Dynamic bandwidth manager

A method of managing an available bandwidth capacity for an Internet Protocol (IP) connected client, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computer device, an IP address of the IP connected client;
• locating, by the computer device, a nearest managed device to the IP connected client;
• requesting, by the computer device, a current network management data set pertaining to the IP connected client from the located managed device;
• retrieving, by the computer device, a previously stored network management data set pertaining to the IP connected client;
• and
• analysing, by the computer device, the current and previously stored network management data sets to calculate the available bandwidth capacity of the IP connected client based on an amount of total bandwidth specific to the client that is allotted to the client for use at any one time.

A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which when executed by a computer system enables the computer system to manage an available bandwidth capacity for an Internet Protocol (IP) connected client, the computer program comprising instructions that enable the computer system to:

• receive an IP address of the IP connected client;
• locate a nearest managed device to the IP connected client;
• request a current network management data set pertaining to the IP connected client from the located managed device;
• retrieve a previously stored network management data set pertaining to the IP connected client;
• and
• analyse the current and previously stored network management data sets to calculate the available bandwidth capacity of the IP connected client based on an amount of total bandwidth specific to the client that is allotted to the client for use at any one time.

At least one computer device that provides a service for providing multimedia data content, the service performing a method comprising:

• receiving a request for a multimedia service;
• determining an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a requesting IP connected client from the request;
• locating a managed device nearest to the IP connected client;
• requesting a current network management data set pertaining to the IP address from the managed device;
• retrieving a previously stored network management data set pertaining to the IP address;
• and
• analysing the current and previously stored network management data sets to calculate an available bandwidth capacity of the IP connected client based on an amount of total bandwidth specific to the client that is allotted to the client for use at any one time.