Patent ID: 8015289
Filing Date: 2011-09-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of comprising: determining one or more future times for which a bandwidth capacity of the network is evaluated; determining total bandwidth capacities of the network for respective future times; determining total demands of users for the network for respective future times; determining, by a computing device, predicted utilizations of the network for respective future times as functions of corresponding total demands of users and corresponding total bandwidth capacities of the network; determining respective maximum acceptable utilizations of the network for the respective future times; comparing, by the computing device, respective predicted utilizations of the network to corresponding maximum acceptable utilizations of the network for the respective future times; determining, for respective future times, changes in total network bandwidth capacity to be applied to the network in order to increase the total bandwidth capacity of the network based at least partly on said comparing of respective predicted utilizations of the network to corresponding maximum acceptable utilizations; determining, for respective future times, lead times for adding one or more products for providing the determined changes in total network bandwidth capacity, wherein the lead times indicate respective amounts of time needed for delivery and installation of the one or more products; and initiating the determined changes in total network bandwidth capacity in advance of respective future times by at least the determined corresponding lead times.