ORCHESTRATING NETWORK USAGE UNDER THE THREAT OF UNEXPECTED BANDWIDTH SHORTAGES

• Main Author: SCHULZ, Dirk
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 04.09.2024
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

A method (100) for orchestrating the use of at least one communications network (1) for conveying a plurality of data streams (31-36) transmitted by a plurality of applications (21-23), comprising the steps of:* attributing (110), to individual data streams (31-36) and/or to groups of data streams (31-36), levels (31a-36a) of importance;* determining (120), based at least in part on the levels (31a-36a) of importance and on network capacity requirements (31b-36b) of the data streams (31-36), an ordered list (4) of data streams (31-36) to be curtailed or stopped in case of a shortage of bandwidth in the communications network (1); and* providing (140) this ordered list (4) to a network management entity (1a) that is configured to:∘ monitor the available bandwidth in the communications network (1);∘ compare the available bandwidth to a combined bandwidth requirement of all data streams (31-36) currently being transmitted; and∘ in response to determining that the available bandwidth is, or is imminent to become, less than the combined bandwidth requirement, curtail or stop data streams (31-36) in the order given by the list (4), so as to bring the combined bandwidth requirement back to or below the available bandwidth.