System and method for proactive management of a communication network through monitoring a user network interface

• US 20030208591A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, William Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error

Abstract

A system for monitoring performance parameters relating to a user network interface (“UNI”) in a communication network is provided. The system comprises a message source parser module, a translator module, and a message recording module. The message source parser module is operative to examine an exception message sent by a network element in the communication network. The message source parser module is also operative to determine which network component the message relates to. The translator module is operative to determine if the message is related to one or more UNIs in the network. The message recording module is operative to post information from the message to one or more data records that correspond to the one or more UNIs identified by the translator module.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for monitoring performance parameters relating to a user network interface (“

UNI”

) in a communication network, the system comprising;

a message source parser module for examining an exception message sent by a network element in the communication network and for determining which network component the message relates to;

a translator module having a data communication path to the message source parser module, the translator module being operative to determine if the message is related to one or more UNIs in the network; and

a message recording module having a data communication path to the translator module, the message recording module being operative to post information from the message to one or more data records that correspond to the one or more UNIs identified by the translator module.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a message content parser wherein the message content parser is operative to examine the exception message and is operative to pass the message content to the message recording module.

3. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a report generator module wherein the report generator module is operative to retrieve information from a data record that corresponds to a UNI and to generate a report that provides information relating to the performance of the UNI.

4. A computer-implemented system for monitoring performance parameters relating to a user network interface (“

UNI”

) in a communication network, the system comprising;

a message source parser module for examining an exception message sent by a network element in the communication network and for determining which network component the message relates to;

a component record finder module having a data communication path to the message source parser module, the component record finder module being operative to search through component records in a component record database to identify a component that is related to the received exception message; and

a message recording module having a data communication path to the component record finder module, the message recording module being operative to search the component record identified by the component record finder module to retrieve from the component record the identity of one or more UNIs affected by the component, the message recording module also being operative to post information from the message to one or more data records that correspond to the one or more UNIs identified from the component record.

5. The system according to claim 4 further comprising a message content parser wherein the message content parser is operative to examine the exception message and is operative to pass the message content to the message recording module.

6. The system according to claim 4 further comprising a report generator module wherein the report generator module is operative to retrieve information from a data record that corresponds to a UNI and to generate a report that provides information relating to the performance of the UNI.

7. A computer-implemented system for monitoring performance parameters relating to a user network interface (“

UNI”

) in a communication network, the system comprising;

a message source parser module for examining an exception message sent by a network element in the communication network and for determining which network component the message relates to;

a query execution module having a data communication path to the message source parser module, the query execution module being operative to conduct a search in a database containing UNI data records to identify the UNI data records that indicate that messages relating to the component identified by the message source parser module should be posted to that UNI record; and

a UNI record appending module having a data communication path to the query execution module, the UNI record appending module being operative to post information from the message to the one or more UNI data records identified by the query execution module.

8. The system according to claim 7 further comprising a message content parser wherein the message content parser is operative to examine the exception message and is operative to pass the message content to the message recording module.

9. The system according to claim 7 further comprising a report generator module wherein the report generator module is operative to retrieve information from a data record that corresponds to a UNI and to generate a report that provides information relating to the performance of the UNI.

10. A network monitoring system for a communication network, the system comprising:

a database containing UNI data records;

a message source parser module for examining an exception message sent by a network element in the communication network and for determining which network component the message relates to;

a query execution module having a data communication path to the message source parser module, the query execution module being operative to conduct a search in the database to identify the UNI data records that indicate that messages relating to the component identified by the message source parser module should be posted to that UNI record; and

a UNI record appending module having a data communication path to the query execution module, the UNI record appending module being operative to post information from the message to the one or more UNI data records identified by the query execution module.

11. A network monitoring system for a communication network, the system comprising:

a component record database;

a message source parser module for examining an exception message sent by a network element in the communication network and for determining which network component the message relates to;

a component record finder module having a data communication path to the message source parser module, the component record finder module being operative to search through component records in the component record database to identify a component that is related to the received exception message; and

a message recording module having a data communication path to the component record finder module, the message recording module being operative to search the component record identified by the component record finder module to retrieve from the component record the identity of one or more UNIs affected by the component, the message recording module also being operative to post information from the message to one or more data records that correspond to the one or more UNIs identified from the component record.

12. A method for accumulating performance information relating to a user network interface (“

UNI”

) in a communication network, the method comprising the steps of;

receiving an exception message transmitted by a network element;

determining which UNIs are affected by the exception message; and

ascribing information from the exception message to data records that correspond to the affected UNIs.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the determining step comprises the steps of:

determining the facility or equipment that corresponds to the message;

determining which communication channels the facility or equipment affects; and

determining the UNIs the affected communication channels traverse.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the step of determining the UNIs the affected communication channels traverse comprises the step of applying a look-up table.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein the determining step comprises the steps of:

determining the facility or equipment that corresponds to the message; and

applying a look-up table to determine the UNI affected by the facility or equipment.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein the determining step comprises the steps of:

determining the facility or equipment that corresponds to the message; and

reviewing one or more UNI records to determine the UNI affected by the facility or equipment.

17. The method according to claim 13 wherein the step of determining the UNIs the affected communication channels traverse comprises the step of reviewing one or more UNI records.