Method for, and a topology aware resource manager in an IP-telephony system

Abstract

A method and arrangement in a communications network. The object is to provide a way of handling recourse management issues and admission control within an IP telephony system. The object is achieved by a topology aware resource manager collecting routing information concerning the IP network, obtaining resource information concerning resources within the IP network, creating a resource map by combing the routing information and resource information, and performing recourse management issues and admission control within the system by the resource map and by interacting with a gatekeeper.

1 . A topology aware resource manager (RM) within an Internet Protocol IP telephony system ( 400 ) for transmission of multimedia over an IP network, the system comprising a gatekeeper (Gk), wherein the resource manager (RM) comprises: 
 means for collecting routing information concerning the IP network;    means for obtaining resource information concerning resources within the IP network;    means for creating a resource map by means of combing said routing information and resource information;    characterised in that the resource manager (RM) comprises:    means for via the gatekeeper (Gk) performing path sensitive resource management issues and admission control within the system ( 400 ) by means of said resource map and by interacting with the gatekeeper (Gk),    wherein the IP network is routed using a distance vector protocol, or static routing, the resource manager (RM) comprises means for using measurements such as trace route and/or the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) auto discovery to retrieve routing information of the IP network.    
   
   
       2 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises means for obtaining resource information from call set-up requests from the gatekeeper (Gk).  
   
   
       3 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP system is routed using link-state routing protocol, the resource manager (RM) comprises means for participating in the routing and acting as a router within the system ( 400 ) without advertising any routes of its own, to retrieve routing information of the IP network.  
   
   
       4 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP network is routed using a distance vector protocol, or static routing, the resource manager (RM) comprises means for using measurements by Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) auto discovery to retrieve routing information of the IP network.  
   
   
       5 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises means for using the resource map for evaluating what network path an initiated call between a source endpoint and a destination endpoint within the system ( 400 ) will use.  
   
   
       6 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 5 , wherein it comprises means for, calculating, for each link along that path, if there are sufficient resources to admit the call.  
   
   
       7 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 6 , wherein said calculation is reported to the gatekeeper (Gk).  
   
   
       8 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises means for updating the resource map by monitoring on-going calls in the IP telephony system and recalculating the resource usage per link whenever any change occurs within the system ( 400 ).  
   
   
       9 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 8 , wherein the resource map shows that the resources are too limited to be able to fulfil all on-going calls, the resource manager (RM) comprises means for prioritising which calls that should be kept and which to terminate.  
   
   
       10 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 8 , wherein the resource map shows that the resources are too limited to be able to fulfil all on-going calls, the resource manager (RM) comprises means for reporting this to the gatekeeper (Gk), making it possible for the gatekeeper (Gk) to prioritise which calls that should be kept and which to terminate.  
   
   
       11 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 1 , wherein it is used in a multi part conference scenario involving more than two end-points within the system ( 500 ) which system further comprises a multi-point controller (MC), the resource manager (RM) comprising means for interacting with the multi-point controller (MC) for performing said resource management issues and admission control.  
   
   
       12 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 11 , wherein said interaction with the multi-point controller (MC) is performed via the gatekeeper (Gk).  
   
   
       13 . The resource manager (RM) according to  claim 11 , wherein resources are available, but not enough to fulfil the amount of resources requested in a call initiation, the resource manager (RM) comprises means to reject the call with conditions, i.e. by offering said available resources to the initiator of the call.  
   
   
       14 . An Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system comprising a gatekeeper (Gk), one or more routers (R) and multiple a plurality of end-points characterised in that the system further comprises a topology aware resource manger (RM) according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       15 . A method for handling performing resource management issues and admission control within an Internet Protocol IP telephony system ( 400 ) adapted for transmission of multimedia over an IP network, the system ( 400 ) comprising a topology aware resource manager (RM); 
 characterised in that the method comprises the following steps to be performed by the resource manager (RM):    collecting routing information concerning the IP network;    obtaining resource information concerning resources within the IP network;    creating a resource map by means of combing said routing information and resource information;    via the gatekeeper (Gk) performing path-sensitive resource management issues and admission control within the system ( 400 ) by means of said resource map and by interacting with a gatekeeper (Gk),    wherein the IP network is routed using a distance vector protocol, the method comprising the further step of:    the resource manager (RM) using measurements such as trace route and/or the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) auto discovery to retrieve routing information of the IP network.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising the further step of the resource manager (RM) obtaining resource information from call set-up requests from the gatekeeper (Gk).  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the IP system is routed using link-state routing protocol, the method comprising the further step of: 
 the resource manager (RM) participating in the routing and acting as a router within the system ( 400 ) without advertising any routes of its own, to retrieve routing information of the IP network.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the IP network is routed using a distance vector protocol, the method comprising the further step of: 
 the resource manager (RM) using measurements by Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) auto discovery to retrieve routing information of the IP network.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising the further step of: 
 using the resource map for evaluating what network path an initiated call between a source endpoint and a destination endpoint within the system ( 400 ) will use.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising the further step of: 
 calculating, for each link along that path, if there are sufficient resources to admit the call.    
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , comprising the further step of: reporting said calculation to the gatekeeper (Gk).  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising the further step of: 
 the resource manager (RM) updating the resource map by monitoring on-going calls in the IP telephony system and recalculating the resource usage per link whenever any change occurs within the system ( 400 ).    
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the resource map shows that the resources are too limited to be able to fulfil all on-going calls, the method comprising the further step of: the resource manager (RM) prioritising which calls that should be kept and which to terminate.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the resource map shows that the resources are too limited to be able to fulfil all on-going calls, the method comprising the further step of: the resource manager (RM) reporting this to the gatekeeper (Gk), making it possible for the gatekeeper (Gk) to prioritise which calls that should be kept and which to terminate.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein it is used in a multi part conference scenario involving more than two end-points within the system ( 500 ), which system further comprises a multi-point controller (MC), the method comprising the further step of: 
 the resource manager (RM) interacting with the multi-point controller (MC) for performing said resource management issues and admission control.    
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said interaction with the multi-point controller (MC) is performed via the gatekeeper (Gk).  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein resources are available, but not enough to fulfil the amount of resources requested in a call initiation, the method comprising the further step of: 
 the resource manager (RM) rejecting the call with conditions, i.e. by offering said available resources to the initiator of the call.    
   
   
       28 . A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a processing means within a topology aware resource manager (RM) and/or a gatekeeper (Gk) within an IP telephony system ( 400 ) system, comprising the software code means for performing the steps of  claim 15 .  
   
   
       29 . A computer program product stored on computer usable medium, comprising readable program for causing a processing means in topology aware resource manager (RM) and/or a gatekeeper (Gk) within an IP telephony system ( 400 ) system, to control an execution of the steps of  claim 15.