Determining and using value of traffic relying on a given component of a communications network

A method of monitoring a communications network, the network being made up of many components, and arranged for carrying many flows of telecommunications traffic having different values, the system being coupled to the components to monitor the flows in the network, and being coupled to a store of value information based on one or more service level agreements relating to at least some of the flows, the value information indicating one or both of a positive revenue from the successful operation of the flow, and a negative revenue if the flow is degraded, the method having the steps of:

• identifying which of the flows of traffic rely on a given one or more of the components, and
• determining a total value of the identified flows from the store of value information relating to the identified flows.

A network management system for configuring paths for flows of traffic in a communications network, the system being arranged to:

• access information indicating total values of current flows of traffic at a number of different points in the network, and
• configure the paths to provide a more evenly value balanced network.

A network management system for configuring protection paths for flows of traffic in a communications network, the system having:

• an interface for accessing information indicating total values of current traffic flows at a number of different points in the network, and
• a configuration component for configuring the protection paths using the information to bias the configuration to provide better protection for points having higher total values.

A method of optimising a network, having the steps of:

• accessing information indicating total values of traffic flows at a number of different points in the network, and
• providing increased resilience at those points with higher total values.

A method of using a value balanced communications network, having the steps of:

• a customer agreeing a service level agreement indicating a value or a penalty value of flows of traffic, with an operator of the value balanced network, and
• sending one or more traffic flows relating to the agreement over the value balanced network.

A system for monitoring a communications network, the network being made up of many components, and being arranged for carrying many flows of telecommunications traffic, having different values, the system being coupled to the components to monitor the flows in the network, and being coupled to a store of value information based on one or more service level agreements relating to at least some of the flows, the value information indicating one or both of a positive revenue from the successful operation of the flow, and a negative revenue if the flow is degraded, the system having:

• means for identifying which of the monitored flows of traffic rely on a given one or more of the components, and
• means for determining a total value of the identified flows from the store of value information relating to the identified flows.