Network management system and transmission apparatus managed by the network management system

• US 20050122967A1
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Hidemasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/380
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13076 Distributing frame, MDF, cross-connect switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

A network management system (NMS) for setting a cross connect or path of a transmission network constituted by transmission apparatuses (NE) that cross connect and transmit signals. Among a plurality of NMSes, a cross-connect set by an upper NMS cannot be changed by a lower NMS. A command of setting, change or cancellation of a cross connect transmitted from an NMS to NEs is added together with the information indicative of an NMS that is a source of the setting, changes or cancellation. When changing or canceling a cross connect, an NMS compares itself with the information indicative of an NMS that is a source of setting (or changing) the cross connect, judges whether the self has an authority to implement the setting or cancellation, and if having the authority, then transmits a change or cancellation command. The NEs also perform similar judgment, and if a source of change or cancellation has the authority, a source of change or cancellation has the authority, it changes or cancels a cross connect.

Claims

1. A network management system for managing a transmission apparatus cross-connecting signals for transmission, the system comprising:

an input unit inputting entry of a cross-connect of a transmission apparatus, edit of a cross-connect entered into the transmission apparatus, or cancellation of the cross-connect entered into the transmission apparatus;

a command generating unit generating a command to instruct the transmission apparatus on the entry, the edit or the cancellation of the cross-connect input by the input unit;

an information adding unit adding information indicative of a network management system serving as an entry source, an edit source or a cancellation source to the command generated by the command generating unit; and

a transmitting unit transmitting to the transmission apparatus the command with the information added thereto by the information adding unit.

2. The network management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a storing unit storing data indicative of whether authority to edit or cancel the cross-connect is present or not; and

a determining unit determining whether the authority to edit or cancel is present or not based on the data stored in the storing unit in case that the edit or the cancellation is input by the input unit, wherein

the command generating unit, the information adding unit and the transmitting unit execute the respective processes in case that the determining unit determines the authority as being present.

3. A network management system for managing a transmission apparatus cross-connecting signals for transmission, the system comprising:

an input unit inputting entry of a cross-connect of a transmission apparatus, edit of a cross-connect entered into the transmission apparatus, or cancellation of the cross-connect entered into the transmission apparatus;

a specifying unit specifying a network management system to which authority to edit or cancel the cross-connect is transferred;

a command generating unit generating a command to instruct the transmission apparatus on the entry, the edit or the cancellation of the cross-connect input by the input unit;

an information adding unit adding information indicative of a network management system specified by the specifying unit to the command generated by the command generating unit; and

a transmitting unit transmitting to the transmission apparatus the command with the information added thereto by the information adding unit.

4. The network management system of claim 3, further comprising:

a storing unit storing data indicative of whether the authority to edit or cancel the cross-connect is present or not; and

a determining unit determining whether the authority to edit or cancel is present or not based on the data stored in the storing unit and on the network management system specified by the specifying unit in case that the edit or the cancellation is input by the input unit, wherein

the command generating unit, the information adding unit and the transmitting unit execute the respective processes in case that the determining unit determines the authority as being present.

5. A network management system for managing a transmission apparatus cross-connecting signals for transmission, the transmission apparatus storing entry information on the cross-connect in association with information on an entry source of the cross connect, the system comprising:

an input unit inputting a verification request for entry information on a cross-connect of a transmission apparatus;

a command generating unit generating a verification request command based on a verification request input by the input unit;

a transmitting unit transmitting to the transmission apparatus the verification request command generated by the command generating unit;

a receiving unit receiving the entry information and the entry source information replied from the transmission apparatus;

a display unit displaying the entry information and the entry source information received by the receiving unit in association with each other.

6. A network management system for managing a transmission apparatus cross-connecting signals for transmission, the system comprising:

an input unit inputting an instruction for blanket transfer of authority to edit or cancel a cross-connect of the transmission apparatus to a lower network management system;

a command generating unit generating an edit permit command or a cancellation permit command of the cross-connect of the transmission apparatus in response to the instruction for blanket transfer input by the input unit; and

a transmitting unit transmitting to the transmission apparatus the edit permit command or the cancellation permit command generated by the command generating unit.

7. A network management system for managing a transmission apparatus cross-connecting signals for transmission, the system comprising:

an input unit inputting blanket inhibition of edit or cancellation of a cross-connect of the transmission apparatus effected by a lower network management system;

a command generating unit generatting an edit inhibit command or a cancellation inhibit command ordering blanket inhibition input by the input unit; and

a transmitting unit transmitting to the transmission apparatus the edit inhibit command or the cancellation inhibit command generated by the command generating unit.

8. A network management system for managing a transmission apparatus cross-connecting signals for transmission, the transmission apparatus storing permission status indicative of whether authority to edit or cancel an entered cross-connect is blanket transferred to a lower network management system, the system comprising:

an input unit inputting a status verify request for blanket transfer of the authority to edit or cancel the cross-connect of the transmission apparatus to the lower network management system;

a command generating unit generatting a permission status verify command based on the status verify request input by the input unit;

a transmitting unit transmitting to the transmission apparatus the permission status verify command generated by the command generating unit;

a receiving unit receiving permission information replied from the transmission apparatus;

a display unit displaying permission status received by the receiving unit.

9. A transmission apparatus cross-connecting signals for transmission, comprising:

a command receiving unit receiving from a network management system a command ordering entry of a cross-connect, edit of the entered cross-connect or cancellation of the entered cross-connect, the command containing information representative of the network management system serving as an entry source, an edit source or a cancellation source;

a control unit entering, edit or cancel a cross-connect based on the command received by the command receiving unit; and

a storing unit storing the information representative of the network management system contained in the command received by the command receiving unit, in association with entry information on the entered or edited cross-connect.

10. The transmission apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a retrieval request receiving unit receiving from the network management system a retrieval request for the cross-connect entry information and the information representative of the network management system stored in the storing unit; and

a replying unit replying to the network management system the cross-connect entry information and the information representative of the network management system in association with each other, based on the retrieval request received by the retrieval request receiving unit.

11. The transmission apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a determining unit, in case that a command received by the command receiving unit is a command ordering edit or cancellation of the cross-connect, comparing information representative of the network management system serving as an edit source or a cancellation source contained in the command with information representative of the network management system stored in the storing unit in association with the cross-connect entry information determine whether the network management system as the edit source or the cancellation source contained in the command has authority for edit or cancellation, wherein

the control unit executes the edit or deletion of the cross-connect if the network management system as the edit source or the cancellation source has the authority as a result of the determination effected by the determining unit, with the control unit not executing the edit and deletion if not.

12. The transmission apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the command further contains authority transfer information on transfer of authority to edit or delete the entered cross-connect, and wherein

the storing unit stores the authority transfer information in association with the cross-connect entry information.

13. The transmission apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a determining unit, in case that a command received by the command receiving unit is a command ordering edit or cancellation of the cross-connect, comparing representative of the network management system serving as an edit source or a cancellation source contained in the command with the authority transfer information stored in the storing unit in association with the cross-connect entry information, to determine whether the network management system as the edit source or the cancellation source contained in the command has authority for edit or cancellation, wherein

the control unit executes the edit or deletion if the network management system as the edit source or the cancellation source has the authority as a result of the determination effected by the determining unit, with the control unit not executing the edit and deletion if not.

14. The transmission apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a retrieval request receiving unit receiving from network management system a retrieval request for the cross-connect entry information and the authority transfer information stored in the storing unit; and

a replying unit replying to the network management system the cross-connect entry information and the authority transfer information in association with each other, based on the retrieval request received by the retrieval request receiving unit.

15. The transmission apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a blanket transfer command receiving unit arranged to receive from the network management system a blanket transfer command to blanket-transfer edit or deletion of the cross-connect on the network-element by network-element basis, wherein

the storing unit stores information indicative of the blanket transfer received by the blanket transfer command receiving unit, in association with the cross-connect entry information.

16. The transmission apparatus of claim 15, wherein

in case that a command received by the command receiving unit is a command ordering edit or cancellation of the cross-connect, the control unit determines whether information indicative of the blanket transfer is stored in the storing unit, to execute the edit or cancellation if affirmative.

17. The transmission apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a blanket inhibit command receiving unit receiving from the network management system a blanket inhibit command to blanket-inhibit edit or deletion of the cross-connect on the network-element by network-element basis, wherein

the control unit deletes information indicative of the blanket transfer stored in association with the cross-connect entry information, in conformity with the blanket inhibit command received by the blanket inhibit command receiving unit.

18. The transmission apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a retrieval request receiving unit receiving from the network management system a retrieval request for the cross-connect entry information and the information indicative of the blanket transfer stored in the storing unit; and

a replying unit replaying to the network management system the cross-connect entry information and the authority transfer information stored in the storing unit, in association with each other, based on the retrieval request received by the retrieval request receiving unit.