Abstract: A method for deploying virtualized network functions (VNFs) as virtualized implementations of logical network devices in a virtualized computing environment for providing network services, the method including determining a VNF deployment plan including a specification, for each point in time over a planning period, of zero or more VNF instances to be released at the point in time and zero or more VNF instances to be deployed at the point in time, wherein the deployment plan is determined by an optimization function based on: a constraint on a number of VNFs in all states of undeployed, being deployed, deployed and being release; constraints based on a demand for VNFs defined by characteristics of the VNFs and the virtualized computing environment; and constraints based on a capacity of the virtualized computing environment to accommodate a resource consumption of the VNFs, and wherein the optimization function is configured to minimize one or more of: a number of VNFs in a deployed state; and a resource cost

Abstract: A method for deploying virtualized network functions (VNFs) as virtualized implementations of logical network devices in a virtualized computing environment for providing network services, the method including determining a VNF deployment plan including a specification, for each point in time over a planning period, of zero or more VNF instances to be released at the point in time and zero or more VNF instances to be deployed at the point in time, wherein the deployment plan is determined by an optimization function based on: a constraint on a number of VNFs in all states of undeployed, being deployed, deployed and being release; constraints based on a demand for VNFs defined by characteristics of the VNFs and the virtualized computing environment; and constraints based on a capacity of the virtualized computing environment to accommodate a resource consumption of the VNFs, and wherein the optimization function is configured to minimize one or more of: a number of VNFs in a deployed state; and a resource cost

Abstract: A method of configuring a feature subscription having the steps of: a) retrieving a feature subscription, the feature subscription comprising one or more features; b) configuring the feature subscription; c) determining one or more consistent solutions of the feature subscription configured in step b); and d) selecting a consistent solution from the one or more consistent solutions determined in step c).

Abstract: The invention relates to resource management, and describes a method and apparatus to be used in planning of resource deployment. In an embodiment of the invention, the number and characteristics of forecasted and/or unprocessed jobs falling within a time period such as a week, or a month, are compared to resource availability and status for that time period, in terms of attributes such as location, skills and time. A cost—in terms of jobs that cannot be carried out, given current resource availability and status—is evaluated. Preferably the attributes are stored as resource records, so that there is one resource record per resource, and the attributes of at least some of the resource records are modified using a heuristic search means or similar. The resource records are modified until a minimum cost is identified, and these resource records can then be used to formulate successive capacity plans, which can be input to a scheduling system.

Abstract: A plurality of resources, typically service operatives, are allocated to a plurality of tasks by a method in which initial information relating to the tasks to be allocated and the resources available to perform the tasks is provided. An initial series of schedules is first generated allocating resources to the tasks, and then modifying the individual schedule of at least one resource in response to updated information. Changes to individual schedules may be made in response to such updated information independently of the schedule generation. The initial, series of schedules may be generated in a two-stage process in which a rule-based system allocates tasks selected as being difficult to allocate (e.g., because they are linked to other tasks). then a stochastic (non-systematic) search system compiles the rest of the schedule.

Abstract: A feature checker provides the ability to review communications service features for interaction problems at service creation time, or at runtime. Hence a feature can be reviewed against existing service features or against a specific other user's features. The feature checker is based on modelling communications service features as constraint satisfaction problems in which constraints 600, 605 determine preset relationships between values 610, 615 for variables 200, 215, 300, 400 of the feature. The model can then be searched for inconsistencies which indicate feature interaction. Interaction can be solved by building in an “alternative invoke” 610 for a feature which overcomes the inconsistency. This might be for instance a form of invoke which, when instantiated, actively suppresses a conflicting feature.