Patent ID: 7433943
Filing Date: 2008-10-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method facilitating deployment of volume-based network policies across a computer network, the method comprising: monitoring, over a given time interval, an aggregate volume of data transfer corresponding to each user of a plurality of users, wherein the given time interval spans at least one week; detecting, for a first user in the plurality of users, a network utilization milestone, wherein the network utilization milestone occurs when, within the given time interval, the aggregate volume of data transfer associated with the first user crosses a threshold, and wherein the detecting the network utilization milestone comprises comparing the aggregate number of transferred bytes associated with the first user over the given time interval against a threshold level defining the network utilization milestone; and allowing but degrading, only with respect to a predefined subset of traffic types, the network access provided to the first user identified in the detecting step.