Interactive MPLS traffic engineering
View Patent ↗An interactive system and method automates the control and management of routing changes that are focused on specific routes or particular network hot spots. Based on the premise that the user is aware of a particular problem that needs to be solved, the system leads the user through an end-to-end process from the identification of the problem to the generation of configuration instructions for effecting a selected solution. A graphic user interface provides a visualization of the current routing and alternative routings, to facilitate the analysis and selection of an improved routing, if any. Throughout the process, the effect of each proposed routing change on the overall network performance is determined, so that the selection of a preferred solution can be made in the appropriate context, and globally sub-optimal solutions can be avoided.
1. A traffic engineering system comprising:
a traffic engineering engine,
a routing tool, and
a user interface,
wherein
the traffic engineering engine is configured to receive a set of constraints for a virtual circuit between nodes of a network from a user via the user interface,
the routing tool is configured to determine a plurality of routes for the virtual circuit,
the traffic engineering engine is configured to determine performance parameters associated with each of the plurality of routes, and to present the performance parameters associated with one or more candidate routes that satisfy the set of constraints to the user via the user interface, and
the traffic engineering engine is configured to receive a selection of a preferred candidate route by the user.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to receive a selection of a secondary candidate route by the user.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to generate one or more files that include information to facilitate configuring the virtual circuit in the network to use the preferred candidate route.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more files are configured to facilitate an automated transmission of configuration commands to one or more routers to instantiate the preferred candidate route for the virtual circuit in the network.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to present performance parameters associated with the network corresponding to each candidate route, to further facilitate the selection of the preferred candidate route by the user.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of constraints include one or more of:
a number-of-hops constraint,
a path-delay constraint,
a subscription-rate constraint,
a link-metric constraint,
a diversity constraint, and
a resource class constraint.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to determine the performance parameters associated with each candidate route based on a simulation of the network.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the simulation includes an analysis of traffic-flow in the network.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to present a visualization of one or more of the candidate routes in a graphic form.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the graphic form includes a geographic representation of links of the one or more candidate routes.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the graphic form includes an indication of one or more of the performance parameters associated with at least one of the candidate routes.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to identify a set of virtual circuits to facilitate selection of the virtual circuit by the user.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to identify the set of virtual circuits based on a target characteristic of links of the network.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the target characteristic includes one of link utilization and link subscription rate.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to identify the set of virtual circuits based on a target characteristic of existing routes of the network.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the target characteristic includes one of:
a path delay,
a traffic flow, and
whether the existing route satisfies the set of constraints.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic engineering engine is configured to determine whether existing routes of the virtual circuit satisfy the set of constraints.
18. A method comprising:
receiving, at a traffic engineering engine, a set of constraints for a virtual circuit between nodes of a network from a user,
determining, by a routing tool, a plurality of routes for the virtual circuit,
determining, by the traffic engineering engine, performance parameters associated with each of the plurality of routes,
presenting, by the traffic engineering engine, the performance parameters associated with one or more candidate routes that satisfy the set of constraints to the user, and
receiving, by the traffic engineering engine, a selection of a preferred candidate route by the user.
19. The method of claim 18 , including receiving a selection of a secondary candidate route by the user.
20. The method of claim 18 , including generating one or more files that include information to facilitate configuring the virtual circuit in the network to use the preferred candidate route.
21. The method of claim 20 , including transmitting configuration commands based on the information in the one or more files to one or more routers, to instantiate the preferred candidate route for the virtual circuit in the network.
22. The method of claim 18 , including presenting performance parameters associated with the network corresponding to each candidate route, to further facilitate the selection of the preferred candidate route by the user.
23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the set of constraints include one or more of:
a number-of-hops constraint,
a path-delay constraint,
a subscription-rate constraint,
a link-metric constraint,
a diversity constraint, and
a resource class constraint.
24. The method of claim 18 , including simulating the network to determine the performance parameters associated with each candidate route.
25. The method of claim 18 , including analyzing traffic-flow in the network to determine the performance parameters associated with each candidate route.
26. The method of claim 18 , including presenting a visualization of one or more of the candidate routes in a graphic form.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the graphic form includes a geographic representation of links of the one or more candidate routes.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the graphic form includes an indication of one or more of the performance parameters associated with at least one of the candidate routes.
29. The method of claim 18 , including identifying a set of virtual circuits to facilitate selection of the virtual circuit by the user.
30. The method of claim 29 , including identifying the set of virtual circuits based on a target characteristic of links of the network.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the target characteristic includes one of link utilization and link subscription rate.
32. The method of claim 18 , including identifying a set of virtual circuits to facilitate selection of the virtual circuit by the user based on a target characteristic of existing routes of the network.
33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the target characteristic includes one of:
a path delay,
a traffic flow, and
whether the existing route satisfies the set of constraints.
34. The method of claim 18 , including determining whether existing routes of the virtual circuit satisfy the set of constraints.
35. A non-transient computer readable medium that includes a computer program that causes a processor to:
receive a set of constraints for a virtual circuit between nodes of a network from a user,
determine a plurality of routes for the virtual circuit,
determine performance parameters associated with each of the plurality of routes,
present the performance parameters associated with one or more candidate routes that satisfy the set of constraints to the user, and
receive a selection of a preferred candidate route by the user.
36. The medium of claim 35 , wherein the computer program causes the processor to generate one or more files that include information to facilitate configuring the virtual circuit in the network to use the preferred candidate route.
37. The medium of claim 35 , wherein the computer program causes the processor to simulate the network to determine the performance parameters associated with each candidate route.
38. The medium of claim 35 , wherein the computer program causes the processor to analyze traffic-flow in the network to determine the performance parameters associated with each candidate route.
39. The medium of claim 35 , wherein the computer program causes the processor to present a visualization of one or more of the candidate routes in a graphic form.