Predicting Future Bandwidth Utilization

This topic describes how to activate and view future bandwidth utilization forecasts for a Port, Megaport Cloud Router (MCR), Megaport Virtual Edge (MVE), Virtual Cross Connect (VXC), and Internet Exchange (IX) in the Megaport ONE Portal. You can also set bandwidth forecast trend alerts so that you are notified if a certain alert condition or threshold is met.

The Megaport ONE Prediction Forecasting Engine uses Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to identify trends in bandwidth usage. Forecasts for Megaport ONE services and connections are generated based on these usage data trends, to predict future bandwidth usage.

Note

The Megaport ONE Prediction Forecasting Engine generates bandwidth utilization forecasts based on trends in the historical data, for example, based on a gradual increase day after day of bandwidth usage for a Port. Data spikes or anomalous events cannot be predicted; any quick spikes or outages are accounted for in the historical trend data but spikes or outages that occur only once for a period of time are treated as outliers and ignored by the Prediction Engine.

Activating Insights service monitoring

Before you can view bandwidth utilization forecasts, you first need to activate the Insights monitoring service for the service or connection. After you activate Insights, it might take one hour or longer before initial forecast reports are generated and displayed in the Megaport ONE Portal.

To activate Insights service monitoring

In the Megaport ONE Portal, choose Networking > Services.
Select the required service from the Types drop-down list (Port, MCR, MVE).

Tip

To activate forecasts for a VXC or IX, select the relevant service then click the arrow in the left column. The connections for the service are displayed.
In the Name column, click on the service or connection you want to monitor with Insights.
On the details page, click Insights.
Since this is the first time you have opened this page, you need to activate the Insights monitoring service to start generating forecast reports.
Click Activate Insight Service Monitoring.
Click Activate to confirm.
It might take one hour or longer before initial forecast reports are generated and displayed.

Viewing bandwidth utilization forecasts

After you activate the Insights monitoring service, you can view bandwidth utilization forecasts.

Note

Before you can view bandwidth forecasts, you need to activate the Insights monitoring service for the service or connection. After you activate Insights, it might take one hour or longer before initial forecast reports are generated and displayed. For details, see Activating Insights service monitoring.

To view bandwidth utilization forecasts

In the Megaport ONE Portal, choose Networking > Services.
Select the required service from the Types drop-down list (Port, MCR, MVE).

Tip

To view forecasts for a VXC or IX, select the relevant service then click the arrow in the left column. The connections for the service are displayed.
In the Name column, click on the service or connection for which you want to view bandwidth forecasts.
On the details page, click Insights.
From the Date Range drop-down list, select a time range for which to view historical bandwidth data.
This data is plotted on the left half of the graph. You can view data for time intervals relevant to the service. For example, if the service has only been up for one day, you will only see 1 day as the time interval selection. Where available, the default time range is the last 30 days.
The maximum time range that you can select is 90 days.
From the Forecast Period drop-down list, select a time range for which to view bandwidth utilization forecasts.
The forecast is plotted on the right half of the graph. You can view forecasts for the next 24 hours, 10 days, or 30 days. We recommend selecting 10 Days for the most accurate forecast results.
From the Bandwidth Direction drop-down list, select whether to view data for incoming or outgoing traffic.
From the Utilization Benchmarks (Min: Max) drop-down list, select a bandwidth utilization benchmark to view on the graph.
This option plots horizontal lines on the graph to provide a visualization of percentage bandwidth usage against service capacity limits.

The following options are available:
- None
- 5% : 95%
- 10% : 90%
- 15% : 85%
- 20% : 80%
For VXCs, select the A-End or B-End of the VXC from the Product End drop-down list. You can view graphs from the A-End or B-End perspective.
Click Local Time to change the graph to your local time zone instead of the default setting of UTC.

Tip

To deactivate Insights service monitoring for a Megaport ONE service, click the gear icon () at the bottom right of the graph then click Deactivate to confirm.

You can show and hide data on the forecast graph.

To show or hide data on the graph

Select or deselect the following options above the graph:
- Bandwidth Historical - The bandwidth traffic data displayed on the left half of the graph.
- Bandwidth Forecast - The bandwidth utilization forecast displayed on the right half of the graph.
- 10 Day Simple Moving Average - The average of the last 10 days of historical bandwidth data, plotted on the graph as a dotted line.
- 10 Day Exponential Moving Average - The average of the last 10 days of historical bandwidth data, with weighting factors applied which decrease exponentially. The weighting of the older data within the 10 day period decreases exponentially, nearing 0 (Zero). The exponential moving average is plotted on the graph as a dotted line.

The following tools are also available to manipulate the graph:

Tool	Description
	Zoom in. Use the mouse to hover over a specific data point to see the values and exact time stamp.
	Zoom out.
	Zoom in on a specific section of the graph. Place the mouse pointer over the graph, then click and hold the left mouse button. Move the mouse left or right and release the left mouse button to zoom in.
	Pan the graph left and right. While the graph is zoomed in, click and hold the left mouse button, then move the mouse left and right to pan the display.
	Return the graph to the default view.
	Download the graphical data in SVG, PNG, or CSV format.

Setting bandwidth forecast trend alerts

Bandwidth forecast trend alerts can be set up to notify you when an alert threshold is predicted to be met. For example, the bandwidth utilization for a Port is predicted to exceed 90% of maximum capacity. In this situation, you might need to upgrade the capacity limit of your service. Conversely, if the bandwidth utilization is predicted to near the minimum capacity for your service, you might consider downgrading the service capacity.
When an alert threshold is met, you will receive an email from noreply@megaport.com stating that the service is predicted to exceed the bandwidth threshold limit that has been set. The email will contain the following information:

Service Name
Product ID
Maximum Speed/Rate Limit
Threshold Alert Limit
Predicted Time Range

The Predicted Time Range is the time range within which the Megaport ONE Prediction Forecasting Engine predicts that the service will exceed maximum capacity. In this situation, you should review your service’s bandwidth consumption to determine if an upgrade is required.

Tip

You can add the email addresses that you want alerts to be sent to in the Notification Settings page. For more information, see Configuring Notifications.

To set bandwidth forecast trend alerts

In the Megaport ONE Portal, choose Networking > Services.
Select the required service from the Types drop-down list (Port, MCR, MVE).

Tip

To view forecasts for a VXC or IX, select the relevant service then click the arrow in the left column. The connections for the service are displayed.
In the Name column, click on the service or connection for which you want to set bandwidth forecast trend alerts.
On the details page, click Insights.

At the top of the Insights page, notice the yellow circle icon next to the Bandwidth Forecast Trend Alert heading. This indicates that an alert has not been set for this service.
Click Enable to the right of the Bandwidth Forecast Trend Alerting heading.

The Edit Bandwidth Alert Settings screen appears.
Specify the bandwidth alert details:
- Bandwidth Threshold (Mbps) – The bandwidth threshold value (in Mbps). You can enter the value into the field directly, or use the up and down arrows at the right of the field.
  The information below the field is updated dynamically to indicate the percentage of the configured bandwidth for the service.
- Prediction Timeframe – The timeframe in which to predict whether or not the bandwidth threshold will be exceeded. The following options are available:
  - 1 Day
  - 10 Days
  - 30 Days
Click Save Alert.
The bandwidth alert is created. The circle icon changes to green to indicate an alert has been set for this service, and you can edit and delete the alert.
Notifications will be sent to the email addresses set up as alert policies in the Notification Settings page if the service is predicted to exceed the bandwidth threshold within the prediction timeframe. For more information, see Configuring Notifications.

Predicting Future Bandwidth Utilization

Activating Insights service monitoring

Viewing bandwidth utilization forecasts

Setting bandwidth forecast trend alerts

See also