TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

Abstract: A network management system (1), for example for use in a telecommunications network (7), comprises a performance management tool (3) for carrying out a plurality of performance measurements (5) relating to physical or logical components of the network (7). A load prediction tool (8) provides information relating to a predicted high load, and preferably the predicted duration of the high load, for any of the physical or logical components of the network (7). A performance management controller (9) comprises a control unit (19), a list of performance measurement groups (13) and a list of predefined time schedules (17). Upon receiving load information (11) from the load prediction tool (8), or realtime load information (12) directly from the network (7), the control unit (19) determines whether the group of performance measurements associated with that load information is active, and if not, automatically activates (21) the appropriate performance measurement group. In this way, the system is able to adaptively change the performance measurements in response to actual load predictions, thereby ensuring that the most appropriate measurements are carried out. The automatic deactivation (23) of performance measurements means that no wasteful measurements are carried out.

Description: TELECOMMϋ ICATIONS NETWORK Field of the invention The invention relates to a network management system and method, and in particular, to a network management system and method in which performance measurements are controlled according to network load information. Background to the invention A network such as a telecommunications network typically contains a number of performance management tools for monitoring the performance of the network. The user of the performance management tools has control over the selection, activation and deactivation of performance measurement reports in the network. Default performance measurements are selected from the performance management tool in order to monitor the network performance at all times. A network may also contain load prediction tools, which can predict the load in the network. This can be achieved using either realtime information from the network, such as the current load trends in the network, or historical performance data. Load prediction tools may be used to indicate or predict a number of events occurring in the network, for example: predicting when the traffic in a particular cell of a cellular telephone network increases above a desirable level; predicting the load on a central processor within a network node, or the load on any specialised processor used for a central task (e.g. Java virtual machine or routing of calls) ; predicting the load on certain hardware boards which can have a direct impact on the performance of a system (e.g. hardware boards which are likely to cause bottlenecks in the network) ; predicting the load from the point of view of available bit rate versus requested bit rate (which has a direct impact on packet data call performance) ; or, predicting the load from the point of view of available radio links versus requested radio links (which has a direct impact on voice call performance) . US-5,987,442 discloses a system which monitors the load in a network, thereby allowing the system to learn the behaviour of the network. This allows the system to predict the future behaviour of the network, so that potential congestion can be avoided. While the load prediction information is useful for indicating potential problems arising in the network, there is no means of using this information to automatically activate a group of performance measurements that would be better suited for monitoring the network further, thus preventing congestion from taking place. The aim of the present invention is to provide a network management system and method in which a group of performance measurements are activated and/or deactivated in accordance with load information from a network. Summary of the invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of automatically controlling performance measurements in a network having a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of: receiving load information relating to a network component ; determining which group of performance measurements is associated with the particular network component concerned; determining whether the group of performance measurements is already active; and, if not, activating the group of performance measurements. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network management controller for use in a network in which a plurality of performance measurements are carried out, the performance management controller comprising: means for receiving load information relating to a network component; means for determining which group of performance measurements is associated with the particular network component concerned; means for determining whether the group of performance measurements is already active; and, if not, means for activating the group of performance measurements accordingly. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network management system as defined in the appended claims. Brief description of the drawings For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows a network management system according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows the operation of the performance measurement controller of Figure 1. Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention Referring to Figure 1, a network management system 1 comprises a performance management tool 3 for activating and deactivating performance measurements in a network 7. The network management system 1 also comprises a load prediction tool 8. The load prediction tool 8 provides information regarding the load which is predicted on one or more physical or logical components, (e.g. a link or cell, respectively), in the network 7. A performance management controller 9 according to the present invention receives load prediction information 11 from the load prediction tool 8. The load prediction information 11 specifies logical or physical components of the network where a high load, or congestion, is predicted for sometime in the future. The load prediction information 11 may also include information which predicts the duration of the predicted congestion for the network component concerned. The performance management controller 9 may also receive realtime load information 12 from the network 7. The realtime load information 12 relates to the current load on logical or physical components of the network. The performance management controller 9 comprises a list of performance measurement groups 13, a list of predefined time schedules 17, and a control unit 19. Performance measurements are grouped according to their relationship to a specific load condition (realtime and/or predicted) , and stored in the list of performance measurement groups 13. Thus, the performance measurement group contains a list of performance measurements which should be made in the event that a particular network load is predicted, or as a realtime load occurs. For example, if predicting the load on a particular hardware board, the following measurements could be grouped into a performance measurement group: - the number of attempts to request access to the board; - the number of failed attempts; - the number of successful attempts; - the current performance levels of boards directly before and after that "bottleneck" board in the network; - usage levels of neighbouring, or similar, boards handling different geographical or logical areas. Each of the predefined time schedules in the list of predefined time schedules 17 contains information relating to a specific performance measurement group, such as that described above. This information corresponds, for example, to the point in time at which the performance measurement group should be activated, and the length of time the performance measurement group should remain activated. The performance measurement groups are predefined according to one or more of the logical or physical components in the network. Thus, each performance measurement group relates to performance measurements which should be made on one or more network components . Preferably, the performance measurement groups report on the same logical and physical components as the load prediction tool 8. In this way, the load prediction tool 8 and the performance management controller 9 are able to understand one another, and report on the same measurable components . The performance management controller 9 has activating means 21 for activating a group of performance measurements, for example by instructing the performance management tool 3. The performance management controller 9 also comprises deactivating means 23 for deactivating a group of performance measurements, again by instructing the performance management tool 3. Reference will now be made to Figure 2, which describes the operation of the network management controller 9 of Figure 1. The control unit 19 of the performance management controller 9 receives load information, for example load prediction information 11 from the load prediction tool 8, or realtime load information 12 directly from the network 7, step 101. The load prediction information 11 reports on network components for which congestion is predicted, whereas the realtime load information 12 provides realtime information of the load on network components. The load prediction information 11 may also include details concerning the predicted congestion period for that network component. Having received the load information, the control unit 19 selects the relevant performance group from the list of performance measurement groups, step 103. Next, the control unit 19 determines if the performance measurement group relating to that particular network component is already active, step 105. If the relevant group is active, then the control unit does nothing. However, if the relevant performance measurement group is not active, then the control unit takes the necessary steps to activate the performance measurement grou . For example, if the predicted high load is for a certain cell in a cellular communications system, the controller may select measurements relating to cell traffic for all neighbouring cells to check if traffic should be re-routed through those cells prior to the predicted high load period. Based on the predicted time for the high load and information from the list of predefined time schedules 17, the control unit 19 will determine the time schedule for the group of performance measurements, that is, select what time the new performance measurement group should be activated, and for what duration, step 107. Using the information determined above, the control unit 19 activates the relevant performance measurement group accordingly, step 109. Subsequently, after the appropriate time has elapsed, step 111, the control unit 19 deactivates the group of performance measurements, step 113. In the preferred embodiment described above, the performance measurement group is deactivated in response to information contained in the time schedule. Alternatively, a performance measurement group may be deactivated in response to a change in the predicted load information (e.g. the predicted load falling below a certain level) . Furthermore, in addition to working on predicted information (thereby allowing the deactivation time to be determined in advance) , it is also possible to use the realtime load information 12. In such an embodiment, it is possible to deactivate a performance measurement group in response to the realtime load information 12 falling below a certain level. When activating or deactivating a performance measurement group using the realtime load information 12, hysteresis may also be provided to provide a delay between the load information crossing a particular level, and the corresponding performance measurement group being activated or deactivated. Such hysteresis prevents performance measurement groups from being repeatedly activated and deactivated when the load information is frequently crossing back and forth over a certain threshold. The performance management controller 9 described above enables the monitoring of the network to be adaptively changed according to the load prediction information 11, or realtime load information 12, so that the most relevant performance data can be gathered in response to real time or predicted load information in the network. The automatic activation and deactivation of the performance measurements in this manner means that wasteful measurements are not carried out . Furthermore, the invention reduces the possibility of congestion occurring in the network, by automatically activating a group of performance measurements to monitor potential congestion in network components before any actual congestion occurs. Furthermore, if a problem has occurred, the automatic activation of the relevant performance measurements means that the performance data may be used for creating historical data. This can be used to further predict problems, or establish trends on how problems arise in problematic parts of the network. In the event that a problem has actually occurred, the information can also be used to troubleshoot what caused the problem. As mentioned above, the invention reduces the number of unnecessary measurements being collected, by automatically deactivating performance measurements for areas of the network where monitoring is not required. In the description above, the activation of a group of performance measurements has been described as beginning all the measurements within that group. Similarly, the deactivation of a group of performance measurements has been described as ceasing all performance measurements within that group. However, it is noted that the activation of a group of performance measurements can also result in certain performance measurements within the group being started and others being ceased. Likewise, the deactivation of a group of performance measurements can result in certain performance measurements within that group being ceased, and others being started. Other modifications which are obvious to a person skilled in the art may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims .

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of automatically controlling performance measurements in a network having a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of: receiving load information relating to a network component ; determining which group of performance measurements is associated with the particular network component concerned,- determining whether the group of performance measurements is already active; and, if not, activating the group of performance measurements. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load information is indicative of possible congestion at the network component . 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the load information is based on realtime load information. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the load information is based on predicted load information for a network component . 5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the load information contains information corresponding to the predicted congestion period. 6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of activating the group of performance measurements comprises the steps of : selecting the appropriate group of performance measurements ; determining a time schedule for activating the group of performance measurements; and activating the group of performance measurements accordingly. 7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the time schedule is determined based on the predicted congestion time and a predefined time schedule for the particular group of performance measurements. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of determining the time schedule further includes using the predicted congestion period to determine when the group of performance measurements should be deactivated. 9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the group of performance measurements is deactivated after a predetermined period of time according to the determined time schedule. 10. A method as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the group of performance measurements is deactivated in response to the load information falling below a predetermined level . 11. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of defining a list of performance measurements. 12. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the performance measurements are grouped according to one or more logical or physical components in the network. 13. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each group of performance measurements has a predefined time schedule. 14. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the performance measurement data is used to establish trends in potential trouble areas. 15. A performance management controller for use in a network in which a plurality of performance measurements are carried out, the performance management controller comprising: means for receiving load information relating to a network component ; means for determining which group of performance measurements is associated with the particular network component concerned; means for determining whether the group of performance measurements is already active; and, if not, means for activating the group of performance measurements accordingly. 16. A performance management controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the means for receiving load information further comprises means for determining whether the load information indicates possible congestion at the network component . 17. A performance management controller as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the load information is based on realtime load information. 18. A performance management controller as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the load information is based on predicted load information for a network component. 19. A performance management controller as claimed in claim 18, wherein the load information contains information corresponding to the predicted congestion period. 20. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the means for activating the group of performance measurements comprises : means for selecting the appropriate group of performance measurements; means for determining a time schedule for activating the group of performance measurements; and means for activating the group of performance measurements accordingly. 21. A performance management controller as claimed in claim 20, wherein information relating to the predicted congestion time and information from a predefined time schedule are used by the means for determining the time schedule. 22. A performance management controller as claimed in claim 20, wherein the means for determining the time schedule also uses the predicted congestion period to determine when the group of performance measurements should be deactivated. 23. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the group of performance measurements is deactivated after a predetermined period of time according to the determined time schedule. 24. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 22, having means for deactivating the group of performance measurements after the load level has fallen below a predetermined level . 25. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 24, further comprising means for defining a list of performance measurements. 26. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 25, wherein the performance measurements are grouped according to one or more logical or physical components in the network. 27. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 26, wherein each group of performance measurements has a predefined time schedule . 28. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 27, having means for using the performance measurement data to establish trends in potential trouble areas. 29. A performance management controller as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 28, further comprising means for enabling the controller to be programmed by a user. 30. A network management system comprising a plurality of physical or logical components, a performance measurement tool for carrying out performance measurements in the network, a load prediction tool for predicting the load in one or more of the physical or logical components, and a performance management controller as defined in any one of claims 15 to 29.

Inventors: BRADY BERNARD, MEE JEROME, MOYNIHAN MARIE, BRADY, BERNARD, MEE, JEROME, MOYNIHAN, MARIE
Applicants: BRADY BERNARD, ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M, MEE JEROME, MOYNIHAN MARIE, BRADY, BERNARD, MEE, JEROME, MOYNIHAN, MARIE, TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
Application year: 2001
Main classification: H04L12
IPC codes: H04Q3