Biased selection of dedicated physical connections to provider network

Abstract

A connectivity coordinator may receive a request for a dedicated physical connection between a provider network and a client network. In response, the connectivity coordinator may determine a capacity for each connection capacity group available to accept the dedicated physical connection. The connectivity coordinator may use the determined capacities for each available connection capacity group to determine bias response information for each connection capacity group based on the determined capacities and a capacity bias model. The connectivity coordinator may provide the determined bias response information to the client as part of a response to the connectivity request to influence the client to select to connect to a connection capacity group that has more physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection than other connection capacity groups that have less ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising:
 one or more compute nodes configured to:
 receive, from a client, a connectivity request for connectivity via a dedicated physical connection; 
 determine a capacity for each of two or more connection capacity groups of a plurality of connection capacity groups that each comprise physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection, each respective capacity based on a number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at a respective connection capacity group; and 
 determine, based on a proximity of a connection capacity group, that there is a smaller number of connection capacity groups with available ports to one or more other clients than to the client; 
 determine response information for each respective connection capacity group based on:
 the determined capacity at each respective connection capacity group, and 
 the determination that there is a smaller number of connection capacity groups with available ports to one or more other clients than to the client; and 
 
 send a response comprising the determined response information. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the system further comprises:
 a capacity database comprising capacity information for each connection capacity group of the plurality of connection capacity groups; and   wherein one or more of the compute nodes are configured to:
 receive a response indicating selection of one or more of the two or more connection capacity groups comprising physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection; and 
 update the capacity information of the capacity database for the selected connection capacity group based on the selection. 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein one or more of the compute nodes are configured to implement and apply a bias model to perform said determination that there is a smaller number of connection capacity groups comprising physical ports available to one or more others of the clients than to the client. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the respective numbers of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at the respective connection capacity groups comprise respective numbers of physical ports of a plurality of different types; and   to determine the response information for each respective connection capacity group, one or more of the compute nodes are configured to:
 determine a capacity for a specific type of physical port for each of two or more connection capacity groups of the plurality of connection capacity groups that comprise physical ports of the specific type available to accept the dedicated physical connection; and 
 determine response information for physical ports of the specific type for each respective connection capacity group based on the determined capacity for the specific type of physical ports at the respective connection capacity groups. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a capacity database comprising capacity information for each connection capacity group of the plurality of connection capacity groups;   wherein one or more of the computer nodes are configured to:
 detect an increase in the number of physical ports available to accept a dedicated physical connection at a particular one of the connection capacity groups; and 
 update capacity information in the capacity database for the particular connection capacity group based on the detected increase in the number of physical ports available to accept a dedicated physical connection at the particular connection capacity group. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein one or more of the computer nodes are configured to:
 determine a market rate for dedicated physical connections at the particular connection capacity group to be included in the response information for the particular connection capacity group based on the updated capacity information for the particular connection capacity group.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein one or more of the computer nodes are configured to:
 adjust a rate charged to existing clients for dedicated physical connections at the particular connection capacity group based at least in part on the determined market rate for the particular connection capacity group.   
     
     
         28 . A method, comprising:
 performing by one or more computer nodes:
 receiving, from a client, a connectivity request for connectivity via a dedicated physical connection; 
 determining a capacity for each of two or more connection capacity groups of a plurality of connection capacity groups that each comprise physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection, each respective capacity based on a number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at a respective connection capacity group; 
 determining response information for each respective connection capacity group based on:
 said determining capacity at each respective connection capacity group, and 
 determining, based on a proximity to a connection capacity group, that there is a smaller number of connection capacity groups with available ports to one or more other clients than to the client; and 
 
 sending a response to the client comprising the determined response information. 
   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the client, a response that indicates selection of one or more of the two or more connection capacity groups to accept the dedicated physical connection; and   updating capacity information of a capacity database for the selected connection capacity group based on the client's selection, wherein the capacity database comprises capacity information for each connection capacity group of the plurality of connection capacity groups.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 detecting an increase in the number of physical ports available to accept a dedicated physical connection at a particular one of the connection capacity groups; and 
 updating capacity information of a capacity database for the particular connection capacity group based on the detected increase in the number of physical ports available to accept a dedicated physical connection at the particular connection capacity group, wherein the capacity database comprises capacity information for each connection capacity group of the plurality of connection capacity groups. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising:
 determining a market rate for dedicated physical connections at a particular one of the connection capacity groups to be included in the response information for the particular connection capacity group based on the updated capacity information for the particular connection capacity group. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 determining, prior to determining the capacity for each of the two or more connection capacity groups that comprise physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection, a projected number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection, wherein the projected number of physical ports is based at least in part on information indicating one or more usage trends of physical ports at each respective connection capacity group; and 
 wherein said determining the capacity for each of the two or more connection capacity groups is based on the projected number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at each respective available connection capacity group. 
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 wherein said determining the capacity for each of the two or more connection capacity groups is based on a current number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at each respective connection capacity group. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 determining, by one or more of the compute nodes, a capacity for a specific type of physical port for each of two or more connection capacity groups of the plurality of connection capacity groups that comprise physical ports of the specific type available to accept the dedicated physical connection, wherein the physical ports at the two or more connection capacity groups comprise physical ports of a plurality of different types; and 
 determining, by one or more of the compute nodes, response information for physical ports of the specific type for each respective connection capacity group based on the determined capacity of physical ports of the specific type at the one or more respective connection capacity groups. 
 
     
     
         35 . One or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media storing program instructions that when executed on or across one or more processors:
 determine, responsive to receipt of a connectivity request from a client for connectivity via a dedicated physical connection, a capacity for each of two or more connection capacity groups of a plurality of connection capacity groups that each comprise physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection, each respective capacity based on a number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at a respective connection capacity group;   determine response information for each respective connection capacity group based on:
 the determined capacity at each respective connection capacity group, and 
 a determination, based on a proximity to a connection capacity group, that there is a smaller number of connection capacity groups with available ports to one or more others of the clients than to the client; and 
   instruct transmittal of a response comprising the determined response information.   
     
     
         36 . The one or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media of  claim 35 , wherein the program instruction, when executed on or across one or more of the processors:
 update, responsive to receipt of a selection of one or more of the two or more connection capacity groups available to accept the physical connection, capacity information of a capacity database for the selected connection capacity group based on the client's selection, wherein the capacity database comprises capacity information for each connection capacity group of the plurality of connection capacity groups.   
     
     
         37 . The one or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media of  claim 36 , wherein the program instruction, when executed on or across one or more of the processors:
 determine a market rate for dedicated physical connections at a particular one of the connection capacity groups to be included in the response information for the particular connection capacity group based on the updated capacity information for the particular connection capacity group; and   adjust a rate charged to existing clients for dedicated physical connections at the particular connection capacity group based at least in part on the determined market rate for the particular connection capacity group.   
     
     
         38 . The one or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media of  claim 35 , wherein the program instruction, when executed on or across one or more of the processors:
 determine a capacity for a specific type of physical port for each of two or more available connection capacity groups of the plurality of connection capacity groups that comprise physical ports of the specific type available to accept the dedicated physical connection, wherein the physical ports at the two or more available connection capacity groups comprise physical ports of different types; and   determine response information for physical ports of the specific type for each respective available connection capacity group based on the determined capacity of physical ports of the specific type at the two or more respective available connection capacity groups.   
     
     
         39 . The one or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media of  claim 35 , wherein the program instruction, when executed on or across one or more of the processors:
 detect an increase in the number of physical ports available to accept a dedicated physical connection at a particular one of the connection capacity groups;   update a market rate for dedicated physical connections at the particular connection capacity group based on the detected increase in the number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at the particular connection capacity group; and   adjust a rate charged to existing clients for dedicated physical connections at the particular connection capacity group based at least in part on the updated market rate for the particular connection capacity group.   
     
     
         40 . The one or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media of  claim 35 , wherein the program instruction, when executed on or across one or more of the processors:
 determine a projected number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at each respective available connection capacity group of the two or more connection capacity groups, wherein the projected number of physical ports for each respective available connection capacity group is based at least in part on information indicating one or more usage trends of physical ports at particular ones of the respective available connection capacity groups; and   determine the capacity for each of the two or more connection capacity groups based on the projected number of physical ports available to accept the dedicated physical connection at each particular respective available connection capacity group.