Abstract: Communication system bandwidth reservation management techniques are disclosed. If actual usage of a reserved amount of bandwidth in a communication system reflects a reduced usage state, a determination is made as to whether the reserved amount of bandwidth is to be adjusted. A portion of the bandwidth that has been reserved for a Video-on-Demand session, for example, may be released when playback of a video is paused. A time-based series of reduced usage states may be defined such that reserved bandwidth is gradually released if the reserved bandwidth is not actually used for a period of time. Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in various forms of apparatus, methods, data structures, and Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).

Abstract: A method for testing connectivity of virtual private networks, the virtual private networks including customer edge routers and provider edge routers, the provider edge routers belonging to a network managed by a service provider, the method comprising: displaying a list of the virtual private networks on a display screen of a network management system for the network; receiving a signal from a user to select a virtual private network from the list of the virtual private networks, the virtual private network having a topology, an import route target, and an export route target associated therewith; generating a list of operations to test connectivity of the virtual private network from the topology, the import route target, and the export route target; displaying the list of operations to the user on the display screen; receiving a signal from the user to select an operation from the list of operations, the operation having a source provider edge router and a destination provider edge network associated there

Abstract: A method for generating a route distinguisher for a virtual private network, the virtual private network managed by a service provider through a network management system, the method comprising: receiving a signal from a user through a graphical user interface displayed on a display screen of the network management system to select a format for the route distinguisher; receiving a signal from the user through the graphical user interface to select a policy for determining the route distinguisher; displaying an available value for the route distinguisher on the display screen, the available value determined from the policy and the format, the available value including an administrator subfield value portion and a next assigned number subfield value portion; receiving an administrator subfield value and a next assigned number subfield value from the user through the graphical user interface; and, combining the administrator subfield value and the next assigned number subfield value to generate the route disting

Abstract: Communication system bandwidth reservation management techniques are disclosed. If actual usage of a reserved amount of bandwidth in a communication system reflects a reduced usage state, a determination is made as to whether the reserved amount of bandwidth is to be adjusted. A portion of the bandwidth that has been reserved for a Video-on-Demand session, for example, may be released when playback of a video is paused. A time-based series of reduced usage states may be defined such that reserved bandwidth is gradually released if the reserved bandwidth is not actually used for a period of time. Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in various forms of apparatus, methods, data structures, and Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).