Method for generating network optimizing information

Abstract

There is provided a method for generating network optimizing information including the steps of identifying system devices that are comprised in a network, collecting metrics from the identified system devices, including collecting at least one metric relating to the operation, status, capability, limitations, expandability, scalability, or performance of the system devices, assessing the collected metrics according to a predetermined assessment protocol, generating a roster of metrics of interest, such metrics of interest being a group of the collected metrics that meet a selection criteria and not including other collected metrics that do not meet the selection criteria, and presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format suitable for a network operator to corrective actions with regard to the identified non-compliant metrics or to capitalize on the identified optimization opportunities with respect to the network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating network optimizing information, the method comprising:
 identifying system devices that are comprised in a network;   collecting metrics from the identified system devices, including collecting at least one metric relating to the operation, status, capability, limitations, expandability, scalability, or performance of the system devices;   assessing the collected metrics according to a predetermined assessment protocol;   generating a roster of metrics of interest, such metrics of interest being a group of the collected metrics that meet a selection criteria and not including other collected metrics that do not meet the selection criteria; and   presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format suitable for a network operator to corrective actions with regard to the identified non-compliant metrics or to capitalize on the identified optimization opportunities with respect to the network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 ,wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format includes presenting at least one of the metrics of interest in a format in which a resource is identified for assisting in resolving identified non-compliant metrics or capitalizing on the identified optimization opportunities. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format includes presenting at least one of the metrics of interest in a format that identifies the assisting resource as a vendor offering services in resolving identified non-compliant metrics or capitalizing on the identified optimization opportunities. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format includes presenting at least one of the metrics of interest in a format that identifies a vendor which has been selected to be presented in preference to other vendors. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the vendor which has been selected to be presented in preference to other vendors has been selected as a function of a step of evaluating a group of vendors and determining that the vendor is the most suitable vendor for offering services relating to the particular metric of interest. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of evaluating a group of vendors includes considering whether a vendor has paid value for an opportunity to be among the group of evaluated vendors. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method identifies system devices that are comprised in a network operated as a local area network, a wide area network such as the Internet, or a wireless network operable to receive a wireless signal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format suitable for a network operator to corrective actions with regard to the identified non-compliant metrics or to capitalize on the identified optimization opportunities with respect to the network includes providing an intentionally ordered presentation of metrics of interest each paired with a respective potential optimizer, with each potential optimizer being an entity offering services in resolving identified non-compliant metrics or capitalizing on the identified optimization opportunities. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format includes a format communicating a hierarchal listing of paired metrics of interest and potential optimizers based upon a given criticality ranking of the metrics. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format includes a format communicating a hierarchal listing of paired metrics of interest and potential optimizers based upon directing the network operator to preferred resources that can help resolve metrics issues or capitalize upon identified opportunities. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format includes a format communicating information about vendors who are given preference relative to other vendors based upon a sponsorship criteria. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of presenting each of the metrics of interest in a format includes a format communicating information about sponsored vendors that are preferentially communicated relative to non-sponsored vendors. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising the step of providing information to concerning the presence or absence of commonality between a property or value of a metric of interest and the properties and values of a selected group of the same metric measured among other network operators. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of providing information concerning the presence or absence of commonality includes assigning a peer group classification to a network to classify the network relative to other networks that have been evaluated by the method.