Method and apparatus for identifying network connectivity changes in dynamic networks

An apparatus for determining a network connectivity in a network having a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• means for representing an overall network connectivity using a configuration schedule, wherein the configuration schedule comprises at least one configuration action for each of a plurality of time periods in a network planning window;
• means for generating a candidate link for each of a plurality of node pairs;
• means for predicting a performance of each candidate link by evaluating an expected impact of at least one performance-impacting condition on each candidate link;
• means for determining the expected impact of the at least one performance-impacting condition on the candidate link using:
• (a) node position information associated with the nodes in the node pair, and
• (b) respective condition position information associated with each of the at least one performance-impacting condition;
• and
• means for determining a network topology changes using the predicted performances of the candidate links;
• and
• means for performing network layer routing protocol computations for discovering new routes associated with said network changes over a network planning window using various node specific configurations actions performed according to a configuration schedule.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer instructions which, when processed by a computer, adapt the operation of the computer to perform a method for determining an overall network connectivity in a network having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing the following steps for each of a plurality of time periods in a network planning window:
• representing the overall network connectivity using a configuration schedule, wherein the configuration schedule comprises at least one configuration action for each of a plurality of time periods in the network planning window;
• generating a candidate link for each of a plurality of node pairs;
• predicting a performance of each candidate link by evaluating an expected impact of at least one performance-impacting condition on each candidate link;
• determining the expected impact of the at least one performance-impacting condition on the candidate link using:
• (a) node position information associated with the nodes in the node pair, and
• (b) respective condition position information associated with each of the at least one performance-impacting condition;
• and
• determining network topology changes using the predicted performances of the candidate links;
• and
• processing each of the determined network topology changes associated with each of the plurality of time periods for determining the overall network connectivity associated with the network planning window;
• and
• performing network layer routing protocol computations for discovering new routes associated with network topology changes over the network planning window using various node specific configurations actions performed according to a configuration schedule.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer instructions which, when processed by a computer, adapt the operation of the computer to perform a method for determining a network connectivity in a network having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

• representing an overall network connectivity using a configuration schedule, wherein the configuration schedule comprises at least one configuration action for each of a plurality of time periods in a network planning window;
• generating, for each of the plurality of time periods in a time window, a plurality of candidate links, the plurality of candidate links associated with a plurality of node pairs in a set of node pairs;
• predicting, for each time period, a performance of each candidate link generated in that time period, the predicted performances being determined by evaluating an expected impact of at least one performance-impacting condition on each candidate link;
• determining the expected impact of the at least one performance-impacting condition on the candidate link using:
• (a) node position information associated with the nodes in the node pair, and
• (b) respective condition position information associated with each of the at least one performance-impacting condition;
• (c) network connectivity for the time window by selecting, for each time period, at least a portion of the candidate links of the time period, the candidate links selected for each time period for satisfying at least one performance quality measure;
• and
• (d) network layer routing protocol computations for discovering new routes associated with network topology changes over a network planning window using various node specific configurations actions performed according to a configuration schedule.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer instructions which, when processed by a computer, adapt the operation of the computer to perform a method for establishing a network connectivity in a network having a plurality of nodes, comprising the steps of:

• representing an overall network connectivity using a configuration schedule, wherein the configuration schedule comprises at least one configuration action for each of a plurality of time periods in a network planning window;
• receiving, at a first node, a configuration message adapted for triggering at least one link configuration action associated with a link between the first node and a second node, the at least one link configuration action determined by a method comprising:
• generating a candidate link for each of a plurality of node pairs;
• predicting a performance of each candidate link by evaluating an expected impact of at least one performance-impacting condition on each candidate link;
• determining the expected impact of the at least one performance-impacting condition on the candidate link using:
• (a) node position information associated with the nodes in the node pair, and
• (b) respective condition position information associated with each of the at least one performance-impacting condition;
• determining the at least one link configuration action using the predicted performances of the candidate links;
• and
• performing network layer routing protocol computations for discovering new routes associated with network topology changes over a network planning window the at least one link configuration action being node specific and performed according to a configuration schedule.

An apparatus for establishing a network connectivity in a network having a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• means for representing an overall network connectivity using a configuration schedule, wherein the configuration schedule comprises at least one configuration action for each of a plurality of time periods in a network planning window;
• a receiver for receiving, at a first node, a configuration message adapted for triggering at least one link configuration action associated with a link between the first node and a second node, the at least one link configuration action determined by:
• means for generating a candidate link for each of a plurality of node pairs;
• means for predicting a performance of each candidate link by evaluating an expected impact of at least one performance-impacting condition on each candidate link;
• determining the expected impact of the at least one performance-impacting condition on the candidate link using:
• (a) node position information associated with the nodes in the node pair, and
• (b) respective condition position information associated with each of the at least one performance-impacting condition;
• means for determining the at least one link configuration action using the predicted performances of the candidate links;
• means for performing network layer routing protocol computations for discovering new routes associated with network topology changes over a network planning window, the at least one link configuration action being node specific and performed according to a configuration schedule;
• and
• a processor coupled to the receiver for processing the configuration message to trigger the at least one configuration action associated with the link between the first node and the second node.