Patent ID: 7617303

Claim:
A system for avoiding demand forecast errors in a network topology model wherein the system monitors and controls quantity of a particular type of port at a node, the system comprising: a memory; (a) a user interface, wherein the system is configured via the user interface wherein a configuration comprises: (i) setting a forecast period for ports at the node, wherein the forecast period is a function of the time required to change the quantity of a particular type of port at the node, and (ii) setting a threshold value to generate alerts, wherein the threshold value is a function of the forecast period; (b) an analytical module, wherein the analytical module monitors the node for a change in demand forecasted for the particular type of port; (c) an alert engine, wherein the alert engine is activated by the analytical module if the analytical module detects a change in demand forecasted, wherein when the alert engine is alerted the alert engine computes difference between the demand forecasted and actual quantity of ports at the node, wherein upon detecting the difference is greater than the threshold value, the alert engine generates an alert, wherein the change in the demand forecasted is the addition or deletion of customer assignments at the node, or a change in quantity of the ports at the node, or a combination of both; (d) an alert distributor, which receives the alert, wherein the alert distributor associates the alert with recipient information, and forwards the alert and recipient information to a user; and (e) an alternate node component, wherein the alternate node component determines an optimal alternate node for a customer premise, wherein a planned node does not meet demand for a desired type of port, and wherein the optimal alternate node has excess capacity for the desired type of port; wherein the optimal alternate node is determined by a method comprising: (i) assigning a “first access cost” to each of a plurality of alternate nodes that are nearby the customer premise, wherein the “first access cost” is a function of the distance between the customer premise and the alternate node; (ii) assigning a “second access cost” to each of the plurality of alternate nodes, wherein the “second access cost” is a function of the probability that the alternate node would not be able to accommodate demand from the customer premise; and (iii) for each alternate node, calculating a “total access cost,” wherein the “total access cost” is the sum of the “first access cost” and the “second access cost,” wherein the optimal node is the node which has one of the lowest “total access costs”.