Data integration

• US 20050015397A1
• Filed: 11/11/2002
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC), Michael P. Toepel, Zap - It Corporation
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Shackle, Terry, Jackson, Maatthew, Abineri, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

An inventory management system includes a database for storing object oriented network inventory data. Data on network components is input into the database as different selected classes of objects. An object identifier is selectively added dependent on the class of object. At least one class of objects can accommodate other objects such that is stored as a modified object tree without all objects contributing to the object identifier.

Claims

1. A method of integrating sets of records into a hierarchically indexed database, said method comprising:

storing data listing a set of generic level indices to be included in a generic hierarchical index, wherein a value of each level index indicates a place in one of a generic set of levels;

receiving a set of records, each record including a hierarchical index comprising a set of component level indices, the value of each component level index indicating a place in one of a set of levels which form a first subset of said generic set of levels;

inserting values for one or more intermediate indices present in said generic hierarchical index between at least two component indices to generate a generic hierarchical index;

associating said record with the generic hierarchical index so generated.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said inserting step comprises:

storing data associating one or more values of a component level index with a value of one or more of said intermediate indices above said component level in said generic hierarchy.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said data is stored in the form of a specific hierarchy.

4. A method according to claim 2 comprising the step of storing one or more further sets of conversion data representing further specific hierarchies.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said hierarchical index represents a hierarchy of containers in an inventory database.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said inventory database represents the inventory of a telecommunications network operator.

7. A communications network comprising:

a first element manager arranged in operation to output a first file comprising records labelled in accordance with a first hierarchical indexing scheme;

a second element manager arranged in operation to output a second file representing comprising records labelled in accordance with a second hierarchical indexing scheme, said second hierarchical indexing scheme sharing at least one level with said first hierarchical indexing scheme;

a computer storing a network inventory database;

means providing communication between each of said element managers and said computer;

software stored on said computer executable to;

receive said first file from said first element manager and expand said first hierarchical index to an index formed in accordance with a generic hierarchical index;

associate each record in said first file with a generic hierarchical index so derived;

receive said second file from said second element manager and expand said second hierarchical index to an index formed in accordance with said generic hierarchical index; and

associate each record in said second file with a generic hierarchical index so derived.