Deploying service modules among service nodes distributed in an intelligent network

• US 20050165906A1
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Porter, Kevin R., Deo, Ajay P., Robb, Terence A., Dugan, Andrew, Holmes, Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5058 Service discovery by the service manager

Abstract

A method and apparatus for deploying and activating services in a communications network. In the context of a communications network that deploys service functionality by distributing managed software objects to service processing nodes, the present invention relates to selectively dispensing managed objects from a central repository and coordinating the instantaneous activation or deactivation of services throughout the network. Furthermore, where a managed object service creation environment is coupled to such a network, the method and apparatus of the present invention provides security, back-up, and version control of managed objects and other network data stored in the repository.

Claims

1. A service administration system for distributing service processing resources among one or more service nodes of an intelligent communications network, each service node providing services at a network resource associated with a service node, said system comprising:

a device for receiving re-usable service components for providing services at a service node of said intelligent communications network, each said service component having an associated service profile defining service node resources required for storing, maintaining and executing said service;

a device for receiving configuration criteria including physical resource capacity of each service node of said network;

a database device for storing said received service components, said service node configuration criteria, and service profile associated with said service components;

a distribution mechanism for distributing copies of said service components to one or more service nodes according to said service profile information associated with a service and a configuration criteria of said service nodes; and

a trigger mechanism for automatically activating and deactivating said service component distributed to said service node, wherein utilization of service node resources are optimized by activating said service components at service nodes during periods of high demand for an associated service and deactivating service components at service nodes during periods of low demand for said service.

2. A method for administering service components to one or more service nodes comprising an intelligent network, each service node providing one or more services relating to an event received at a network resource associated with a service node, said method comprising:

receiving re-usable service components for providing services at a service node of said intelligent network, each said service component having an associated service profile defining service node resources required for storing, maintaining and executing said service;

receiving configuration criteria including physical resource capacity of each service node of said network;

maintaining a database including master copies of said received service components, said service node configuration criteria, and service profile associated with said service components;

distributing copies of said service components to one or more service nodes according to said service profile information associated with a service and a configuration criteria of said service nodes; and

forwarding a trigger to said service node for automatically activating and deactivating a service component distributed to said service node, whereby a service component distributed to said service node is activated during periods of high demand for an associated service and deactivated at service nodes during periods of low demand for said service.

3. A service processing system for controlling a communications network having a plurality of service nodes, each service node comprising at least one logic execution environment that hosts managed objects, said service processing system comprising:

a data manager for maintaining at each service node a local storage of managed objects and data needed for service processing within the service node and monitoring operational status of the local storage at the service nodes; and

at least one service administrator that controls the deployment and activation of services within said service processing system by distributing, from a global repository, managed objects and data to one or more data managers associated with said service nodes in said communications network.

4. A method for controlling the deployment and activation of services in a communications network having a plurality of service nodes, each service node comprising at least one logic execution environment that hosts managed objects, said method comprising:

maintaining at each of said service nodes a local data store of managed objects and data needed for service processing within the service node;

monitoring operational status of the local data store of the service nodes; and

selectively distributing, from a global repository, managed objects and data to one or more of said local stores associated with said service nodes in said communications network, so as to control where and when services are deployed and activated in said communications network.