image indicating the state of pre-congestion for the traffic of each remote site,

calculating rules for managing traffic exchanged with each remote site according to the image defined in the previous step;

the method characterized in that the calculation of the rules for managing traffic is executed periodically during a third processing loop having a very short duration in relation to the execution durations of the first and second processing loops in such a way as to adjust the traffic in real time according to the type and quantity of flow exchanged between the central sites and the remote sites.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 , characterised in that said flow management comprises the following prior steps:

automatically configuring the active devices for managing flow of the central sites according to these dynamic regroupings,

for each remote site, coordinating said active devices in such a way as to manage in real time the traffic going to or coming from the same central sites to/from this remote site.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 , characterised in that, for each remote site and for each session of exchanging data with this remote site, the calculation of the rules for managing traffic is executed locally in each central site and comprises the following steps:

detecting pre-congestion that is close to the maximum exchange capacity from (respectively to) this site,

distributing the transmission resources between the different data exchange sessions according to the states of pre-congestion detected, the nature and the number of these sessions.

4. The method set forth in claim 1 , characterised in that the execution of the establishment of the dynamic traffic matrix is distributed between the active devices for managing flow of the different central sites in such a way that each central site C k :

determines a list of remote sites D m with which it has exchanged information during the observation period,

periodically exchanges said list with all of the other central sites C i ,

constitutes a base {M im } of information which is the matrix on all of the central sites C i and remote sites D m ,

deduces, for each remote site n, the central sites (C kn ) with which said remote site n has exchanged information during the duration of the observation period considered.

5. The method set forth in claim 1 , characterised in that the establishment of a dynamic traffic matrix is handled by a central management device in the following way:

each active device of each central site carries out an activity measurement for the traffic between itself and each remote site, for the two directions of communication.

the centralised management device periodically collects the traffic information on all of the active devices of each central site,

the centralised management device deduces, for each remote site the list of the central sites with which it exchanges information,

the centralised management device communicates said lists to the active device of each central site.

6. The method according to claim 1 , characterised in that the number N of central sites C i is less than the number M of remote sites D m .

7. Device for remotely controlling congestion of meshed flow exchanged in a packet mode telecommunication network between a number N of central sites C i provided with active devices for managing flow and a number M of remote sites D m devoid of such devices, the device comprising:

means for establishing a traffic matrix indicating, for each remote site, the group of central sites exchanging data with this remote site during a given observation period, the establishment of the dynamic traffic matrix being executed periodically during a first processing loop having a duration configured to establish an aggregate traffic matrix that takes into account the superposition of all of the traffic types during said period,

means for exchanging between the different central sites of each group of minimal information on real time traffic with each of said remote sites, the exchanges of information between the central sites and the definition of a local image that indicates the state of pre-congestion being executed periodically during a second processing loop having a duration configured to establish a traffic matrix in real time in such a way as to detect in real time the different states of congestion,

means for defining using information exchanged a local image indicating the state of congestion at the level of each remote site,

means for calculating and applying rules for managing traffic exchanged with each remote site according to the image defined, the calculation of the rules for managing traffic is executed periodically during a third processing loop having a very short duration in relation to the execution durations of the first and second processing loops in such a way as to adjust the traffic in real time according to the type and quantity of flow exchanged between the central sites and the remote sites.

8. The device set forth in claim 7 , characterised in that said means for establishing a traffic matrix are arranged in each central site.

9. The device set forth in claim 7 , characterised in that said means for establishing a traffic matrix are arranged in a central management device arranged in the network.