System and method for hierarchically representing configuration items

• US 20050114479A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intec Telecom Systems PLC (CSG Systems International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intec Telecom Systems PLC (CSG Systems International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Watson-Luke, Brett
• Application Number:
  US10/723,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114479A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A system and method for hierarchically representing configuration items are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request to modify one or more configuration items, wherein the request is associated with a direct manipulation GUI command, wherein the configuration items are associated with configuration item icons, and wherein the configuration items are stored in a configuration management system repository. The method further includes modifying the one or more configuration items, wherein the modifying includes modifying high-level representations of the one or more configuration items. The method further includes generating low-level representations of the one or more configuration items, and exporting the low-level representations to a database.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

graphically presenting a set of one or more icons, wherein the icons are associated with a configuration management system repository and configuration items stored in the configuration management system repository, wherein the icons are presented in a hierarchical view;

receiving a command associated with the set, wherein the command is received through a graphical user interface, and wherein the command is associated with operations for modifying the configuration management system repository;

requesting performance of the operations for modifying the configuration management system repository; and

modifying the graphical presentation of the set to reflect the modification of the configuration management system repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration management system repository includes an operation support system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operations for modifying the configuration management repository are selected from the set consisting of a copy operation, a delete operation, a move operation, a search operation, and a difference operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration management system repository is represented at a highest level of the hierarchy.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a request to modify one or more configuration items, wherein the request is associated with a direct manipulation GUI command, wherein the configuration items are associated with configuration item icons, and wherein the configuration items are stored in a configuration management system repository;

modifying the one or more configuration items, wherein the modifying includes modifying high-level representations of the one or more configuration items;

generating low-level representations of the one or more configuration items; and

exporting the low-level representations to a database.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the high-level representations include Extensible Markup Language (XML) code.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the low-level representations are generated based on the high-level representations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the low-level representations include XML code.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the database is part of an operations support system.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the configuration management system repository is part of an operations support system.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a request to change contents of a configuration management system repository, wherein the contents include a first set of low-level configuration items, wherein the request is based on a copy command, a delete command, or a move command received from a graphical user interface (GUI), and wherein the GUI presents the configuration items in a hierarchy view;

changing the contents of the configuration management system repository based on the request, wherein the changing includes,

creating, modifying, or deleting high-level configuration items, wherein the high-level configuration items are associated with ones of the first set of low-level configuration items;

transforming the high-level configuration items into a second set of low-level configuration items, wherein the transforming includes applying one or more of a third set of stylesheets;

comparing the second set to the first set; and

creating, modifying, or deleting ones of the first set, based on the comparing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the high-level configuration items are represented using Extensible Markup Language (XML).

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the low-level configuration items are represented using XML.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the configuration management system repository is part of an operations system support system.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a configuration tools user interface unit adapted to perform the following;

graphically present a set of one or more icons, wherein the icons are associated with a configuration management system repository and configuration items stored in the configuration management system repository, wherein the icons are presented in a hierarchical view;

receive a command associated with the set, wherein the command is received through a graphical user interface, and wherein the command is associated with operations for modifying the configuration management system repository;

request performance of the operations for modifying the configuration management system repository; and

modify the graphical presentation of the set to reflect the modifications to the configuration management system repository.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the configuration management system repository includes an operation support system.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations for modifying the configuration management repository are selected from the set consisting of a copy operation, a delete operation, a move operation, a search operation, and a difference operation.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the configuration management system repository is represented at a highest level of the hierarchy.

19. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

graphically presenting a set of one or more icons, wherein the icons are associated with a configuration management system repository and configuration items stored in the configuration management system repository, wherein the icons are presented in a hierarchical view;

receiving a command associated with the set, wherein the command is received through a graphical user interface, and wherein the command is associated with operations for modifying the configuration management system repository;

requesting performance of the operations for modifying the configuration management system repository; and

modifying the graphical presentation of the set to reflect the modification of the configuration management system repository.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the configuration management system repository includes an operation support system.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations for modifying the configuration management repository is selected from the set consisting of a copy operation, a delete operation, a move operation, a search operation, and a difference operation.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the configuration management system repository is represented at a highest level of the hierarchy.

23. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to modify one or more configuration items, wherein the request is associated with a direct manipulation GUI command, wherein the configuration items are associated with configuration item icons, and wherein the configuration items are stored in a configuration management system repository;

modifying the one or more configuration items, wherein the modifying includes modifying high-level representations of the one or more configuration items;

generating low-level representations of the one or more configuration items; and

exporting the low-level representations to a database.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the high-level representations include Extensible Markup Language (XML) code.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the low-level representations are generated based on the high-level representations.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the low-level representations include XML code.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the database is part of an operations support system.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the configuration management system repository is part of an operations support system.

29. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to change contents of a configuration management system repository, wherein the contents include a first set of low-level configuration items, wherein the request is based on a copy command, a delete command, or a move command received from a graphical user interface (GUI), and wherein the GUI presents the configuration items in a hierarchy view;

changing the contents of the configuration management system repository based on the request, wherein the changing includes,

creating, modifying, or deleting high-level configuration items, wherein the high-level configuration items are associated with ones of the first set of low-level configuration items;

transforming the high-level configuration items into a second set of low-level configuration items, wherein the transforming includes applying one or more of a third set of stylesheets;

comparing the second set to the first set; and

creating, modifying, or deleting ones of the first set, based on the comparing.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the high-level configuration items are represented using Extensible Markup Language (XML).

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the low-level configuration items are represented using XML.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the configuration management system repository is part of an operations system support system.