Patent ID: 8780757

Claim:
A system for bandwidth management in a communications network, the communication network having a plurality of network conditions and including connections with a plurality of service-specific bandwidth managers, the system comprising: a high-level bandwidth manager including a control system, and an interface for controlling the maximum settings of each of the service-specific bandwidth managers; an interface to each of the service-specific bandwidth managers, each control interface providing an ability for the high-level bandwidth manager to control at least one aspect of the associated service-specific bandwidth managers, each service-specific bandwidth managers affecting at least one associated network condition the interface further providing for interaction and at least one information flow between the high-level bandwidth manager and each of the service-specific bandwidth managers, and at least one network communications processing resource, wherein the control system is provided with a plurality of feedback inputs that are responsive to associated ongoing observation information from each of the associated observation reporting elements including observation information responsive to allocations of the network communications processing resource; wherein the control system uses said plurality of feedback inputs, together with the at least one policy information and goal information, to produce at least one element of outgoing control information; wherein the at least one element of outgoing control information is conveyed to at least one of the service-specific bandwidth managers using the associated interface.