JP2000312226A - Method for warranting communication quality - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize assurance of a quality of service QoS resource in Internet service provider ISP interconnection in order to warrant the QoS by end to end over a plurality of ISP networks. SOLUTION: A network management unit 50 installed in each ISP discloses resource information to warrant the QoS of each network management unit 50 and charging information attended with use of a resource to a network resource namagement unit 60 connected to a plurality of ISP networks. The network resource management unit 60 detects a communication path to satisfy a QoS assurance and a charge amount requested from a user on the basis of the disclosed information in the case of setting a communication path bridged over a plurality of the ISP networks and requests each network management unit 50 on the setting of a resource to warrant the QoS in order to set the communication path. In the case of making a request of setting a resource to each network management unit 50, the network resource management unit 60 informs each network management unit 50 about a time band using the resource, the request band, a requested security level, a maximum allowable communication delay time, an address of a router receiving data, an address of a router of an adjacent ISP network from which the data are outputted, or a utility charge.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for publishing QoS resources in a computer network and a method for using the resources, and more particularly, to a method in which a plurality of ISPs (Int
The present invention relates to a method of managing QoS resources in a network in which a network of an Internet Service Provider (Ethernet Service Provider) exists and whose route setting is dynamically controlled by the QoS resources, and a method of using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional ISP network, a best-effort service has been provided. This is a service that does not have QoS (Quality of Services) guarantees, such as packet arrival times, time intervals of successively arriving packets, packet arrival guarantees, and security guarantees that packets themselves are not changed in the middle. . In an ISP network, an access fee is charged to a host connected to the network. If data from that host flows to another ISP network connected to that ISP network,
In the agreement between them, a fee system that does not directly affect the usage method of the user is adopted. However, in recent years, Qo such as real-time voice communication such as telephone, video communication, encrypted data exchange in e-commerce
Services requiring S are becoming widely used. Along with that, until now at the device internal level between terminals
What has guaranteed QoS has been desired to perform QoS guarantee at the network level in ISP units. For this reason, routers that constitute the network are now able to provide QoS, and it is expected that many ISP networks will support QoS guarantees in the future.

On the other hand, a network routing algorithm has a concept of lowest cost routing.
For example, the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol can be used to find the shortest path or alternative path that minimizes network load, line cost per speed, delay, etc. OSPF was initially used by a group of routers that used a common routing protocol called AS (Autonomous System). That is, the AS is for each internal network, and the configuration of the ISP network or the in-house LAN corresponds to it. OSPF has evolved to a specification that can be used for cross-network management.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3234140 discloses a technique relating to network routing. The publication discloses the following contents. A storage device in which the information of the transfer route of the message is stored for each transfer destination node, and every time the information of the network environment definition file in the storage device is updated, the transfer route information in the storage device is read and the route is selected. Create an information table. When a message is transferred, a plurality of pieces of path selection information are read from the path selection information table, and a transfer path is selected from the information according to a predetermined priority.

[0005] Also, the IETF (Internet Engineering Task)
Force), routers that provide multiple QoS guarantees are based on IP (Internet Protocol)
l) Labeling the header of the packet and trying to prioritize packet forwarding based on the label.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Even if QoS is guaranteed for each ISP network, since the QoS provided by each ISP network is different,
Depending on the combination of the ISP network through which packets pass and the QoS guarantee provided there, the content of QoS that can be provided for data communication performed between terminals connected to different ISP networks changes. Therefore, End over multiple ISP networks
In order to guarantee QoS from end to end, a mechanism is required between ISPs in which each ISP secures QoS resources for providing its own QoS.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to use a QoS resource not used in an ISP network for connection with another ISP network, so that even when communication is performed over a plurality of ISP networks, a QoS To provide a guarantee.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a network management device installed in each ISP is replaced by a network resource management device connected to a plurality of ISP networks. It publishes resource information for guaranteeing the QoS possessed by the user and charging information for using the resources. The network resource management device is requested by the user based on the published information when setting up a communication route over a plurality of ISP networks.
In order to detect a communication path that satisfies the QoS guarantee and charging amount, and to set the communication path, for each network management device,
Requests resource settings to guarantee QoS. When there are a plurality of detected communication paths, it is desirable to set the communication path with the lowest charge among them. When requesting each network management device to set a resource, the network resource management device receives input of a time zone in which the resource is used, a requested bandwidth, a requested security level, an allowable maximum communication delay time, and data. Of the router, the address of the router of the adjacent ISP network to which data should be output, or the usage fee. Each network management device that has received the resource setting request restricts the resources to be provided or changes the charging of the resources to be provided according to the user of the resources, and the resources to which the restrictions are applied or changes. It is determined whether or not to accept a resource setting request from the network resource management device according to the charging performed.

[0009] Each network management device, upon request of the network resource management device, publishes all information for each ISP when publishing resource information for guaranteeing QoS and charging information associated with the use of the resource. Decide whether to publish or only some information.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a method for publishing QoS resources of a network and a method for utilizing the resources according to the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, an ISP network will be described as an example of the AS. However, regardless of the ISP network, end-to-end across multiple networks with different management policies
The present invention can be applied to the case where QoS is guaranteed.

FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram including a network resource management device and a plurality of ISP networks managed by the network resource management device.

The network resource management device 60 has a remaining AS resource table 121,
Remaining AS resource database (DB) 122, resource request receiving means 1
23, AS connection configuration table 124, network (NW) resource management means 126, remaining NW resource statistical processing means 127, NW resource setting means 12
9 and the remaining NW resource DB 500. In this embodiment, the resource request receiving unit 123, the network (NW) resource management unit 126, the remaining NW resource statistical processing unit 127, and the NW resource setting unit 129 are each configured as a functional module.

The NW resource management means 126 includes a remaining AS resource table 121,
Remaining AS resource DB 122, AS resource composition table 124, Remaining NW resource DB 50
With reference to 0, it manages the resource request receiving means 123, the remaining NW resource statistical processing means 127, and the NW resource setting means 129. Also,
The NW resource management means 126 includes the remaining AS resource table 121, the remaining AS resource DB
122, the AS resource configuration table 124, and the remaining NW resource DB 500 are also updated. The AS connection configuration table 124 is a database relating to the connection configuration between ASs. In the network configuration of FIG.
In the AS connection configuration table 124, the ISP networks A, B, C, and D are connected to each other, and the ISP networks D and E are connected to each other.
The networks B, C, E, F and G indicate information that they are interconnected. The NW resource setting unit 129 sets a route for each ISP network,
Set the bandwidth to be reserved. Both the remaining AS resource table 121 and the remaining AS resource DB 122 hold the remaining AS resource information of each AS. The structure of the data they hold will be described later.
The data structure is the same as the data structure held by the remaining AS resource database 118 in the AS network management device 50. However, the remaining AS resource table 12
1 is a temporary file, not a database. Each A
In S, when QoS resources are allocated or released,
The remaining AS resources of the AS fluctuate. The remaining AS resource table 121 temporarily manages the change until the change is reflected in the remaining AS resource DB 122. Here, the remaining AS resource is a certain AS
Means the QoS resources that the AS can provide when passing data from one adjacent AS to another adjacent AS. More specifically, the remaining AS resources mean the remaining QoS resources (bandwidth, delay, security level) and charging information that are not reserved or used by the user among the QoS resources of each AS. Note that the bandwidth is determined from the effective bandwidth assigned to the logical interface of the router. The degree of delay is determined from the time required for data to pass through the router and the setting conditions relating to the data passing priority in the router. The security level is determined from the setting conditions of the security function provided by the router. The charging is determined by the operator of each AS network. Remaining NW resource statistical processing means 12
7 rearranges the remaining QoS resources between the two connectable AS networks according to time, and generates data for a remaining NW resource DB 500 described later.

Reference numeral 210 denotes a configuration example of the ISP network A. ISP network
A is routers 20, 21 and 22 and AS (Autonomous System)
It comprises a network management device 50. However, the number of routers constituting the ISP network is not limited to that shown in FIG. ISP network B 2
20, ISP network C 230, ISP network D 240, ISP network E 250, ISP network F 260
The configuration of the ISP network G270 is the same as the configuration of the ISP network A.

When performing communication with the host computer B 72, the host computer A 71, based on the information (charging, band, etc.) of each ISP indicated from the network resource management device 60, is most necessary for the communication. An ISP network with network resources can be selected.

FIG. 2 shows the remaining network in the network resource management device 60.
6 shows an embodiment of a data structure of the resource DB 500. This data holds the past, present and future residual QoS resources for each route spanning multiple ISP networks. Data table 551
Is the surviving ISP network A and ISP network C at the current time.
This shows the QoS resources.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the AS network management device 50. The AS network management device 50 includes an available router resource table 111, an intra-AS router connection configuration table 112, an EG (Exterior Gateway) router connection configuration table 113, an AS resource management unit 114, and a remaining AS resource table 11.
5, AS resource request receiving means 116, remaining AS resource statistical processing means 11
7.Remaining AS resource database 118 and AS resource setting means 11
It is composed to include nine. Here, the EG router is a router connected to an adjacent ISP.

In this embodiment, the AS resource management means 114, the AS resource request receiving means 116, the remaining AS resource statistical processing means 117 and the AS
The resource setting means 119 is configured as a function module.
The available router resource table 111 is a database indicating available router resources. Here, the router resource is a QoS resource for each logical interface. FIG. 11 shows the data structure of the usable router resource table 111. The intra-AS router connection configuration table 112 shows the connection relation of the routers constituting the own ISP network. For example, the intra-AS router connection configuration table 112 of the ISP network A indicates information that the respective logical interfaces of the routers 20, 21, and 22 are connected to each other. The EG router connection configuration table 113 indicates which EG router in the own ISP network is connected to which EG router in another ISP network. The AS resource management means 114 includes an available router resource table 111,
Referring to the intra-AS router connection configuration table 112, the EG router connection configuration table 113, the remaining AS resource table 115, and the remaining AS resource DB 118, the AS resource request receiving means 116, the remaining AS resource statistical processing means 117, and
It manages the AS resource setting means 119. Also, AS resource management means 1
14 also updates the remaining AS resource table 115 and the remaining AS resource DB 118. The data structure of the remaining AS resource table 115 is the same as the data structure of the remaining AS resource DB 122 described later. But,
The remaining AS resource table 115 is a temporary file, like the remaining AS resource table 121 in the network resource management device 60. Remaining AS resource table 121
Temporarily manages the change of the remaining AS resource until the change is reflected in the remaining AS resource DB 122. The AS resource request receiving means 116 performs a process of receiving an AS resource request from the network management device 60. The remaining AS resource statistical processing means 117 sorts the remaining QoS resources between the logical interfaces of the two connectable routers in the AS network by time, and
Generate data for S resource DB 118. AS resource setting means 119
Performs a route setting, a band setting, and the like to a router configuring the AS in response to an AS resource setting request requested from the network management device 60.

The AS network management device 50 is an SNMP (Simple Network
Management Protocol (MIB) management software allows the routers 20 to 21 in their AS to have MIBs (Management Info).
rmation Base) and the remaining router resources that can be used are collected, and an available router resource table 111, an AS router connection configuration table 112, and an EG router connection configuration table 113 are created and updated.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the data structure of the remaining AS resource database 118. Here, the remaining QoS resources in the past, present, and future are retained for each adjacent ISP network. The data tables 411 and 442 respectively represent the current and future residual QoS of the ISP network A held by the ISP network D.
Indicates resources.

In the network shown in FIG. 1, communication from the host computer A 71 to the host computer B 72 requires a plurality of ISs.
It is necessary to set a route that spans the P network. A plurality of routes from the host computer A 71 to the host computer B 72 can be selected. Hereinafter, a method of selecting a route and a fee according to the present invention will be described. Note that the ISP networks have different numbers of routers, different performances, and different settings for the line capacity, and thus the performances of the ISP networks are not the same. Also, since the usage rate of the ISP network differs depending on the investment cost, the number of users, and the connection destination, the same usage fee is not guaranteed in each ISP network.

When the host computer A 71 communicates with the host computer B 72, the network resource management device 60 selects which ISP network combination, within a specific fee range, the host computer A 71
A 71 Qo for bandwidth, delay time, security, etc.
Calculate whether communication can be performed while observing the conditions related to S guarantee.
The network resource management device 60 refers to the remaining NW resource DB 500 to determine the QoS guarantee and fee requested from the host computer A 71 from the combination of the QoS resources between the ISP networks and the charging system. Select a combination that satisfies you and select the host computer B 72
Set the route to.

More specifically, the resource request receiving means 123 of the network resource management device 60 sends the host computer A 71 to the host computer B
It receives the QoS guarantee conditions and its communication cost required for communicating with 72. The NW resource management means 126 obtains up to a certain number of combinations of ISP networks constituting a route between two hosts, and for each combination, the QoS resources between the ISP networks held in the remaining NW resource DB 500 and the accounting. Combined with the system,
Calculate the QoS guarantee conditions and billing amount that can be realized for the entire route. The NW resource management unit 126 obtains the QoS guarantee condition and the charging amount for a certain number of combinations, and then receives the received QoS.
Select the route that minimizes charging within the range that can guarantee the conditions.

The network resource management device 60 compares the charge amount for the selected route with the communication cost desired by the host computer A 71, and if the communication cost is lower than that, the resource request receiving means Using 123, the host computer A 71
To inform that there is no appropriate network.

If the communication cost is equal to or greater than the billing amount, the NW resource setting means 129 performs a route setting process.

Here, the flow of the route setting process including the route to the router will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation performed between the network resource management device 60, the AS network management device 50, and the router in the AS when securing QoS resources for data communication performed on a path extending over a plurality of ISP networks. 4 shows a communication flow.

The network resource management device 60 includes a network resource setting unit 129
Using Q, Q for each ISP network that constitutes the selected route
Send a resource reservation request for setting the route including the oS guarantee condition and communication cost. Specifically, from the network resource management device 60,
A resource securing request is transmitted to each AS network management device 50 that manages the ISP network (1110, 1111).

Each AS network management device 50 that has received the resource securing request
Confirms whether router resources in its AS can be secured (1103, 1104). As a method for acquiring the resource information in the AS, a method using OSPF is known.

When it is determined that router resources can be secured, the AS network management device 50 issues a resource securing request to the router (1118, 1119). As a method of securing router resources, there are known a method of rewriting MIB in the router using SNMP and a method of changing router settings using a command for an administrator.

The router receiving the resource securing request performs router resource securing processing (1105, 1106), and sends a router resource securing response to the corresponding AS network management device (1120, 112).
1). AS network management device 5 that received the resource reservation response from the router
0 sends a resource reservation response to the network resource management device 60 (111
2, 1113). All the AS network management devices 50 to which the resource reservation response has been transmitted from the network resource management device 60
1111), the network resource management device 60 uses the resource request receiving means 123 to notify the host computer A 71 that the network has been secured.

According to such a flow, in a network composed of a plurality of ISP networks, a route that satisfies the QoS guarantee conditions required by the host computer can be set.

The network resource management device 60 is a host computer.
The QoS guarantee condition and the communication cost required by A 71 may be directly received from the host computer A 71, or the host computer A 71
Alternatively, the QoS guarantee condition and the communication cost may be notified to the AS network management device 50 of the ISP to which the user subscribes, and the notified AS network management device 50 may request the network resource management device 60 for the condition. Also, the network resource management device 60 can be accessed by a broker who specializes in buying and selling the network.

The flow when the reserved router resources are used continuously is the same as the flow when the above-mentioned router resources are reserved. That is, the network resource management device 60 transmits a resource continuation request to each AS network management device 50 (1114, 1115). The AS network management device 50 that has received the resource continuation request confirms whether router resources can be continuously secured. Each AS network management device 50 that has determined that the router resources can be continuously secured makes a resource continuation securing request to the router in its AS (1122, 1123). The router receiving the resource continuation securing request performs the resource continuation securing process (1107, 1108),
The router resource continuation securing response is transmitted to the corresponding AS network management device 50 (1124, 1125).

If the network resource management device 60 receives a resource continuation securing response (1116, 1117) from each AS network management device 50, the network is continued to the host computer A 71 using the resource request receiving means 123. Communicate that it has been secured.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, the network resource management device 60
A flow for collecting the remaining QoS resources of each ISP network from the AS network management device 50 will be described. FIG. 5 is a communication flow in which the network resource management device 60 collects the available remaining AS resources in the ISP network from the AS network management device 50 in the ISP that has made a contract for releasing the QoS resource information. Is shown.

The network resource management device 60 receives each event by an event interrupt (1001) such as a timer or information update accompanying internal processing.
The last update time at which the remaining AS resource data was updated is checked with the AS network management device 50 (1010, 1011). Each AS network management device reads the last update time of the remaining AS resource data from the remaining AS resource table 115 or the remaining AS resource DB 118 (1002, 100
3) Notify the network resource management device 60 (1012, 1013). The network resource management device 60 compares the received last update time with the last update time of the remaining AS resource table 121, and identifies the AS network management device 50 having data that needs to be updated (1004). The network resource management device 60 keeps the identified AS network management device 50
Requests reference to AS resource data (1014, 1015). The AS network management device 50 that has received the reference request authenticates the network resource management device 60 and reads the contents of the remaining AS resource table / database at that time (1005, 1006). When the authentication of the network resource management device 60 is successful, the AS network management device 50 transmits the remaining AS resource data to the network resource management device 60 (1016, 1010).
17). If the authentication of the network resource management device 60 fails, the AS network management device 50 refuses to refer to the remaining AS resource data. The network resource management device 60 remains from its AS network management device 50.
When the AS resource data is received, the remaining AS resource table 121 is updated based on the data (1007).

According to such a flow, the network resource management device
60 can obtain QoS resource information and billing information that can be used in each ISP network from each AS network management device 50.

Next, the processing of the QoS resource information and the charging information as viewed from the AS network management device of each ISP network will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to flowcharts of FIGS.

Here, the AS network management device 50 of the ISP network A 210 will be described as an example.

First, the flow of FIG. 7 will be described. AS
The AS resource management means 114 in the network management device 50 starts (1
201), wait for the arrival of the event (1202). When the event arrives, one of three processes is performed according to the content (1203). One is to acquire information about the router caused by the periodic timer interrupt (1209) (1204).
If there is a change in the QoS guarantee resources of the router, the AS
The resource management unit 114 updates the available router resource table 111. If there is a change in the router configuration, AS resource management means
114 is an AS router connection configuration table 112 and an EG router connection configuration table
Update 113 (1205). Next, the AS resource management unit 114 updates the remaining AS resource table 115 and the remaining AS resource DB 118 with the update of the information on the router (1206).

Thus, the AS network management device 50 can periodically manage the QoS resource information and the charging information of the router.

The second event is the ISP that it manages
This is a resource reference request (1210) arriving from outside the network A 210. At this time, the AS resource management unit 114 performs the remaining AS resource notification processing (1208) and waits for the arrival of the event again.

The remaining AS resource notification processing 1208 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the remaining AS resource notification process,
First, the remaining AS resource DB 118 is referred to (1221). next,
The AS resource request receiving means 116 confirms the request source requesting the use of the resource (1222) and notifies the AS resource managing means 114.

The request source is, for example, an ISP that is a competitor,
If the user is not a user of the SP network A 210 (1228), the AS resource management unit 114 performs processing for concealing or changing part of the information in the remaining AS resource DB 118 (1224), and performs the processing. The requested data is notified to the request source (1225). If the requester is a broker who specializes in buying and selling the network, a user of the ISP network A 210 or a cooperating company or contract user (1227), the request is made without changing the information in the remaining AS resource DB 118. Notify to the original (1223).

Thus, the AS network management device 50 of the ISP network A 210
Can restrict the notification of the remaining QoS resource information related to the QoS guarantee to the competing ISP network or the like, or change the billing to notify it. On the other hand, originally available QoS resource information and billing information can be presented to companies and contract users who have a cooperative relationship.

Returning to the description of FIG. The third of the events is a resource setting request arriving from outside the ISP network A 210 managed by itself (1211).

FIG. 10 shows that the network resource management device 60 is an AS network management device.
When requesting a QoS resource from the network resource management device 50, the resource setting request 600 communicated between the network resource request reception unit 126 in the network resource management device 60 and the AS resource request reception unit 116 in the AS network management device 50 It is an example of a data format. The resource setting request 600 includes a start time 6 at which the resource of the ISP network A is to be used.
01, end time 602, inbound router address 6 at the start of use
03, egress router address 604 at the start of use, desired bandwidth 605, maximum delay time 606 between ingress and egress routers,
Security level between the ingress and egress routers 607, 601-
The accounting information 608 for using the QoS resource 607 is included.

AS resource management means 11 receiving the resource setting request
4 implements AS resource allocation processing (1207). The AS network management device 50 acquires information on the router and updates the data described in the first event (1204, 1214).
05, 1206), and obtains information on the router changed by the resource allocation.

The AS resource allocation processing 1207 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In AS resource allocation processing,
The AS resource DB 118 is referenced (1231). Next, the AS resource request receiving means 116 confirms the request source requesting the use of the resource, and notifies the AS resource managing means 114 (1232).

ISP or ISP whose request source is, for example, a competitor
If the user is not a user of the network A 210 (1242), the AS resource management unit 114 performs processing for concealing or changing a part of the information of the remaining AS resource DB 118 (1234), and makes the change. Based on the information, calculate the router resources to be allocated and billing (12
35). If the requester is a broker who specializes in buying and selling the network, a user of the ISP network A 210 or a cooperating company or contract user (1241), a router to assign using the information of the remaining AS resource DB 118 as it is Perform resource and billing calculations (1233). The request source can be identified by the source address 603.

When there is no router resource to be allocated (1244),
The remaining AS resource external management device notifying unit 110 issues a resource request setting non-permission notification to the request source.

If there is a router resource to be allocated (1243), but the billing amount is higher than the presented fee of 608 (1246), the remaining AS resource external management device notification means 110 notifies the request source of the resource request setting non-permission. Get out (1238).

If there is a router resource to be allocated (1243), but the charging amount is equal to the presentation fee 608, or if the charging amount is lower than the presentation fee 608 (1245), the AS resource setting means 119 sets the IS
The router in the P network A210 performs setting processing for QoS guarantee (1239). Remaining AS resource external management device notification means 110
Sends a resource request setting notification to the request source (1240).

Thus, the AS network management device 50 of the ISP network A 210
Can restrict the use of resources related to QoS assurance to competing ISP networks, etc., and change the billing when using them. On the other hand, the cooperating company or contract user can use the resources and billing information related to the QoS guarantee of the 210 ISP network as they are.

Also, in the description of the AS resource allocation process in FIG.
There is router resource to be allocated (1243), and the billing amount is the offered fee
If it is higher than 608 (1246), the remaining AS resource external management device notification means 110 issues a resource request setting non-permission notification to the request source (1238). However, the NW resource management unit 126 may repeat the above-described processing for a plurality of different
After collecting resources again, perform the above processing again,
Alternatively, it is conceivable to repeatedly request the AS network management apparatus to lower the billing, collect the AS resources again, and perform the AS resource allocation process again. In the last example, it is necessary to provide the AS network resource management device with a plurality of charging standards for QoS resources.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the network resource management device 60 manages the remaining QoS resources and billing information of a plurality of ISP networks, so that a plurality of QoS resources can be set based on the information. A route can be set across ISP networks. As a result, it is possible to perform communication satisfying a desired QoS condition between terminals connected to different ISP networks.

In this embodiment, the network resource management device 60
Has a configuration that does not belong to any of the multiple ISP networks.
A configuration may be adopted in which a network resource management device is provided in a network operated by each SP company, and information is shared between the network resource management devices. Each ISP uses a network resource management device when it is necessary to set a communication route that satisfies a desired QoS condition for another user using another ISP network.
The communication path is set.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention,
QoS can be guaranteed even when communication is performed between terminals connected to different ISP networks.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network including a network resource management device and a plurality of ISP networks managed by the network resource management device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a data structure of a residual network resource database according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a data structure of a residual AS resource database according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an AS network management device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a communication flow for the network resource management device to collect remaining AS resources available from the AS network management device in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a communication flow of a resource request and a response to the resource request, which are communicated between the network resource management device, the AS network management device, and the router in the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining processing of QoS resource information and charging information in the AS network management device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining AS resource allocation processing in the AS network management device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a remaining AS resource notification process in the AS network management device of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows an example of data configuration used when the network resource management device requests a QoS resource from the AS network management device in the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a configuration example of a data structure of an available router resource table according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

20-22: router, 50: AS network management device, 71, 7
2: Host computer, 111: Available router resource table, 11
2: AS internal router connection configuration table, 113: EG router connection configuration table, 116: AS resource request receiving means, 118: residual AS resource database, 126: network resource request receiving means, 210: ISP network A, 500: residual network Resource database.

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A method for guaranteeing communication quality of data communication performed through a plurality of networks, each managed by a plurality of network management devices, comprising the steps of: A surplus network resource of a network to be managed and charging information for using the resource are collected. Based on the collected surplus network resource and charging information, any two adjacent networks among the plurality of networks are collected. A source terminal that requests a data transfer to a destination terminal via a network of some of the plurality of networks by constructing a database on surplus network resources available between the resources and charging information for using the resource Receiving the communication quality and the charge amount condition for the data transfer request from A communication path that satisfies the condition is searched from the database, one communication path that satisfies the condition is selected, and among the plurality of networks, each network management device that manages a plurality of networks that the selected communication path passes through is selected. On the other hand, it is required to set the communication path. 2. The method for guaranteeing communication quality according to claim 1, wherein, when a plurality of communication paths satisfying the above conditions are found, a communication path that is easier to charge is selected. 3. The method for guaranteeing communication quality according to claim 1, wherein each of the network management devices managing a plurality of networks through which the selected communication path passes requests a setting of the selected communication path. When requesting the use of the communication path,
The required bandwidth, required security level, maximum allowable communication delay time, or usage fee is notified. 4. A method for guaranteeing communication quality according to claim 3, wherein when the use of said communication path is continued beyond said required time zone, a plurality of said communication paths pass. A continuous use request is notified to each network management device that manages the network. 5. The method for guaranteeing communication quality according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of networks includes a plurality of routers, wherein the method includes: When requesting each network management device that manages a plurality of networks through which a communication path passes to set the communication path selected above, an address of a router to which data is input, and a router in an adjacent network to output data to Notify the address of. 6. A method for guaranteeing communication quality according to claim 3, wherein each management device is accessed periodically, and surplus network resources of a network managed by the management device are collected and registered in the database. And periodically updating surplus network resources usable between any two adjacent networks among the plurality of networks and charging information for using the resources. 7. A method for allocating network resources in a network including a network management device for managing a network, a network management device for managing a network adjacent to the network, and a network resource management device connected to each network management device. Wherein each network management device notifies the network resource management device of the surplus network resources of the network managed by itself and charging information for using the resources, and transfers the data to the adjacent network. Therefore, when the use of the surplus network resource notified by the network resource management device is requested, a part or all of the surplus network resource is allocated to data transfer to the adjacent network. 8. The method for allocating surplus network resources according to claim 7, wherein the network resource management device requests the use of the notified surplus network resources to transfer data to an adjacent network. At the same time, the user of the surplus network resource is notified of the usage fee, the user using the surplus network resource is analyzed from which of the plurality of networks the data is transmitted, and according to the analysis result. Changing the charging amount of the surplus network resource, comparing the changed charging amount with the usage fee, and if the usage fee is lower than the changed charging amount, removes the surplus network resource from the adjacent network resource. Refuse to assign to data transfer to the network. 9. A method for transmitting surplus network resources from a network management device to a plurality of information processing devices connected to the network management device, the method comprising: transmitting the surplus network resources and the resources from the plurality of information processing devices. A request for referring to charging information for use is received, the request source is analyzed, and it is determined for each request source whether to notify all or a part of the surplus network resources. 10. A method for transmitting surplus network resources according to claim 9, wherein a charge amount is changed and notified for each request source.