About EcoNets

EcoNets Discovery Data

EcoNets is a standalone and a fully interactive tool that enables the telecommunications and networking specialists to model, analyze and design Voice, ACD, Narrowband-Data (e.g. SNA) , Broadband-Data (e.g. Frame Relay, ATM, TCP/IP, VoIP and PCS) network topologies using a consistent approach. EcoNets is based on a revolutionary new paradigm resulting in a very short learning cycle compared to all other design tools. EcoNets's inherent design flexibility results from its ability to employ a top down approach for modeling network topologies very rapidly. Data networks with mixed topologies and several levels of concentrators/routers/network switches can also be modeled with speed and ease. Automatic Call Distribution (ACD sometimes also called Incoming Call Management) Systems and other enterprise networks employing well known virtual facilities can now be easily modeled and designed. Backbone network topologies using T1/T3 or SONET or WDM technologies can also be quickly modeled and optimized. The package provides a novel approach to recommending sites for concentrators and switches through the process of finding centers-of-gravity (COGs). The Author has yet to find a network that EcoNets can't model or design. The optimum topology resulting from a networking study can then be employed as an input to any popular computer simulation tool only and only if an in-depth protocol dependent network performance evaluation is required.

The package requires several sequential input files for computations. The VHD file lists the V&H coordinates and peak hour traffic loads for each site/location. The Link file defines the link type to connect each site to the next level switch. The NLT file defines each link type, its attributes and the related tariff as defined in the TARIFF file. The SDF file defines additional system design parameters required to model the performance of voice and data network. The MAP file defines boundaries of the states or/and country. The From-To-File (FTF) is an optional file that can be used to either model a given network topology or define exact peak hour traffic flows between all pairs of network locations. Several types of tariffs for private leased lines (e.g. AT&T's Tariffs 9, 10 and 11), virtual circuits (e.g. AT&T's 800Svc., Megacom 800Svc. and WATS) and fully owned facilities ( e.g. digital microwave and fiber optics) can be quickly modeled and employed for designing enterprise networks in rapid succession. Since the algorithms of this package are now completely distinct from the ever-changing tariffs, one no longer needs expensive monthly or quarterly updates.

The package employs an extremely user-friendly interface consisting of specially constructed windows with edit fields and dialog buttons to allow the users to communicate with the application. The interface also consists of pull down menus to create, view and update all the input files that are required to run the package. The software allows the user to save output files for access lines (ALs), trunks and network topologies at each hierarchical level. The user can open these output files for viewing/ printing these at a later time. User's interface employs four (4) pull down menus: File, Networking, Analysis and Help. The File menu has 10 items: Create InputFile, View-UpdateInputFile, Save FileAs.., Duplicate File, VHDFilesMerge, VHD Traffic Multiplier, MAP/FTFilesMerge, OpenOutputFile, Print.., and Quit. The Networking menu has nine items: FindCOGs, StarDataNet, DLNet, MDNet, MSTNet, VoiceNet, ACDNet, GivenNet, and CreateDB. The Analysis menu has fourteen items: Find B-ErlB, Find N-ErlB, Find B-FiniteM, MMNQueueAnalysis, MDNQueueAnalysis, Composite ACDAnalysis, Multi-Priority Queue, PSS-Msg.Expansion, LAN Performance, PSS DelayAnalysis, Reliability, Return-On-Investment, BBNetOptimization and FindRoutes. The Help menu has 5 items for viewing data about EcoNets, InputsFiles, OutputFiles, Networking and Analysis.

These tools are based on proven algorithms and techniques as described in Author's latest Textbook entitled "Network Design Using EcoNets", International Thomson Computer Press, Boston,1997. A software package based on the educational version (econetsf.exe) is now included with the Textbook. The Econetsf Version will run on any IBM compatible PC desktop workstation with Windows, each equipped with at least 32 Megabytes of RAM. It can handle networks with 250 nodes or less. Customized versions of EcoNets can handle networks with 500 or more nodes but these will require 128 or more Megabytes of RAM to meet specific needs of an enterprise. A customized version of EcoNets also provides the capability of creating important input data files in an effortless manner using the 5-digit Postal Zip-Codes instead of the NPA-NNX part of telephone numbers. The latter approach is becoming very hard to employ due to the everchanging/overlappping sets of NPA codes. A sample EcoNets study for integrating voice with an enterprise data network based on either IP or ATM technology is also presented in one of the pages that follow.

Please visit the following pages to investigate the history or capability of EcoNets:

For additional information on EcoNets, please email to: info@econets.com