1. A method for graphing network traffic for a communication network, comprising: defining a plurality of application categories; gathering traffic data from at least one network element of said communication network; determining an expected traffic value for at least one of said plurality of application categories; and plotting said traffic data associated with each of said plurality of application categories as a band in a composite river-chart graph, where said expected traffic value for at least one of said plurality of application categories is also plotted in said composite river-chart graph.