Method and apparatus for providing network resources to content providers

摘要

A method and an SLA portal (204) in a communication network (202), for establishing an SLA (Service Level Agreement) between a third party content provider (200) and an operator of the network for ensuring network resources needed for delivering a specific service. When an SLA request (2:1) is received from the content provider for the service, at least one viable predetermined SLA is retrieved (2:2) from an SLA database (206) holding a plurality of predetermined SLAs. The retrieved at least one viable SLA is then sent (2:3) on offer to the content provider, optionally together with an assigned service identifier. Thereby, the process of establishing the SLA is automated and any physical meetings and correspondence otherwise can be avoided to save time and costs.

主权项

1. A method performed by an SLA portal in a communication network for establishing a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between a third-party content provider and a communication network operator for ensuring network resources needed for future delivery of a service or service type from the third-party content provider to end-users via the communication network, the method comprising:
receiving an SLA request specifying the service or service type, from the third-party content provider, at the SLA portal; retrieving at least one viable predetermined SLA from an SLA database holding a plurality of predetermined SLAs usable to establish SLAs, the at least one viable predetermined SLA ensuring network resources for the future delivery of the service or service type; assigning a service identifier for identifying the service or service type specified in the SLA request; offering the at least one retrieved viable SLA to the third-party content provider; establishing a selected SLA upon receiving from the third-party content provider an indication as to which among the at least one offered viable SLA is selected by the third-party content provider; and providing the assigned service identifier to the third-party content provider, wherein the assigned service identifier is received from the third-party content provider for applying the established SLA each time the service or service type will be delivered via the communication network from the content provider to a requesting end-user.