Method and apparatus for maintaining network performance in a communication system

A network management system (NMS) that manages operations of a communication system including a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) coupled to a plurality of wireless base terminals (WBTs) by way of a corresponding plurality of network elements, comprising a network configuration element that identifies for each of the plurality of WBTs a plurality of resultant communication paths to the MTSO according to a plurality of differential delays calculated from alternative communication paths connecting combinations of the WBTs to the MTSO for each of a plurality of change scenarios affecting the plurality of network elements, wherein the network configuration element arranges portions of the plurality of WBTs into a corresponding plurality of groups, and selects for each WBT in a select one of the plurality of groups (the selected group) its corresponding plurality of resultant communication paths to the MTSO according to differential delays calculated for alternative communication paths associated with combinations of WBTs in the selected group and the plurality of change scenarios affecting the selected group.

A computer-readable storage medium in a network management system (NMS) that manages a communication system including a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) coupled to a plurality of wireless base terminals (WBTs) by way of a corresponding plurality of network elements, comprising computer instructions for identifying for each of the plurality of WBTs a plurality of resultant communication paths to the MTSO determined from a plurality of communication path solutions between the WBTs and the MTSO that satisfy a desired differential delay threshold for each of a plurality of failure scenarios affecting the plurality of network elements, arranging portions of the plurality of WBTs into a corresponding plurality of groups, and selecting for each WBT in a select one of the plurality of groups (the selected group) its corresponding plurality of resultant communication paths to the MTSO according to differential delays calculated for alternative communication paths associated with combinations of WBTs in the selected group for each of the plurality of failure scenarios affecting the selected group.

A network element that exchanges messages with a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO), comprising an operating element that receives from a network management system (NMS) provisioning information associated with a resultant communication path selected from a plurality of resultant communication paths between the network element and the MTSO in response to a detected change in the plurality of network elements, wherein the plurality of resultant communication paths is determined by the NMS from a plurality of communication path solutions between a plurality of wireless base terminals (WBTs) and the MTSO that satisfy a desired differential delay threshold for each of a plurality of change scenarios affecting the plurality of network elements, wherein portions of the plurality of WBTs are arranged by the NMS into a corresponding plurality of groups, and wherein for each WBT in a select one of the plurality of groups (the selected groups) its corresponding plurality of resultant communication paths to the MTSO are selected by the NMS according to differential delays calculated for alternative communication paths associated with combinations of WBTs in the selected group and the plurality of change scenarios affecting the selected group.