Extensible service provisioning engine

• US 20020178252A1
• Filed: 05/08/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PhyFlex Networks, Inc. (Ciena Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PhyFlex Networks, Inc. (Ciena Corporation)
• Inventors: Saksena, Vikram, Dorbala, Prasad, Kumar, Ravi S., Kotagiri, Sunil K., Bear, Charles, Yellanki, Satish L., Loke, Srinivas, Balabhadrapatruni, Srinivas
• Application Number:
  US10/143,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV

Abstract

In a network system, services are provided to users via network interconnections from a service provider. Such services include data, voice, video, and others, and are typically implemented and/or initiated via an interconnection from a network node operated by the service provider to customer premises equipment (CPE) operable to receive the service. Service provisioning includes identifying the service to be provided, identifying the CPE to receive the service, and the determining the manner in which the service is to be provided. In an execution environment such as a hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) network, service deployment time and cost, and maintenance are reduced, and reliability increased, by an executable element generator operable to generate workflow definition files, such as an XML (Extensible Markup Language) script. A plurality of services are defined according to a workflow model, in which each of the services corresponds to one or more of the executable scripts. A service provisioning engine such as a workflow manager is operable to execute the executable scripts for providing the corresponding service via the network. The service provisioning engine reads the executable scripts from a common repository such as an LDAP directory, and provides or initiates the service by communicating, via the network, with the CPE.

Claims

1. A system for providing services over a network comprising:

at least one executable element generator, the executable element generator operable to generate executable scripts;

a plurality of services, each of the services corresponding to at least one of the executable scripts;

a network in communication with a plurality of users; and

a service provisioning engine (SPE) operable to execute the executable scripts for provisioning the corresponding service via the network.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising script processors, the script processors operable to process the executable scripts and the service provisioning engine responsive to the script processors for executing the executable scripts.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the script processors further include a network pre-provisioning (NPP) manager, a service plan manager (SPM), and a service provisioning manager (SM).

4. The system of claim 2 further comprising provisioning parameters, the provisioning parameters defined by the script processors in response to the executable scripts.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the provisioning parameters further comprise configuration parameters, element parameters, and service parameters.

6. The system of claim 4 further comprising provisioning objects, each of the provisioning objects responsive to provisioning parameters corresponding to the particular provisioning object.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the executable element generator further comprises a module builder, the module builder operable to generate executable scripts indicative of provisioning parameters for at least one of the provisioning objects.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the executable script further comprises configuration parameters applicable to network elements, wherein the network elements are responsive to the executable script.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a network pre-provisioning generator (NPP), the NPP further operable to define configuration parameters corresponding to each of the network elements.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the executable script includes the configuration parameters and the network elements are responsive to the configuration parameters for providing at least a portion of the service.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a service configuration manager (SPM), the SPM further operable to define element parameters corresponding to each of the services.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the executable script includes the element parameters and further comprising provisioning objects responsive to the element parameters for providing at least a portion of the service.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising service plans, each of the service plans including service parameters corresponding to a particular corresponding service.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the executable script includes the service parameters and the service provisioning engine is responsive to the service parameters for providing the service.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the executable element generator further comprises a service provisioning manager (SM) operable to define the service parameters.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the executable element generator is a graphical user interface (GUI).

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising a knowledge base, the knowledge base operable to store the executable scripts and related parameters, the related parameters including at least one of configuration parameters, element parameters, and service parameters.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the knowledge base is farther operable to store an indicator corresponding to a provisioning object associated with the corresponding configuration parameters.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the knowledge base is further operable to store an indicator corresponding to each of the services associated with the corresponding element parameters.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein a knowledge base is further operable to store an indicator corresponding to each of the service plans associated with the corresponding service parameters.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the knowledge base further comprises an LDAP directory.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the service provisioning engine is in communication with the knowledge base for providing the service.

23. The system of claim 1 further comprising an access network in communication with the service provisioning engine for providing the service.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising customer premises equipment (CPE) in communication with the service provisioning engine via the access network, the customer premises equipment for providing the services to an end user.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the access network further comprises a hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) network.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the access network further comprises a local broadband access network (LBAN).

27. The system of claim 23 further comprising an execution environment, the execution environment including at least one of a metro area network, wide area network, and access the network.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the execution environment further comprises a public access network.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the public access network is the Internet.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the services are provided via the execution environment.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the execution environment is operable on a plurality of platforms.

32. A method for provisioning a service over a network comprising:

providing a network, the network interconnecting a plurality of users;

enumerating at least one service adapted to be provided via the network, the network operable to provide the services to each of the plurality of users;

generating at least one executable script corresponding to the service via an executable element generator; and

executing, via a service provisioning engine, the at least one executable script to provision the service via the network.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein executing further comprises processing, via a script processor, the executable script, the service provisioning engine responsive to the script processor for executing the executable script.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising providing a plurality of provisioning objects, the provisioning objects operable to be interconnected via the network, each of the provisioning objects having configuration parameters corresponding to the particular provisioning object.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein generating the executable script further comprises generating the configuration parameters applicable to the provisioning objects, the provisioning objects being responsive to the executable script.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising a network pre-provisioning generator (NPP) responsive to the executable element generator wherein processing the executable script further comprises defining a set of configuration parameters for each of the provisioning objects via the network pre-provisioning generator (NPP).

37. The method of claim 32 further comprising a service plan manager (SPM) responsive to the executable element generator wherein processing the executable script further comprises generating element parameters corresponding to each of the services via the service plan manager (SPM).

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the executable script includes the element parameters, the provisioning objects responsive to the element parameters for providing at least a portion of the service.

39. The method of claim 32 further comprising providing service plans, wherein generating the executable script further comprises generating service parameters corresponding to a particular service.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the executable script includes the service parameters and the execution engine is responsive to the service parameters for providing the service.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein generating the service parameters further comprises invoking a service provisioning manager operable to define the service parameters.

42. The method of claim 32 wherein generating the executable script further comprises invoking an executable element generator via a graphical user interface (GUI).

43. The method of claim 32 wherein generating the executable script further comprises referencing a knowledge base, the knowledge base operable to store executable scripts and related provisioning parameters concerned with providing the service.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the knowledge base is further operable to store an indicator corresponding to each of the executable scripts.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein referencing the knowledge base further comprises accessing an LDAP directory.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein executing the executable script further comprises referencing the knowledge base for providing the service.

47. The method of claim 32 wherein executing the executable script further comprises transmitting via an access network in communication with the service provisioning engine for providing the service.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein executing the executable script further comprises accessing customer premises equipment in communication with the service provisioning engine via the access network, the customer premises equipment for providing the services to an end user.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein providing a network further comprises providing an execution environment, the execution environment including at least one of a metro area network, wide area network, and the access network.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the execution environment further comprises a public access network.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the public access network is the Internet.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein provisioning the service further comprises provisioning via the execution environment.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the execution environment is operable on a plurality of platforms.

54. A system for providing dynamically re-configurable, file driven, workflow support for automated network service provisioning, comprising:

a workflow manager configurable by loading a workflow configuration file defining network provisioning objects;

a workflow definition file defining a workflow, each workflow being associated with a network provisioning object, the workflow manager responsive to the workflow definition file;

at least one task definition file defining workflow tasks executed as part of the workflow defined in the workflow definition file, the workflow manager operable to fulfill a network service provisioning request by selecting a particular workflow and operable to invoke the associated workflow tasks to be executed by a workflow engine to provide automated network service provisioning.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow configuration file is re-loaded, while the workflow manager is executing, to re-configure the workflows available for network service provisioning.

56. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow definition file is operable to be reloaded, while the workflow manager is executing, to re-configure the workflow tasks associated with the workflow.

57. The system of claim 54 wherein the task definition file is operable to be reloaded, while the workflow manager is executing, to re-configure the workflow task object class associated with the workflow task.

58. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow configuration file, the workflow definition file and the task definition file are formatted using XML.

59. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow task arguments are configured such that an output argument of a first workflow task is the input argument to a second workflow task.

60. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow tasks further comprise a workflow state, the workflow state including a workflow state name and a workflow state mode.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the workflow state mode directs the workflow tasks to execute serially or in parallel.

62. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow tasks are implemented on a heterogeneous platform.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein the workflow tasks further comprise Java objects.

64. The system of claim 62 wherein the workflow tasks are implemented as Enterprise Java Beans.

65. The system of claim 64 wherein the Enterprise Java Beans contain state information.

66. The system of claim 64 wherein the Enterprise Java Beans are stateless.

67. The system of claim 60 wherein the workflow tasks are organized by the workflow state.

68. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow manager provides an interface for integration of external systems.

69. The system of claim 65 wherein the external systems include at least one of a billing system, a fault management system and an element management system.

70. The system of claim 54 wherein automated network service provisioning dynamically realizes and executes a newly formed service as part of a service creation process.

71. The system of claim 54 wherein various states of the workflow tasks are monitored from a user interface using the Java Messaging System.

72. The system of claim 54 wherein detection of a failure within the workflow causes an automatic rollback that includes rolling back predefined operations of the workflow tasks executed as part of the workflow.

73. The system of claim 69 wherein the automatic rollback includes an operation comprising at least one of:

rollback all previous tasks, jump to another state and resume execution of tasks, or abort and return status.

74. The system of claim 54 wherein the workflow further comprises a workflow name, a workflow state, a workflow mode, a workflow task name, workflow task arguments and a workflow task failure process.

75. The system of claim 54 wherein the task definition file further comprises the workflow task name, a workflow task description, a workflow task object class and the workflow task arguments.

76. A method for provisioning services over a network via a services delivery platform comprising:

providing an execution environment operable to deploy services to a plurality of users on the network, the execution environment operable on a plurality of platforms;

defining a plurality of provisioning objects, each of the provisioning objects adapted to be interconnected over the network;

determining a set of configuration parameters corresponding to each of the provisioning objects, the configuration parameters operable to manipulate the provisioning object;

defining a plurality of services available over the network, each of the plurality of services corresponding to at least one of the provisioning objects;

determining a set of element parameters corresponding to each of the services, the element parameters operable to direct the provisioning objects to perform at least a portion of the service;

defining a service plan corresponding to at least one of the services, the service plan corresponding to a particular instantiation of the service;

determining a set of service parameters for each of the service plans, the service parameters corresponding to the service plan for implementing the particular instantiation of the service;

storing an indicator corresponding to each of the provisioning objects, services, and service plans in a common repository;

storing the configuration parameters, the element parameters, and the service parameters associated with the respective provisioning objects, services, and service parameters in the common repository;

providing a service provisioning engine operable to read and interpret the common repository; and

executing the service via the service provisioning engine in the execution environment.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein the common repository is a knowledge base and generating the executable script further comprises referencing the knowledge base, the knowledge base operable to store at least one of the configuration parameters, the element parameters, and the service parameters.

78. The method of claim 77 wherein executing the service further comprises reading the configuration parameters, element parameters, and service parameters from the knowledge base.

79. The method of claim 76 wherein the knowledge base is an LDAP directory and the indicator corresponds to an entry in an LDAP directory.

80. The method of claim 76 wherein the users further comprise a customer and at least one piece of customer premises equipment (CPE).

81. A computer program product having computer program code for provisioning a service over a network comprising:

computer program code for providing interconnections over a network, the network interconnecting a plurality of users;

computer program code for enumerating at least one service adapted to be provided via the network, the network operable to provide the services to each of the plurality of users;

computer program code for generating at least one executable script corresponding to the service via an executable element generator; and

computer program code for executing, via a service provisioning engine, the at least one executable script to provision the service via the network.

82. A computer data signal including program code for provisioning a service over a network comprising:

program code for providing a network, the network interconnecting a plurality of users;

program code for enumerating at least one service adapted to be provided via the network, the network operable to provide the services to each of the plurality of users;

program code for generating at least one executable script corresponding to the service via an executable element generator; and

program code for executing, via a service provisioning engine, the at least one executable script to provision the service via the network.

83. A system for providing services over a network comprising:

means for providing a network, the network interconnecting a plurality of users;

means for enumerating at least one service adapted to be provided via the network, the network operable to provide the services to each of the plurality of users;

means for generating at least one executable script corresponding to the service via an executable element generator; and

means for executing, via a service provisioning engine, the at least one executable script to provision the service via the network.