Remote infrastructure management

• US 20060041534A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pixius Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Pixius Communications LLC
• Inventors: Atwell, Micah E.
• Application Number:
  US10/852,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041534A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

System and method for remotely managing communications infrastructures. A preferred embodiment comprises a user remotely situated to a server (e.g. server 205) that is capable of receiving queries from the user, parsing the queries, sending the queries to a desired destination, and transmitting information in response to the queries back to the user. The preferred embodiment further comprises an infrastructure (e.g. infrastructure 210) coupled to the server and a database (e.g. database 220) also coupled to the user, the infrastructure comprising a plurality of network elements and a network connecting the network elements, while the database can be used to store, search, and retrieve information pertaining to the infrastructure. The user can remotely obtain real-time information about the infrastructure as well as control the configuration and operation of network elements, wherein the real-time information about the infrastructure may be obtained through scheduled scanning of the network elements.

Claims

1. A remote infrastructure management system comprising:

a server remotely coupled to a user, the server is configured to receive queries from the user, parse the queries, send the queries to a desired destination, and to transmit information provided in response to the queries back to the user;

an infrastructure remotely coupled to the server, the infrastructure comprising a plurality of network elements and a network for connecting the network elements; and

a database coupled to the server, the database is configured to store, retrieve, and search information pertaining to the infrastructure and the remote infrastructure management system.

2. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the server sends the queries to the infrastructure or the database depending upon the query.

3. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the server formats the response to the queries prior to providing the response to the user.

4. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 3, wherein the server provides the formatted response to the user in a raw-data format and a display device used by the user converts the raw-data format into a human readable form to the user.

5. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 3, wherein the server provides the formatted response to the user in a fully-formed format and a display device used by the user displays the fully-formed format to the user.

6. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the information in response to a query is automatically saved by the database.

7. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the server displays the information to the user via a display device.

8. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 7, wherein the server displays the information graphically.

9. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 8, wherein graphical images representing the infrastructure are stored in a graphic database.

10. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 9, wherein reference information to the graphical images are stored in the database.

11. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 8, wherein graphical images representing the infrastructure are stored in the database.

12. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 9, wherein the graphical images also convey status information for network elements in the infrastructure.

13. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 8, wherein graphical images representing the infrastructure are generated from data stored in the database.

14. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 8, wherein a network element that is performing improperly is highlighted by the server.

15. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 7, wherein the server displays the information textually.

16. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 7, wherein the server displays the information both graphically and textually.

17. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the database stores status information regarding the network elements in the infrastructure.

18. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the database stores configuration information for the remote infrastructure management system.

19. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 18, wherein the database stores user account information.

20. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 19, wherein the database stores user permission access information.

21. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 18, wherein the database stores descriptive information regarding the network elements in the infrastructure.

22. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 18, wherein the server stores documentation for the network elements.

23. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 18, wherein the server stores documentation for certain network elements.

24. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the server periodically schedules scans of the network elements in the infrastructure.

25. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 24, wherein the period of the periodic scans is the same for the network elements.

26. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 24, wherein there are different types of network elements, and wherein the period of the periodic scans differs for the different types of network elements.

27. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 24, wherein a change in the status of the network elements is automatically provided to the user.

28. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the user can access the system only after identity verification.

29. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 28, wherein the identity verification uses an account name and password.

30. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 28, wherein the identity verification uses biometric techniques.

31. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 28, wherein the identity verification information is stored on the database.

32. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 28, wherein the user'"'"'s access to specific functionality in the system is based upon the user'"'"'s security access level.

33. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1, wherein the server and the database are remotely coupled.

34. The remote infrastructure management system of claim 1 further comprising a graphic server coupled to the server, the graphic server to contain graphical images of the infrastructure.

35. A method for infrastructure management comprising:

scanning network element status;

displaying the network element status;

alerting a user if a network element is operating improperly, wherein the user is at a location remote from the infrastructure; and

allowing the user to control the improperly operating network element.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the scanning is performed periodically.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the scanning period can vary for different network elements.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the scanning period can vary for different types of network elements.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the scanning comprises:

creating a prioritized scan list based upon network element type;

sending a scan message to a highest priority network element in the prioritized scan list;

processing scan results; and

repeating the sending and processing for remaining network elements in the prioritized scan list.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the processing comprises:

saving the scan results if the network element responds to the scan message; and

adding a new scan of the network element to the prioritized scan list if the network element does not respond to the scan message.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the adding occurs only if a number of times the network element has been sent a scan message is less than a specified threshold.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the new scan of the network element is set for a specified time duration from a current time.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein if the number of times the network element has been sent a scan message is greater than the specified threshold, then the network element is unresponsive.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein if the network element is unresponsive, then network elements downstream from the unresponsive network element are removed from the prioritized scan list.

45. The method of claim 35, wherein the network element status is displayed graphically.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the network element status is displayed on maps stored on a graphic server.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the network elements are placed on the maps using axial coordinates.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the maps are stored as image data.

49. The method of claim 35 further comprising after the allowing, dispatching a repair crew if after reconfiguring the improperly operating network element, the network element continues to operate improperly.

50. The method of claim 35, wherein the network element can be manually selected for scanning.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein a scan message can be sent to the selected network element.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the displaying provides information about the selected network element.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the displaying provides information about all network elements.

54. The method of claim 35, wherein the allowing involves the user remotely sending messages to the network element.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the control of the network element is one or more selected of a group consisting of requesting configuration information, requesting contents of a memory location, setting configuration information, setting the content of a memory location, resetting the network element, rebooting the network element, powering off the network element.

56. The method of claim 35, wherein a network element is operating improperly if the network element has a performance parameter that does not meet a predetermined threshold.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the performance parameter is one or more parameters selected from the following list:

received signal strength indicator (RSSI), clock jitter, equipment uptime, session count, request to send (RTS) threshold, minimum contention window, average receive signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), data throughput, network latency, and link efficiency.

58. The method of claim 35, wherein a network element is operating improperly if the network element does not respond to a scan.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein a network element is operating improperly if the network element does not respond to a scan after a certain amount of time.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein a network element is operating improperly if the network element does not respond to a single scan out of a specified number of scans.

61. The method of claim 35, wherein the alerting comprises sending a message to the user.

62. The method of claim 35, wherein the alerting comprises triggering an alarm.

63. The method of claim 35, wherein the scanning is a result of a report made by a user of the infrastructure.

64. A method for scanning network elements, the method comprising:

creating a prioritized scan list based upon network element type;

sending a scan message to a highest priority network element in the prioritized scan list;

processing scan results; and

repeating the sending and processing for remaining network elements in the prioritized scan list.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the processing comprises:

saving the scan results if the network element responds to the scan message; and

adding a new scan of the network element to the prioritized scan list if the network element does not respond to the scan message.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the adding occurs only if a number of times the network element has been sent a scan message is less than a specified threshold.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the new scan of the network element is set for a specified time duration from a current time.

68. The method of claim 65, wherein if the number of times the network element has been sent a scan message is greater than the specified threshold, then the network element is unresponsive.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein if the network element is unresponsive, then network elements downstream from the unresponsive network element are removed from the prioritized scan list.

70. A method for remote management of a communications network, the method comprising:

scanning network elements in the communications network;

processing the results of the scan;

alerting a user if a network element is operating improperly; and

allowing the user to control the improperly operating network element.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the scanning is manually initiated.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the scanning scans all network elements.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein the scanning scans a portion of the communications network.

74. The method of claim 70, wherein the scanning is performed automatically, and wherein the scanning scans all network elements.

75. The method of claim 70, wherein the scanning is the result of a subscriber reported performance problem.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the scanning scans only the network element reported by the subscriber.

77. The method of claim 70, wherein the alerting comprises highlighting the improperly operating network element.