Managing composite objects in a network

• US 20030140127A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Zohren, Stefan, Nurmi, Esa, Auterinen, Otso, Geuder, Uwe, Kaski, Jyrki
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]

Abstract

A software object model for modelling resources (resource instances (RI) and resource types (RT)) in a network management system. The model comprises object instances (OI) and object classes (OC). Each class comprises fragments (FG) of data and/or program code and is a generalization of one or more object instances (OI). The model models each resource type (RT) by an object class (OC) and assigns to the class a class version identifier (CVI) which indicates at least some capabilities of the resource (RI, RT) and a collection of the fragments (FG) included in the class (OC) of the version in question. The model further models each resource instance (RI) by an object instance (OI) of the corresponding class, and assigns to the instance (OI) an object instance identifier (OII) and an instance version identifier (IVI) which indicate the version of the class (OC) used for modelling the resource type (RT) in question.

Claims

1. A method for modeling a plurality of resources in a network management system, said resources comprising resource instances and resource types such that each resource type is a generalization of one or more resource instances,

the method comprising:

forming a software object model, the model comprising object instances and object classes, wherein each object class comprises fragments of data and/or program code and is a generalization of one or more object instances, each instance inheriting the capabilities of the corresponding class;

modeling each resource type by a software object class, and assigning to said object class a class version identifier which directly or indirectly indicates;

(a) at least some capabilities of the resource; and

(b) a collection of the fragments included in the object class of the version in question; and

modeling each resource instance by an object instance of the corresponding class, and assigning to said object instance an object instance identifier and an instance version identifier which directly or indirectly indicate the version of the class which is used for modeling the resource type in question.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising modeling at least some objects as composite objects which implement the capabilities of all versions of the resource type in question.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein each object class version implements all the features of the objects with the same object identifier but with an older version identifier.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending a version inquiry from a software application to an object instance to obtain an instance version identifier;

sending an instantiate command from the software application to an object class, the command including the instance version identifier obtained in the previous step;

instantiating the object class to obtain an object instance of a version indicated by the instance version identifier.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network is a telecommunication network.

6. A computer-readable program product comprising a computer program, the computer program comprising code means to carry out the steps of the method according to claim 1 when the computer program is executed in a computer.

7. A computer-readable program product according to claim 6, wherein the computer program is a network management program of a telecommunication network.

8. A software object model for modeling a plurality of resources in a network management system, said resources comprising resource instances and resource types such that each resource type is a generalization of one or more resource instances,

the software object model comprising object instances and object classes, wherein each object class comprises fragments of data and/or program code and is a generalization of one or more object instances, each instance inheriting the capabilities of the corresponding class;

wherein the software object model comprises code portions for;

modeling each resource type by a software object class, and assigns to said object class a class version identifier which directly or indirectly indicates;

(a) at least some capabilities of the resource; and

(b) a collection of the fragments included in the object class of the version in question; and

for

modeling each resource instance by an object instance of the corresponding class, and assigning to said object instance an object instance identifier and an instance version identifier which directly or indirectly indicate the version of the class which is used for modeling the resource type in question.

9. A software object model according to claim 8, further comprising code portions for modeling at least some objects as composite objects which implement the capabilities of all versions of the resource type in question.

10. A software object model according to claim 8, wherein each object class version implements all the features of the objects with the same object identifier but with an older version identifier.

11. A software object model according to claim 8, further comprising code portions for:

sending a version inquiry from a software application to an object instance to obtain an instance version identifier;

sending an instantiate command from the software application to an object class, the command including the instance version identifier obtained in the previous step;

instantiating the object class to obtain an object instance of a version indicated by the instance version identifier.

12. A software object model according to claim 8, wherein the network is a telecommunication network.