Route optimization of services provided by one or more service providers for combined links

Abstract

In one embodiment, two or more links, coupled to a first service provider (SP) that charges a price for utilization of services according to a first pricing structure, are combined to form a single virtual combined link. Each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and one or more other links, coupled to a second SP that charges a price for utilization of services according to a second pricing structure, are monitored to obtain link data. The link data for the two of more links of the virtual combined link is merged to form link data for the virtual combined link. Data distribution among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links is optimized to distribute data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links in a manner that minimizes cost.

1 . A method comprising:
 combining two or more links coupled to a first computer network service provider (SP) that charges a price for utilization of services to an amount according to a first pricing structure, to form a virtual combined link that encompasses the two or more links;   monitoring each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and one or more other links coupled to a second computer network SP that charges a price for utilization of services to an amount according to a second pricing structure, to obtain utilization data for each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and for each of the one or more other links; and   distributing data among the virtual combined link   and the one or more other links in a manner that minimizes cost of services provided by the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP based at least upon the utilization data for the virtual combined link, the utilization data for the one or more other links, the first pricing structure, or the second pricing structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 obtaining link data for each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and for each of the one or more other links; and   combining the link data for the two or more links of the virtual combined link and the one or more other links into combined link data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 optimizing distribution of data among the two or more links of the virtual combined link and the one or more other links to minimize prices that must be paid for utilization of services based upon the combined link data, the first pricing structure, and the second pricing structure.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the combined link data includes at least one of bandwidth, utilization, cost, delay, packet loss, mean opinion score, or round trip time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the combined link data is combined based upon one or more service level agreements with the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the one or more service level agreements has a tiered pricing structure that includes two or more tiers, each of the two or more tiers correlating to an amount of service provided by a corresponding computer network SP and an associated cost of the amount of service. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 distributing the data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links in a manner that optimizes at least one additional metric, the at least one additional metric including currency that must be paid for utilization of the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP, or delay in distributing the data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein distributing data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links further comprises:
 generating a momentary target utilization rate (MTUR) for each of the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP, the MTUR representing a cumulative utilization of a corresponding computer network SP's services at a particular instance of time; and   distributing the data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links based at least upon MTURs for the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more links are combined by one or more border nodes, and the method further comprises:
 configuring the one or more border nodes to implement data distribution among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links to minimize the cost of services provided by the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more border nodes are configured by a control node coupled to the one or more border nodes. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more border nodes are edge routing (OER) border routers and the control node is an OER master controller. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 combine two or more links coupled to a first computer network service provider (SP) that charges a price for utilization of services to an amount according to a first pricing structure, to form a virtual combined link that encompasses the two or more links; 
 monitor each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and one or more other links coupled to a second computer network SP that charges a price for utilization of services to an amount according to a second pricing structure, to obtain utilization data for each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and for each of the one or more other links; and 
 distribute data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links in a manner that minimizes cost of services provided by the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP based at least upon the utilization data for the virtual combined link, the utilization data for the one or more other links, the first pricing structure, or the second pricing structure. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 obtain link data for each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and for each of the one or more other links; and   combine the link data for the two or more links of the virtual combined link and the one or more other links into combined link data.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 optimize distribution of data among the two or more links of the virtual combined link and the one or more other links to minimize prices that must be paid for utilization of services based upon the combined link data, the first pricing structure, and the second pricing structure.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the combined link data includes at least one of bandwidth, utilization, cost, delay, packet loss, mean opinion score, or round trip time. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the combined link data is combined based upon one or more service level agreements with the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the one or more service level agreements has a tiered pricing structure that includes two or more tiers, each of the two or more tiers correlating to an amount of service provided by a corresponding computer network SP and an associated cost of the amount of service. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to:
 combine two or more links coupled to a first computer network service provider (SP) that charges a price for utilization of services to an amount according to a first pricing structure, to form a virtual combined link that encompasses the two or more links;   monitor each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and one or more other links coupled to a second computer network SP that charges a price for utilization of services to an amount according to a second pricing structure, to obtain utilization data for each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and for each of the one or more other links; and   distribute data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links in a manner that minimizes cost of services provided by the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP based at least upon the utilization data for the virtual combined link, the utilization data for the one or more other links, the first pricing structure, or the second pricing structure.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the system to:
 distribute the data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links in a manner that optimizes at least one additional metric, the at least one additional metric including currency that must be paid for utilization of the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP, or delay in distributing the data.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the system to:
 generate a momentary target utilization rate (MTUR) for each of the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP, the MTUR representing a cumulative utilization of a corresponding computer network SP's services at a particular instance of time; and   distribute the data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links based at least upon MTURs for the first computer network SP and the second computer network SP.