System and method for processing quality-of-service parameters in a communication network

A system for processing a communication session to be set up via a communication path from an originating location to a destination location through a communication network comprising a plurality of network domains, the system comprising:

• a Service Level Agreement (SLA) registry, containing values for QoS related parameters that are representative for QoS valid for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location, values for the QoS parameters being representative of QoS for respective ones of relevant domains along the communication path;
• and
• a Quality-of-Service (QoS) processor which is configured to:
• process QoS related parameter values, which are retrieved from the SLA registry, that are representative of QoS valid for a plurality of relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location, and
• predict, based on the values for QoS related parameters that are representative of QoS valid for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location, end-to-end QoS values representative of one or more communication paths from a network domain to another network domain, the QoS processor moreover being configured to store said predicted end-to-end QoS values in a QoS registry, the QoS processor being configured to rank and/or select, based on said predicted end-to-end QoS values stored in the QoS registry, one or more communication paths between the originating location and the destination location.

A method of processing a communication session from an originating location to a destination location through a communication network comprising a plurality of network domains, the method comprising:

• providing a Service Level Agreement (SLA) registry, containing values for QoS related parameters that are representative of QoS valid at least for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location, values for the QoS related parameters being representative of QoS for respective ones of relevant domains along the communication path;
• retrieving, by a QoS processor, QoS related parameter values, from the SLA registry, that are representative of QoS valid for a plurality of relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location;
• predicting, by the QoS processor based on the values for QoS related parameters that are representative of QoS valid for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location, a plurality of end-to-end QoS values, each end-to-end QoS value being representative of one communication path between the originating location and the destination location;
• ranking and/or selecting, by the QoS processor, based on the plurality of predicted end-to-end QoS values, one or more communication paths between the originating location and the destination location;
• receiving, by a domain of the communication network, a request for the communication session between the originating location and the destination location;
• and
• requesting from the QoS processor, by the domain of the communication network, QoS information regarding routes through the communication network between the originating location and the destination location.

A method of processing a communication session from an originating location to a destination location through a communication network comprising a plurality of network domains, the method comprising:

• providing a Service Level Agreement (SLA) registry, containing values for QoS related parameters that are representative of QoS valid at least for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location, values for the QoS related parameters being representative of QoS for respective ones of relevant domains along the communication path;
• retrieving, by a QoS processor, QoS related parameter values, from the SLA registry, that are representative of QoS valid for a plurality of relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location;
• predicting, by the QoS processor based on the values for QoS related parameters that are representative of QoS valid for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location, end-to-end QoS values representative of one or more communication paths from a network domain to another network domain;
• storing, by the QoS processor, said predicted end-to-end QoS values in a QoS registry;
• ranking and/or selecting, by the QoS processor, based on said predicted end-to-end QoS values stored in the QoS registry, one or more communication paths between the originating location and the destination location;
• receiving, by a domain of the communication network, a request for the communication session between the originating location and the destination location;
• and
• requesting from the QoS processor, by the domain of the communication network, QoS information regarding routes through the communication network between the originating location and the destination location.

A non-transient computer program product, comprising a program of instructions, which, when executed by a Quality-of-Service (QoS) processor in a system for processing a communication session to be set up via a communication path from an originating location to a destination location through a communication network that comprises a plurality of network domains, causes the Quality-of-Service (QoS) processor to:

• retrieve QoS related parameter values, from a Service Level Agreement (SLA) registry, that are representative of QoS valid for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location;
• predict a plurality of end-to-end QoS values, each end-to-end QoS value being representative of one communication path between the originating location and the destination location;
• and
• rank and/or select, based on the plurality of predicted end-to-end QoS values, one or more communication paths between the originating location and the destination location.

A non-transient computer program product, comprising a program of instructions, which, when executed by a Quality-of-Service (QoS) processor in a system for processing a communication session to be set up via a communication path from an originating location to a destination location through a communication network that comprises a plurality of network domains, causes the Quality-of-Service (QoS) processor to:

• retrieve QoS related parameter values, from a Service Level Agreement (SLA) registry, that are representative of QoS valid for relevant domains between the originating location and the destination location;
• predict, for a plurality of network domains, end-to-end QoS values representative for one or more communication paths from ones of the plurality of network domains to other ones of the network domains;
• store said predicted end-to-end QoS values in a QoS registry;
• and
• rank and/or select, based on said predicted end-to-end QoS values stored in the QoS registry, one or more communication paths between the originating location and the destination location.