Complex network management system and method thereof

Abstract

In a system and method for managing a complex network, including an access network, a metro network, or the like, the method includes the steps of: requesting, at a first terminal, call set-up to perform the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call with a second terminal; collecting available bandwidth information of an access network to which each of the first and second terminals belongs, and available bandwidth information of a metro network linked to the access network; and allowing the call set-up request when the available bandwidths of the access network and the metro network are larger than a bandwidth for the VoIP call. Accordingly, resources and performance of the complex network can be continuously controlled, and a high-quality and large-capacity service Quality of Service (QoS) guarantee can be provided.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an access network and a metro network;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a network including an Integrated Network Control Platform (INCP) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a network including an INCP in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of a Policy Rule Decision Module (PRD) in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of a Topology/Resource Management Module (TRM) in accordance with still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of a Connection Admission Control Module (CAM) in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of a Traffic Monitoring Module (TM) in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation performed when an event of a PRD is generated in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a block diagram showing the configuration of a network for a VoIP call between a Passive Optical Network (PON) user and a Wibro user in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9B is a flowchart showing the operation of the complex network control system of FIG. 9A.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call between first and second terminals belonging to heterogeneous access networks, the method comprising the steps of: requesting, at the first terminal, call set-up to perform the VoIP call with the second terminal;collecting available bandwidth information of an access network to which each of the first and second terminals belongs, and available bandwidth information of a metro network linked to the access network; andallowing the call set-up request when available bandwidths of the access network and the metro network are larger than a bandwidth for the VoIP call.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: identifying an optimal virtual path linking the heterogeneous access networks to each other using the available bandwidth information, and linking a call between the first and second terminals using the optimal virtual path.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: after the call set-up is completed according to the call set-up request, updating the available bandwidth information of the metro network and the access network to which the first and second terminals belong.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: reallocating bandwidth of a network to each of a plurality of classes when the network has insufficient available bandwidth.

5. A complex network management system including at least one access network and a metro network, said system comprising: a Topology/Resource Management Module (TRM) for collecting and managing resource information of a complex network;a Policy Rule Decision Module (PRD) for determining a limit network resource authenticating a call transmitted to one of said at least one access network and the metro network, and a policy with respect to the limit network resource; anda Connection Admission Control Module (CAM) for comparing the resource information of the complex network with the limit network resource, and for determining whether a Call Admission Control (CAC) request to be transmitted to the complex network is allowed.

6. The complex network management system according to claim 5, wherein the limit network resource comprises at least one of topology, bandwidth, delay time, and delay variance of the complex network.

7. The complex network management system according to claim 5, wherein the access network comprises at least one of an Active Optical Network (AON)-type Fiber To The Home (FTTH) network, a Passive Optical Network (PON)-type FTTH network, a Wibro Network, and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

8. The complex network management system according to claim 5, further comprising: a Policy Interface Module (PIM) for converting a policy received from the PRD to a protocol capable of being analyzed in each of said at least one access network and the metro network, and for transmitting the protocol to each of said at least one access network and the metro network.

9. The complex network management system according to claim 8, wherein the PIM identifies a target network to which the policy is to be applied using a Management Information Base (MIB), and generates one of a Command Line Interface (CLI) command and a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Object which is capable of being analyzed by the target network.

10. The complex network management system according to claim 5, further comprising: a Traffic Monitoring Module (TM) for measuring a traffic status of the complex network, and for notifying the PRD when measured traffic exceeds the limit network resource.

11. The complex network management system according to claim 5, further comprising: a fault management module for monitoring whether a fault occurs in a component of the complex network, and for notifying the PRD when the fault occurs.

12. The complex network management system according to claim 5, further comprising: a Performance Management module (PM) for collecting performance information of each component of the complex network, and for notifying the PRD when a fault occurs in performance of said each component.

13. The complex network management system according to claim 5, wherein the PRD further comprises an event policy module which, upon receipt of at least one of a traffic exceeding event, a fault occurrence event, and a performance fault event of a component from each network, displays the event to an operator, and delivers a policy for coping with the event to the PIM.

14. The complex network management system according to claim 5, wherein the TRM comprises a virtual path management module for determining an optimal virtual path linking heterogeneous access networks to each other using resource information of the metro network.

15. The complex network management system according to claim 5, wherein the TRM comprises a topology/resource table which stores the resource information of the complex network in the form of a list, and which updates the resource information when the resource information changes.

16. A method of managing a complex network which includes at least one access network and a metro network, said method comprising the steps of: collecting and managing resource information of the complex network;determining a limit network resource for authenticating a call to be transmitted to one of the access network and the metro network, and a policy with respect to the limit network resource; andcomparing the resource information of the complex network with the limit network resource, and determining whether a Call Admission Control (CAC) request to be transmitted to the complex network is allowed.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of: converting the determined policy to a protocol capable of being analyzed in each of the access network and the metro network, and transmitting the protocol to said each of the access network and the metro network.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the network resource comprises at least one of topology, bandwidth, delay time, and delay variance of the network.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the access network comprises at least one of an Active Optical Network (AON)-type Fiber To The Home (FTTH) network, a Passive Optical Network (PON)-type FTTH network, a Wibro Network, and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of: measuring a traffic status of the complex network, and displaying to an operator when the measured traffic exceeds the limit network resource.

21. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of: monitoring whether a fault occurs in components of the complex network, and displaying to an operator when the fault occurs.

22. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of: collecting performance information of components of the complex network, and displaying to an operator when a fault occurs in performance of any of the components.