Data network controlled and optimized using layered architectures

A computing system for optimizing a data network, comprising:

• a planning processor in communication with a tracking processor, the tracking processor being in communication with a switch of a data network, wherein the planning processor is independent from the tracking processor;
• a memory connected to the planning processor and configured to store a planning program, wherein the planning program configures the planning processor to generate a reference trajectory for data transfer from the switch via a data link within the data network by:
• receiving a local system state with respect to utilization of network resources from the tracking processor, the local system state including a state of the switch;
• calculating the reference trajectory by solving a planning problem, wherein the planning problem includes a resource allocation problem that optimizes a weighted sum of a network utility function and a tracking penalty function, wherein the tracking penalty function models the tracking processor's ability to guide an actual trajectory to match the reference trajectory, and wherein the reference trajectory defines a desired path of change over time in the local system state and indicates an optimal trajectory for transmission of data within the data network;
• and
• sending the reference trajectory to the tracking processor;
• wherein the tracking processor is configured to track the reference trajectory by managing data transfer from the switch.

A data network node, comprising:

• a switch configured to communicate with a second device within a data network, and to communicate with a tracking processor, the tracking processor being in communication with a planning processor, wherein the planning processor is independent from the tracking processor, and the switch being configured to send data via a data link to the second device based on an instruction from the tracking processor;
• a memory connected to the tracking processor and configured to store a tracking program, wherein the tracking program configures the tracking processor to track a reference trajectory from the planning processor by:
• determining a set of states of the switch over a time interval;
• sending a local system state to the planning processor, the local system state including a subset of the set of states of the switch;
• receiving the reference trajectory from the planning processor, wherein the reference trajectory is calculated by solving a planning problem, wherein the planning problem includes a resource allocation problem that optimizes a weighted sum of a network utility function and a tracking penalty function, wherein the tracking penalty function models the tracking processor's ability to guide an actual trajectory to match the reference trajectory, and wherein the reference trajectory defines a desired path of change over time in the local system state and indicates an optimal trajectory for transmission of data within the data network;
• computing a control action by solving a tracking problem based on the reference trajectory, wherein the control action is computed so that implementation of the control action in managing transmission of data within the data network achieves a change in the local system state resulting in the actual trajectory, wherein the actual trajectory approximates the reference trajectory;
• determining the instruction based on the control action, wherein the instruction indicates one of a plurality of computers to which a data packet is to be transmitted;
• and
• sending the instruction from the tracking processor to the switch.