FLEXIBLE COST AND CONSTRAINT ASSIGNMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HIERARCHICAL NETWORKS

摘要

A method and system for flexible cost management in a hierarchical network is disclosed. The method and system define paths and a cost function for each type of node in a hierarchical network. The cost function depends on the hierarchical level of the node, cost function of the node's parent node, and cost functions for the node's child nodes. Constraints can be placed on the costs of the nodes by introducing time periods and/or various user defined criteria in their cost functions. Constraints on the total network can also be defined to bound the total cost of the network. In this manner, flexibility is injected in the management of costs in the hierarchical network.