US-20260129005-A1 - Exponentially Weighted Scoring of Calculated Resource Availability for Automated Network Element Selection, Augmentation, and Service Delivery

US20260129005A1US 20260129005 A1US20260129005 A1US 20260129005A1US-20260129005-A1

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery. After receiving a request for network services and measurement data associated with a plurality of network elements capable of providing the requested network services, a computing system may calculate a weighted score for each of a plurality of resources that is available on each network element. Each weighted score for a corresponding resource may be based on an exponential decay function of a difference between a limit value corresponding to an allocatable amount of the corresponding resource and a measured usage value based on the measurement data. For each network element, the computing system may calculate an availability score based on the weighted scores, and may output either the availability score and/or a resource allocation decision for that network element.

Inventors

Bobby W. METZ

Assignees

LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251105

Claims (20)

1 . A method, comprising: receiving, by a computing system, a request for network services; receiving, by the computing system, measurement data associated with a plurality of network elements capable of providing the requested network services; calculating, by the computing system, a weighted score for each of a plurality of resources that is available on each of the plurality of network elements, wherein each weighted score for a corresponding resource of the plurality of resources is based on an exponential decay function of a difference between a limit value and a measured usage value; the limit value corresponds to an allocatable amount of the corresponding resource; and the measured usage value is based on the measurement data; for each network element, calculating, by the computing system, an availability score that is based on the weighted scores for resources of that network element; and performing at least one of: outputting, by the computing system, the availability score for each of the plurality of network elements; or for each of the plurality of network elements, determining, by the computing system, whether that network element is available for providing the requested network services, based on the availability score for that network element; and outputting, by the computing system, a resource allocation decision for that network element based on the determined availability of that network element for providing the requested network services.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing system comprises at least one of a resource availability calculator, a network resource allocation system, a network services provisioning system, or a server.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received via an API between the computing system and a requesting device, wherein the requesting device is either associated with a requesting entity or associated with an agent of a service provider provisioning the plurality of network elements.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the measurement data includes one of: receiving the measurement data from a database that stores collected measurement data associated with network elements including the plurality of network elements capable of providing the requested network services; or receiving the measurement data via an API between the computing system and each of one or more measurement data sources.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each network element has three threshold values that are used for calculating the availability score, the three threshold values including a minimum threshold value, a limited threshold value, and a maximum threshold value, wherein the minimum threshold value corresponds to a base amount of resources that the network element consumes before being provisioned, the maximum threshold value corresponds to a maximum amount of resources that the network element is capable of providing, and the limited threshold value is a value that is less than the maximum threshold value and that corresponds to a set proportion of resources or a set amount of resources that is set by a service provider provisioning the plurality of network elements.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: determining, by the computing system, whether a requesting entity for whom the network services are being requested is a first type of customer who has already been provisioned with resources on at least one of the plurality of network elements or a second type of customer who has not already been provisioned with resources on any of the plurality of network elements; wherein the limit value for the second type of customer corresponds to a difference between the limited threshold value and the minimum threshold value for the network element, wherein the limit value for the first type of customer corresponds to a difference between the maximum threshold value and the minimum threshold value for the network element.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein determining whether the requesting entity is the first type of customer or the second type of customer is performed based on at least one of: information regarding the requesting entity that is included in the request; or information regarding the requesting entity that is accessed from a database associated with the service provider provisioning the plurality of network elements.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the weighted scores for the plurality of resources that is available on each network element corresponds to one or more of a set of weight values for a network service, a set of weight values for a vendor of a network device, or a set of weight values for a network device, wherein at least one of weighted scores, weighted score calculation, weight values defined, or a unique set of network resources to which weight values are applied vary per network service being requested.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the weighted scores include a set of weighted scores including at least one of weighted scores for processor-based network services, weighted scores for memory-based network services, weighted scores for virtual domain (“VDOM”)-based network services, weighted scores for sessions-based network services, or weighted scores for bandwidth (“BW”)-based network services, wherein the weighted scores for the processor-based network services, the memory-based network services, the VDOM-based network services, the sessions-based network services, and the BW-based network services are different from each other, wherein a sum of the weighted scores for the plurality of resources that is available on each network element is set to 100%.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: causing, by the computing system, provisioning of the requested network services from one or more network elements among the plurality of network elements, based on at least one of the availability score or the resource allocation decision for each of the plurality of network elements.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, by the computing system, at least one of updated measurement data corresponding to current network resource usage for the plurality of network elements or reservation information for an amount of resources provided by the plurality of network elements that is currently being reserved pending a resource allocation decision; and adjusting, by the computing system, the availability score for each of the plurality of network elements, based on the at least one of the updated measurement data or the reservation information for the network element.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the availability score is further based on a multiplier that corresponds to a discretionary adjustment that a service provider associated with provisioning the plurality of network elements optionally inputs, the discretionary adjustment being a selectable value.
13 . A system, comprising: a computing system, comprising: a processing system; and memory coupled to the processing system, the memory comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, causes the system to perform operations comprising: receiving a request for network services; receiving measurement data associated with plurality of network elements capable of providing the requested network services; determining whether a requesting entity for whom the network services are being requested is a first type of customer who has already been provisioned with resources on at least one of the plurality of network elements or a second type of customer who has not already been provisioned with resources on any of the plurality of network elements; calculating a weighted score for each of a plurality of resources that is available on each of the plurality of network elements, wherein each weighted score for a corresponding resource of the plurality of resources is based on an exponential decay function of a difference between a limit value and a measured usage value; the limit value corresponds to an allocatable amount of the corresponding resource; and the measured usage value is based on the measurement data; for each network element, calculating, by the computing system, an availability score that is based on weighted scores for resources of that network element, wherein the limit value for the second type of customer is less than the limit value for the first type of customer, such that the availability score is lower for the second type of customer than for the first type of customer; performing at least one of: outputting the availability score for each of the plurality of network elements; or for each of the plurality of network elements, determining whether that network element is available for providing the requested network services, based on the availability score for that network element, which is based on the type of customer; and outputting a resource allocation decision for that network element based on the determined availability of that network element for providing the requested network services; and performing one of: causing provisioning of the requested network services from one or more network elements among the plurality of network elements, based on at least one of the availability score or the resource allocation decision for each of the plurality of network elements; or generating and sending a message indicating that no element within the plurality of network elements is capable of providing the requested resources.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein each network element has three threshold values that are used for calculating the availability score, the three threshold values including a minimum threshold value, a limited threshold value, and a maximum threshold value, wherein the minimum threshold value corresponds to a base amount of resources that the network element consumes before being provisioned, the maximum threshold value corresponds to a maximum amount of resources that the network element is capable of providing, and the limited threshold value is a value that is less than the maximum threshold value and that corresponds to a set proportion of resources or a set amount of resources that is set by a service provider provisioning the plurality of network elements.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the limit value for the second type of customer corresponds to a difference between the limited threshold value and the minimum threshold value for the network element, wherein the limit value for the first type of customer corresponds to a difference between the maximum threshold value and the minimum threshold value for the network element.
16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the weighted scores include a set of weighted scores including weighted scores for processor-based network services, weighted scores for memory-based network services, weighted scores for virtual domain (“VDOM”)-based network services, weighted scores for sessions-based network services, and weighted scores for bandwidth (“BW”)-based network services, wherein the weighted scores for the processor-based network services, the memory-based network services, the VDOM-based network services, the sessions-based network services, and the BW-based network services are different from each other, wherein a sum of the weighted scores for the plurality of resources that is available on each network element is set to 100%.
17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the weighted scores vary for different network services, wherein the weighted score for each network service is based on at least one of customizable weights, customizable formulas used to calculate weighted scores, or customizable network resources for that network service.
18 . A method, comprising: receiving, by a computing system and from a requesting device, a request for network services; sending, by the computing system to a resource availability calculator, the request for network services; receiving, by the computing system and from the resource availability calculator, at least one of: an availability score for each of plurality of network elements capable of providing the requested network services, the availability score for each network element being calculated by the resource availability calculator based on a weighted score for each of a plurality of resources that is available on each of that network element, wherein each weighted score for a corresponding resource of the plurality of resources is based on an exponential decay function of a difference between a limit value and a measured usage value; the limit value corresponds to an allocatable amount of the corresponding resource; and the measured usage value is based on measurement data associated with that network element; or a resource allocation decision for each of the plurality of network elements based on a determined availability of that network element for providing the requested network services, the determined availability of that network element being based on the availability score for that network element; sending, by the computing system and to the requesting device, at least one of the availability score or the resource allocation decision for each of the plurality of network elements; and causing, by the computing system, provisioning of the requested network services from one or more network elements among the plurality of network elements, based on the at least one of the availability score or the resource allocation decision for each of the plurality of network elements.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the request is sent via an API between the computing system and the resource availability calculator.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising: sending, by the computing system and to the resource availability calculator, information regarding a requesting entity that is associated with the requesting device, the information regarding the requesting entity including information regarding whether the requesting entity is a first type of customer who has already been provisioned with resources on at least one of the plurality of network elements or a second type of customer who has not already been provisioned with resources on any of the plurality of network elements; wherein the limit value for the second type of customer is less than the limit value for the first type of customer, such that the availability score is lower for the second type of customer than for the first type of customer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/716,434 filed Nov. 5, 2024, entitled “Exponentially Weighted Scoring of Calculated Resource Availability for Automated Network Element Selection, Augmentation, and Service Delivery,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. FIELD The present disclosure relates, in general, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing network resource provisioning, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery. BACKGROUND Network resources are provisioned to a plurality of customers of a service provider on a frequent basis. Determining accurate availability of such resources ensures efficient allocation and/or provisioning of resources. It is with respect to this general technical environment to which aspects of the present disclosure are directed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A further understanding of the nature and advantages of particular embodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure. FIG. 1 depicts an example system for implementing exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 2A depicts an example graphical representation of resource consumption versus availability score components that corresponds to the exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 2B depicts an example graphical representation of maximum, minimum, and limited thresholds that may be used when implementing exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery, in accordance with various embodiments. FIGS. 2C and 2D depict various example sets of calculation results that correspond to implementation of exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery, in accordance with various embodiments. FIGS. 3A-3D depict flow diagrams illustrating an example method for implementing exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram illustrating another example method for implementing exponentially weighted scoring of calculated resource availability for automated network element selection, augmentation, and service delivery, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer or system hardware architecture, in accordance with various embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS Overview In various examples, a computing system may receive a request for network services, and may receive measurement data associated with a plurality of network elements capable of providing the requested network services. In an example, the request may include a requested amount of network resources. In other examples, if no specific amount is requested, a default amount of network resources may be provided. The computing system may calculate a weighted score for each of a plurality of resources that is available on each of the plurality of network elements. Each weighted score for a corresponding resource of the plurality of resources may be based on an exponential decay function of a difference between a limit value and a measured usage value, the limit value may correspond to an allocatable amount of the corresponding resource, and the measured usage value may be based on the measurement data. For each network element, the computing system may calculate an availability score that may be based on the weighted scores for resources of that network element. The computing system may output either the availability score for each of the plurality of network elements and/or a resource allocation decision for that network element based on the determined availability of that network element for providing the requested network services. These and other aspects of the exponentially weighte