EP0944209A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Quality of service allocation on a network
Assignee: Sun Microsystems Inc
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Filing: 1999-02-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-02-23
Abstract
Abstract A Quality of Service (QoS) method and mechanism enable allocation of a QoS to a flow on a network in a dynamic environment in response to detection of a new instance of an entity associated with a flow on the network. A binding is determined between the flow and the entity which is based on at least one parameter of the flow. A QoS definition is maintained in a directory service of the network. The QoS definition includes at least one configuration rule for the flow. A QoS definition for the entity is accessed, which QoS definition binds the flow with a QoS. Configuration rules of the QoS definition are applied to the flow to configure the flow. The detection of a new instance of an entity could be in response to a flow event or in response to a directory event resulting, for example, from a login event.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Christophe Martin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 07:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L47/00; H04L47/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A computer-implemented method of allocating a Quality of Service to a flow on a
network, the method comprising: i) detecting a new instance of an entity associated with said flow on said network; ii) determining a flow to entity binding between said flow and said entity based on at
least one parameter of said flow; iii) using said flow to entity binding to access a Quality of Service definition for said
entity, said Quality of Service definition being maintained in a directory service of said
network and including at least one configuration rule for said flow, whereby said Quality
of Service definition binds said flow with said Quality of Service; and iv) dynamically applying to said flow said at least one configuration rule identified
by said Quality of Service definition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein step (i) comprises responding to a flow event
representative of said new instance of said entity associated with said flow on said
network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of Claim 2, wherein step (i) comprises comparing at least one said
parameter of said flow to at least one configuration rule and identifying said new instance
of said entity associated with said flow where said at least one parameter of said flow
matches with a specific configuration rule.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of Claim 3, wherein step (i) comprises comparing at least one said
parameter of said flow to at least one configuration rule and identifying said new instance
of said entity associated with said flow where said at least one parameter of said flow
matches with a default configuration rule.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
30 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein step (i) comprises responding to a
directory event representative of said new instance of said entity associated with said
flow on said network.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
25 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least one said parameter of said
flow is a dynamically allocated parameter extracted from a protocol header.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
43 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein step (ii) comprises:
retrieving a Quality of Service identification corresponding to said flow to entity
binding, said Quality of Service identification being maintained in an entry for said entity
in a directory of said directory service.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of Claim 7, wherein step (iii) comprises: using said Quality of Service identification to retrieve said Quality of Service
definition, said Quality of Service definition being maintained in an entry for said Quality
of Service definition in a directory of said directory service.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
32 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least one said configuration rule
comprises a link to at least one dynamically variable flow parameter in a directory entry
for a said entity.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
43 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of steps (i) - (iv) is
performed in a network element separate from said directory service and communication
between said network element and said directory service is under LDAP (Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of Claim 10, further comprising steps of maintaining a local cache in
said network element for at least one Quality of Service identification corresponding to
said flow to entity binding, wherein step (ii) comprises: initially accessing said cache for retrieving said Quality of Service identification,
if present, and, if not present, accessing said directory service for retrieving said Quality
of Service identification.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of Claim 10 or Claim 11, further comprising steps of maintaining a
local cache in said network element for at least one said Quality of Service definition,
wherein step (iii) comprises: initially accessing said cache for retrieving said Quality of Service definition, if
present, and, if not present, accessing said directory service for retrieving said Quality of
Service definition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
154 words
A Quality of Service mechanism for allocating a Quality of Service to a flow on a
network, said Quality of Service mechanism comprising: a controller configured to be responsive to detection of a new instance of an
entity associated with said flow on said network to determine a flow to entity binding
between said flow and said entity based on at least one parameter of said flow; and a directory interface configured to use said flow to entity binding to access a
Quality of Service definition for said entity, said Quality of Service definition being
maintained in a directory service of said network and including at least one configuration
rule for said flow, whereby said Quality of Service definition binds said flow with said
Quality of Service; said controller further being configured to be operable dynamically to apply said
at least one configuration rule identified by said Quality of Service definition to said
flow.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The mechanism of Claim 13, wherein said controller is configured to be
responsive to a flow event representative of said new instance of said entity associated
with said flow on said network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The mechanism of Claim 14, wherein said controller is further configured to be
operable to compare at least one parameter of said flow to at least one configuration rule
and to identify said new instance of an entity associated with said flow where said at least
one parameter of said flow matches with a specific configuration rule.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
The mechanism of Claim 15, wherein said controller is further configured to be
operable to compare at least one parameter of said flow to at least one configuration rule
and to identify said new instance of an entity associated with said flow where said at least
one parameter of said flow matches with a default configuration rule.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The mechanism of any one of Claims 13 to 16, wherein said controller is
configured to be responsive to a directory event representative of said new instance of
said entity associated with said flow on said network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The mechanism of any one of Claims 13 to 17, wherein at least one said
parameter of said flow includes at least one dynamically allocated parameter extracted
from a protocol header.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The mechanism of any one of Claims 13 to 18, wherein said directory interface is
also configured to retrieve a Quality of Service identification corresponding to said flow
to entity binding, said Quality of Service identification being maintained in an entry for
said entity in a directory of said directory service.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The mechanism of Claim 19, comprising a cache for at least one said Quality of
Service identification.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
The mechanism of Claim 20, wherein said directory interface is operable initially
to access said cache for retrieving said Quality of Service identification, if present, and,
if not present, to access said directory service for retrieving said Quality of Service
identification.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mechanism of any one of Claims 13 to 21, comprising a cache for at least
one said Quality of Service definition.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The mechanism of Claim 22, wherein said directory interface is operable initially
to access said cache for retrieving said Quality of Service definition, if present, and, if
not present, to access said directory service for retrieving said Quality of Service
definition.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The mechanism of any one of Claims 13 to 21, wherein at least one said
configuration rule comprises a link to at least one dynamically variable flow parameter in
a directory entry for a said entity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The mechanism of any one of Claims 13 to 21, wherein said directory interface is
configured to communicate with said directory service under LDAP (Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A network element comprising a Quality of Service mechanism according to any
one of Claims 13 to 25, the Quality of Service mechanism being operable to allocate a
Quality of Service to a flow on a network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
A Quality of Service server for a computer network, said Quality of Service
server comprising a Quality of Service mechanism according to any one of Claims 13 to
25, the Quality of Service mechanism being operable to allocate a Quality of Service to a
flow on a network.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
140 words
A Quality of Service system operable to allocate a Quality of Service to a flow on
a network, wherein said Quality of Service system comprises: means for detecting a new instance of an entity associated with said flow on said
network; means for determining a flow to entity binding between said flow and said entity
based on at least one parameter of said flow; means for accessing a Quality of Service definition for said entity using said flow
to entity binding, said Quality of Service definition being maintained in a directory
service of said network and including at least one configuration rule for said flow,
whereby said Quality of Service definition binds said flow with said Quality of Service;
and means for dynamically applying said at least one configuration rule identified by
said Quality of Service definition to said flow.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
143 words
A Quality of Service software product on a storage medium, said software
product being operable to allocate a Quality of Service to a flow on a network and being
configured to be operable: to detect a new instance of an entity associated with said flow on said network; to determine a flow to entity binding between said flow and said entity based on
at least one parameter of said flow; to access a Quality of Service definition for said entity using said flow to entity
binding, said Quality of Service definition being maintained in a directory service of said
network and including at least one configuration rule for said flow, whereby said Quality
of Service definition binds said flow with said Quality of Service; and to apply said at least one configuration rule identified by said Quality of Service
definition to said flow.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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