Method and apparatus for network element resource utilization tracking

An apparatus configured to monitor resource utilization within a connection oriented network made of network elements, at least one of said network elements including a connection resource tracker for maintaining a database of resource utilization, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory having instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to specify a plurality of resource types for the network elements of the connection oriented network, each resource type being defined by a capacity limit and a utilization, provide a utilization threshold and a specified threshold for each specified type of resource, wherein the utilization threshold that triggers monitoring of high utilization is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources are being over-utilized, and the specified threshold that triggers generation of alarms is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources used are exceeding a maximum allowable limit, measure the utilization for all resources at the network elements, monitor for receipt of call connection establishment signals, compare, in response to a query from a user relating to a particular type of resource in said database, the measured utilization for all resources of the particular type with the utilization threshold for said particular type for determining whether the utilization of any resource of said particular type is above the corresponding utilization threshold, generate, if the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold for at least one said resource, a report and identifying in the report each resource of the particular type for which the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold and presenting the report to an operator of said connection oriented network, check, if the utilization is above the corresponding specified threshold for at least one said resource, a timer associated with the resource, generate, when the timer associated with the resource has expired, an alarm for the resource and resetting the timer associated with the resource only when the alarm has been generated for the resource, and, when the timer has not expired, selecting a next resource.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for monitoring resource utilization within a connection oriented network made of network connections, at least one of said network elements including a connection resource tracker for maintaining a database of resource utilization, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• instructions for specifying a plurality of resource types for the network elements of the connection oriented network, each resource type being defined by a capacity limit and a utilization;
• instructions for providing a utilization threshold and a specified threshold for each specified type of resource, wherein the utilization threshold that triggers monitoring of high utilization is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources are being over-utilized, and the specified threshold that triggers generation of alarms is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources used are exceeding a maximum allowable limit;
• instructions for measuring the utilization for all resources at a network element;
• instructions for monitoring for receipt of call connection establishment signals;
• instructions for, in response to a query from a user relating to a particular type of resource in said database, comparing the measured utilization for all resources of the particular type with the utilization threshold for said particular type for determining whether the utilization of any resource of said particular type is above the corresponding utilization threshold;
• instructions for, if the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold for at least one said resource, generating a report and identifying in the report each resource of the particular type for which the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold and presenting the report to an operator of said connection oriented network;
• and
• instructions for, if the utilization is above the corresponding specified threshold for at least one said resource, checking a timer associated with the resource;
• and
• instructions for, when the timer has expired, generating an alarm for the resource and resetting the timer associated with the resource only when the alarm has been generated for the resource and, when the timer has not expired, selecting a next resource.

A method of monitoring resource utilization within a connection oriented network made of network elements, at least one of said network element including a connection resource tracker for maintaining a database of resource utilization, the method comprising:

• specifying a plurality of resource types for the network elements of the connection oriented network, each resource type being defined by a capacity limit and a utilization;
• providing a utilization threshold and a specified threshold for each specified type of resource, wherein the utilization threshold that triggers monitoring of high utilization is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources are being over-utilized, and the specified threshold that triggers generation of alarms is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources used are exceeding a maximum allowable limit;
• monitoring for receipt of call connection establishment signals;
• measuring the utilization threshold for all resources at a network element;
• in response to a query from a user relating to a particular type of resource in said database, comparing the utilization for all resources of the particular type as measured in the measuring step with the utilization threshold for said particular type for determining whether the utilization of any resource of said particular type is above the corresponding utilization threshold;
• if the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold for at least one said resource, generating a report and identifying in the report each resource of the particular type for which the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold and presenting the report to an operator of said connection oriented network;
• and
• if the utilization is above the corresponding specified threshold for at least one said resource, checking whether a flag associated with the resource indicates that an alarm has recently been generated for the resource, if the flag does not indicate that the alarm has recently been generated, generating the alarm and setting the flag to indicate that the alarm has recently been generated, and, if the flag indicates that the alarm has recently been generated, selecting a next resource.

An apparatus configured to monitor resource utilization within a connection oriented network made of network elements, at least one of said network elements including a connection resource tracker for maintaining a database of resource utilization, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory having instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to specify a plurality of resource types for the network elements of the connection oriented network, each resource type being defined by a capacity limit and a utilization, provide a utilization threshold and a specified threshold for each specified type of resource, wherein the utilization threshold that triggers monitoring of high utilization is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources are being over-utilized, and the specified threshold that triggers generation of alarms is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources used are exceeding a maximum allowable limit, measure the utilization for all resources at the network element, monitor for receipt of call connection establishment signals, compare, in response to a query from a user relating to a particular type of resource in said database, the measured utilization for all resources of the particular type with the utilization threshold for said particular type for determining whether the utilization of any resource of said particular type is above the corresponding utilization threshold, generate, if the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold for at least one said resource, a report and identifying in the report each resource of the particular type for which the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold and presenting the report to an operator of said connection oriented network, and check, if the utilization is above the corresponding specified threshold for at least one said resource, whether a flag associated with the resource indicates that an alarm has recently been generated for the resource, if the flag does not indicate that the alarm has recently been generated, generating the alarm and setting the flag to indicate that the alarm has recently been generated and, if the flag indicates that the alarm has recently been generated, selecting a next resource.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for monitoring resource utilization within a connection oriented network made of network elements, at least one of said network elements including a connection resource tracker for maintaining a database of resource utilization, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• instructions for specifying a plurality of resource types for the network elements of the connection oriented network, each resource type being defined by a capacity limit and a utilization;
• instructions for providing a utilization threshold and a specified threshold for each specified type of resource, wherein the utilization threshold that triggers monitoring of high utilization is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources are being over-utilized, and the specified threshold that triggers generation of alarms is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources used are exceeding a maximum allowable limit;
• instructions for measuring the utilization for all resources at the network element;
• instructions for monitoring for receipt of call connection establishment signals;
• instructions for, in response to a query from a user relating to a particular type of resource in said database, comparing the measured utilization for all resources of the particular type with the utilization threshold for said particular type for determining whether the utilization of any resource of said particular type is above the corresponding utilization threshold;
• instructions for, if the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold for at least one said resource, generating a report and identifying in the report each resource of the particular type for which the utilization is above the corresponding utilization threshold and presenting the report to an operator of said connection oriented network;
• and
• instructions for, if the utilization is above the corresponding specified threshold for at least one said resource, checking whether a flag associated with the resource indicates that an alarm has recently been generated for the resource, if the flag does not indicate that the alarm has recently been generated, generating the alarm and setting the flag to indicate that the alarm has recently been generated, and, if the flag indicates that the alarm has recently been generated, selecting a next resource.

A method of monitoring and diagnosing resource utilization within a connection oriented network made of network elements, at least one of said network elements including a connection resource tracker for maintaining a database of resource utilization, the method comprising:

• specifying a plurality of resource types for the network elements of the connection oriented network, each resource type being defined by a capacity limit and a utilization;
• providing a utilization threshold and a specified threshold for each specified type of resource, wherein the utilization threshold that triggers monitoring of high utilization is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources are being over-utilized, and the specified threshold that triggers generation of alarms is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources used are below a minimum allowable limit;
• monitoring for receipt of call connection establishment signals;
• measuring the utilization for all resources at the network elements;
• in response to a query from a user relating to a particular type of resource, comparing the utilization for all resources of the particular type as measured in the measuring step with the utilization threshold for said particular type for determining whether the utilization of any resource of said particular type is below the corresponding utilization threshold;
• if the utilization is below the corresponding utilization threshold for at least one said resource, generating a report and identifying in the report each resource of the particular type for which the utilization is below the corresponding utilization threshold and presenting the report to an operator of said connection oriented network;
• if the utilization is below the corresponding specified threshold for at least one said resource, checking a timer associated with the resource;
• when the timer has expired, generating an alarm for the resource and resetting the timer associated with the resource only when the alarm has been generated for the resource;
• and, when the timer has not expired, selecting a next resource.

A method of monitoring resource utilization within a connection oriented network made of network elements, at least one of said network element including a connection resource tracker for maintaining a database of resource utilization, the method comprising:

• specifying a plurality of resource types for the network elements of the connection oriented network, each resource type being defined by a capacity limit and a utilization;
• providing a utilization threshold and a specified threshold for each specified type of resource, wherein the utilization threshold that triggers monitoring of high utilization is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources are being over-utilized, and the specified threshold that triggers generation of alarms is set at a threshold value used to determine whether resources used are below a minimum allowable limit;
• monitoring for receipt of call connection establishment signals;
• measuring the utilization threshold for all resources at a network element;
• in response to a query from a user relating to a particular type of resource in said database, comparing the utilization for all resources of the particular type as measured in the measuring step with the utilization threshold for said particular type for determining whether the utilization of any resource of said particular type is below the corresponding utilization threshold;
• if the utilization is below the corresponding utilization threshold for at least one said resource, generating a report and identifying in the report each resource of the particular type for which the utilization is below the corresponding utilization threshold and presenting the report to an operator of said connection oriented network;
• and
• if the utilization is below the corresponding specified threshold for at least one said resource, checking whether a flag associated with the resource indicates that an alarm has recently been generated for the resource, if the flag does not indicate that the alarm has recently been set, generating the alarm and setting the flag to indicate that the alarm has recently been generated, and, if the flag indicates that the alarm has recently been generated, selecting a next resource.