Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method, apparatus and machine readable medium for traffic engineering in a communications network having Quality of Service (QoS) flows and Best Effort (BE) flows. Traffic engineering in a mixed traffic scenario is a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem having a solution which involves trade-offs between QoS performance objectives and BE performance objectives. In one embodiment of the method, jointly optimized paths and respective flow allocations for each of the QoS flows and BE flows are determined. At least one network component in the communications network are notified of the jointly optimized paths and respective flow allocations for each of the QoS flows and BE flows.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for performing traffic engineering for a flow traversing a communications network having a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled by a plurality of links, with at least one of the plurality of links being a wireless link. The method includes setting an activation factor for the at least one wireless link in accordance with buffer statuses associated with nodes traversed by the flow; and transmitting the activation factor to a scheduling entity for scheduling activation of the at least one wireless link in accordance with the activation factor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing traffic engineering in a communications network using a plurality of network slices are disclosed. The network slices are configured to manage a service including transmission of data along one or more flows along nodes of the communications network using a portion of physical link resources of the communications network. The method includes allocating the portion of physical link resources of the communications network associated with a first network slice of the plurality of network slices in accordance with instructions received from a traffic engineering entity associated with the first network slice.

Abstract: A method for agile wireless access network includes determining, by a network controller, capabilities and neighborhood relations of radio nodes in the radio access network. The network controller then configures a backhaul network infrastructure for the radio access network in accordance with the capabilities and the neighborhood relations of the radio nodes.

Abstract: A method for engineering traffic in a communications system includes determining a set of delay constraints associated with a traffic flow over the communications system, and excluding non-convex constraints from the set of delay constraints, thereby producing a set of convex constraints. The method also includes selecting a path solution for the traffic flow in accordance with the set of convex constraints, and sending information regarding the path solution to nodes in the communications system.

Abstract: A system is provided for allocating downlink transmit power in a wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system. During operation, the system identifies a set of receivers for receiving signals from one or more transmitters on a same time-frequency slot, receives channel state information (CSI) for communication channels between the identified receivers and the transmitters, and constructs a precoder based on the CSI. The system further derives a set of power-scale factors for the precoder based on a utility function associated with the identified receivers such that the power-scale factors optimize the utility function. A respective power-scale factor scales power transmitted to a corresponding receiver.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deploying a set of network caches in a communication network is provided. A set of network nodes is identified such that, for each of a set of client device locations, and for at least a number c of the set of nodes, output of a coverage cost function is no greater than a threshold. The coverage cost function receives as input a client location and one of the nodes. The set of network caches are then located at the respective set of nodes. The set of network nodes can be selected from plural candidate sets based on a utility criterion. The candidate sets can be generated by successive addition and/or removal of nodes. Information obtained from a Traffic Engineering function can be used to direct selection of the set of nodes. A cache-client association can be generated for directing clients to particular caches.

Abstract: A system and method for agile wireless access network is provided. A method embodiment for agile radio access network management includes determining, by a network controller, capabilities and neighborhood relations of radio nodes in the radio access network. The network controller then configures a backhaul network infrastructure for the radio access network in accordance with the capabilities and the neighborhood relations of the radio nodes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining whether to admit a virtual network using a set of communication network resources are provided. Different network resources can be owned by different infrastructure providers. Virtual network requests include a spatial profile of traffic requirements to be accommodated, and a determination is made as to whether the request can be accommodated based on available network resources. The resources include available backhaul link capacities. The resources can include computing resources for supporting service functions of the virtual network. Monitored network resource usage and traffic corresponding to the virtual network can be used to adjust future requests and accommodations. When a virtual network cannot be accommodated, a counter-offer can be made. Accommodation may incorporate monetary considerations. A feasibility computation of the admission procedure is formulated.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for transmission of data. A precoder is selected, and a feedforward filter is derived in accordance with the precoder. In some embodiments, the precoder is an arbitrary effective precoder. Data prepared using the precoder and the feedforward filter can then be transmitted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus supporting service function chaining in a communication network is provided. Service function chaining requires packets of a service to pass through a defined sequence of service nodes of the network. Traffic engineering support includes defining service segments, determining demands for each service segment, determining flow group conservation constraints using the determined demands, and determining a resource allocation for data links which respects the flow group conservation constraints along with a link capacity constraint. A service-based forwarding operation re-labels packets as they traverse each service segment, and forwards packets toward a destination service node of each service segment.

Abstract: An embodiment method for network optimization includes obtaining a first request to deliver a first data to a node in a network at a first data rate; obtaining a second request to deliver the first data to the node at a second data rate; and determining a flow decision schedule for a streaming session. The determining the flow decision schedule includes: scheduling a steady-state delivery period to deliver the first data at a steady-state data rate in accordance with the first data rate; and performing a best-effort allocation in accordance with the second data rate to determine a schedule for a supplemental delivery period, concurrent with at least a portion of the steady-state delivery period, to deliver the first data at a supplemental data rate.

Abstract: An embodiment method of traffic engineering (TE) in a software defined radio access network (SD-RAN) includes determining, by a radio resource manager (RRM) at a wireless radio node, respective data rates for paths of a plurality of user equipments (UEs) wirelessly coupled to the wireless radio node. The RRM computes respective supported wireless rates for the paths of the plurality of UEs according to the respective data rates. The TE module receives respective allocated data rates for the paths of the plurality of UEs. The method also includes repeating the determining and the computing using the respective allocated data rates.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for adaptive traffic engineering configuration. The embodiments enable the TE configuration to change in real time in response to changing conditions in the network, the TE algorithm, or other variables such that a TE decision is substantially optimized for current real time conditions. In an embodiment, a method in a network component for adaptable traffic engineering (TE) configuration in software defined networking (SDN) includes receiving at the network component TE configuration information, wherein the TE configuration information comprises information about at least one of network conditions, a TE algorithm, user equipment (UE) information, and the network component, and dynamically changing with the network component the TE configuration in accordance to a change in the TE configuration information.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method, apparatus and machine readable medium for traffic engineering in a communications network having Quality of Service (QoS) flows and Best Effort (BE) flows. Traffic engineering in a mixed traffic scenario is a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem having a solution which involves trade-offs between QoS performance objectives and BE performance objectives. In one embodiment of the method, jointly optimized paths and respective flow allocations for each of the QoS flows and BE flows are determined. At least one network component in the communications network are notified of the jointly optimized paths and respective flow allocations for each of the QoS flows and BE flows.

Abstract: A method for rata adaption and a network device providing rate adaption are disclosed. In an embodiment the method includes determining a source rate adjustment in accordance with a buffer status of a radio node and transmitting towards a traffic source, a source rate adjustment request in accordance with the determined source rate adjustment.

Abstract: A method and system for routing data in a content distribution network (network) from a plurality of content sources that store the same data to a receiving device, including generating a network topology in which each of the content sources that store the data are represented as virtual routers that are each connected to a common virtual content server by respective infinite capacity communication links; determining optimized routing through the network topology for the data from the virtual content server to the receiving device; and determining, in dependence on the optimized routing, a data allocation for each of the content sources to transmit data through the network to the receiving device.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for traffic scheduling based on user equipment (UE) in wireless networks. A location prediction-based network scheduler (NS) interfaces with a traffic engineering (TE) function to enable location-prediction-based routing for UE traffic. The NS obtains location prediction information for a UE for a next time window comprising a plurality of next time slots, and obtains available network resource prediction for the next time slots. The NS then determines, for each of the next time slots, a weight value as a priority parameter for forwarding data to the UE, in accordance with the location prediction information and the available network resource prediction. The result for the first time slot is then forwarded from the NS to the TE function, which optimizes, for the first time slot, the weight value with a route and data for forwarding the data to the UE.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for providing customized virtual networks based on SONAC. In an embodiment, a network management entity for providing a customized VN includes a SONAC module executed by a computing device that is connected to a wireless network, the SONAC module configured to receive service requirement data from the wireless network and create a service customized VN according to the service requirement data, the service requirement data describing one or more service requirements, wherein the SONAC module comprises an interface to interact with: an SDT component, the SDT component used by the SONAC module to determine a service customized logical topology; an SDRA component that maps the logical topology to physical network resources within the wireless network; and a SDP component that determines an end-to-end data transport protocol for communication between a first device and a second device via the wireless network.

Abstract: Historical decoding in accordance with signal interference cancellation (SIC) or joint processing may reduce the amount of data that is re-transported across a network following an unsuccessful attempt to decode a data transmission. In one example, historical decoding is performed in accordance with interference cancellation by communicating information related to interfering data (rather than information related to serving data) following a served receiver's unsuccessful attempt to decode an interference signal. The information related to the interfering data may be the information bits carried by the earlier interfering data transmission or parity information (e.g., forward error correction (FEC) bits, etc.) related to the earlier interfering data transmission.