NMS with multi-server change requests processing

• US 20060036722A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Holierhoek, Hubert, Larkin, James, Gunther, Brian, Larkin, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications

Abstract

An event processing system performs quickly processing of events in a communication network. The system comprises a client process that controls the sequencing of event processing, a plurality of servers that process the events with the help of a shared object library and a dispatcher that selects an available server so that no two servers process events from the same event queue at any given time. The client time-stamps the events and organizes them into event queues per node, using a node identification. An outstanding queue tracks the current events being processed for a node based on a message ID that is returned by the dispatcher when an event is sent to a server. Also, an overflow queue tracks the sequence of nodes to be serviced after a maximum outstanding limit of events being processed at a given time has been reached.

Claims

1. In a communication network of the type having a master database and a plurality of local databases at respective network nodes, an event processing system (EPS) comprising:

a message processing client for placing a plurality of events sequentially in a plurality of event queues, an event queue per node;

a plurality of message processing servers, one server for processing at a given time an event from a particular event queue relating to a particular node, generating a certain change request for said certain event and transmitting said certain change request to a specified database; and

a dispatcher for selecting said one server based on availability of said message processing servers at said given time, so that no other server of said plurality of message processing servers processes another event from said particular event queue at said given time.

2. The EPS of claim 1, further comprising a change notifier process for transmitting a network event received from a plurality of network management processes to said message processing client.

3. The EPS of claim 2, wherein said network event refers to a change in said master database.

4. The EPS of claim 1, wherein said particular event queue comprises one or more network events affecting said master database.

5. The EPS of claim 4, wherein said specified database is a local database.

6. The EPS of claim 1, wherein said particular event queue comprises NE events generated by said particular node reflecting respective updates in a local database maintained by said particular node.

7. The EPS of claim 6, wherein said specified database is said master database.

8. The EPS of claim 1, wherein each said event is time-stamped for maintaining the order of said change requests, for updating said specified database according to the order of the events.

9. The EPS of claim 1, wherein said particular event queue comprises a node identification for enabling said message processing client to place all events relating to said particular node into said particular event queue.

10. The EPS of claim 1, wherein said plurality of events include network events generated by network processes and NE events generated by network nodes.

11. The EPS of claim 1, wherein said message processing client further maintains an outstanding queue for tracking a current event being processed for a node.

12. The EPS of claim 11, wherein said outstanding queue comprises a node identification associated to a message identification for all events processed by all said servers at any given time.

13. The EPS of claim 12, wherein said outstanding queue uses a maximum outstanding limit for limiting the number of nodes that have events being processed at any one time.

14. The EPS of claim 13, wherein said maximum outstanding limit depends on the number of said message processing servers.

15. The EPS of claim 1, wherein the number of said message processing servers is dynamically configurable based on a current event processing load.

16. The EPS of claim 1, further comprising a shared object library with specific processing instructions for each event type handled by said message processing servers.

17. The EPS of claim 13, wherein said message processing client further maintains an overflow queue, for enabling deferred processing of additional events arriving at said message processor client after said outstanding queue reached said maximum outstanding limit.

18. The EPS of claim 17, wherein said overflow queue keeps said node identification for each additional event.

19. In a communication network of the type having a master database and a plurality of local databases at respective network nodes, a method of processing a plurality of database events, comprising the steps of:

a) maintaining a plurality of event queues at a message processing client, a particular event queue being associated to a particular network node; and

b) dispatching said events from each of said event queues to a plurality of message processing servers;

c) processing simultaneously said events at said message processing servers, one server for processing a certain event from said particular event queue, while no other server of said plurality of message processing servers processes another event from said particular event queue during the time said one server processes said event.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising maintaining at said message processing client an outstanding queue for tracking each event being currently processed for each network node.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of maintaining an outstanding queue comprises providing a maximum outstanding limit for limiting the number of nodes that have network events being processed at any given time.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of maintaining an overflow queue for enabling deferred processing of events arriving at said message processing client after said outstanding queue reached said maximum outstanding limit.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said step b) comprises:

selecting said one server based on the availability of said message processing servers;

checking if all servers that are currently processing events do not process another event from said particular event queue;

transmitting said certain event from said particular event queue to said one server for processing; and

freeing said one server for processing another event from any of said plurality of event queues once said certain event has been processed.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein step c) comprises, consulting at each message processing server a shared object library for specific event processing instructions regarding the type of an event currently handled by said respective message processing server.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said certain event is a network event generated by a network process in response to an update in said master database affecting a local database at said particular network node.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said step a) comprises:

associating a node identification to said network event for identifying said particular network node affected by said network event; and

providing said network event with a time-stamp, and placing said network event in said particular event queue according to said node identification and said time-stamp.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step a) further comprises:

generating at said one server a message identification for identifying said network event among all events being currently processed by said message processing servers; and

at said message processing client, associating said message identification to said network event and organizing an outstanding queue based on said node identification and said message identification.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of transmitting from said particular network node to said one server an acknowledgement message indicating that said local database was successfully updated.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein said event is a NE event generated in response to an update in a local database of a particular network node affecting said master database.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said step a) comprises:

associating a node identification to said NE event for identifying said particular network node that generated said NE event; and

providing said NE event with a time-stamp, and placing said NE event in said particular queue according to said node identification and said time-stamp.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising transmitting from said message processing client to said particular network node an acknowledgement message indicating that said master database was successfully updated.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising resending a NE event from said particular network node if said acknowledgement message is not received in a pre-set time interval.

31. The method of claim 302, wherein said step a) further comprises:

generating at said one server a message identification for identifying said NE event among all events being currently processed by said message processing servers;

at said message processing client, associating said message identification to said NE event and organizing an outstanding queue based on said node identification and said message identification.