Patent ID: 8121049
Filing Date: 2012-02-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling the fulfillment of a service level agreement for a communication service in a mobile services access network, the method implemented by a service assurance module comprising the following steps: creating a network performance rule derived or translated from said service level agreement and being based on one or more associated performance indicators indicating a current network performance with respect to the fulfillment of said service level agreement, monitoring said performance indicator(s), evaluating said network performance rule based on measurements of the monitored performance indicator(s), wherein the network performance rule includes a violation rule specifying a violation level or limit of the monitored performance indicator(s) so that said service level agreement is deemed to be violated if the monitored performance indicator(s) exceeds the violation level for more than a maximum acceptable time period, registering at least one of an agreement violation and controlling network resources to improve the network performance as relevant to the evaluated network performance rule in response to the evaluating step, if the evaluated network performance rule with respect to the violation rule is not satisfied; the network performance rule further includes a degradation rule specifying a degradation level or limit of the monitored performance indicator(s), and taking proactive measures to improve the network performance once the evaluating step deems that the degradation rule is not met in an attempt to remedy a problem to avoid having to register the agreement violation.