APPARATUS FOR OPTIMISING A CONFIGURATION OF A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK DEVICE

摘要

Apparatus (110) for configuring network equipment or devices (101a-101n) during runtime is particularly applicable to network equipment based on QorIQ (trade mark) communication platforms for DPAA (Data Path Acceleration Architecture) optimization purposes and provides a way maintaining an optimal configuration which can change over time acccording to real traffic conditions. The invention may be implemented with any kind of adaptation algorithm for targeting different DPAA features. A flow characteristic function is determined from collected traffic statistics for a multiplicity of traffic flows classified by a common property such as protocol or destination or source. Flow properties are characterised over time, past present and future prediction and in relation to other existing flows based on assigned priorities. A computed flow characteristic function represents the basis for all adaptation algorithms which may be implemented in order to optimise the various DPAA features. In contrast with conventional methods which adapt traffic to system constraints, the apparatus of the present invention itself continuously adapts to traffic dynamics in order to maintain an optimal configuration over an extended period of time.

主权项

1. An apparatus for optimising a configuration of a network device in a system comprising at least one network device wherein a network device is configured to handle one or more traffic flows, the apparatus being arranged to monitor said traffic flows, generate traffic statistics relating to said monitored traffic flows, determine from the traffic statistics a flow characteristic function for each traffic flow relative to each of said other monitored traffic flows, and use at least one determined flow characteristic function in at least one adaptation algorithm to determine a value of a configuration parameter for a network devices and adjust a current configuration of a network device in accordance with the determined value of the configuration parameter.