Method and system for provisioning services on a communication network

• US 20060075102A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Network Communications Incorporated (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Cupit, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,359,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• 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

Abstract

A method for provisioning a service on a communication network includes receiving a service order comprising a service request. The service request relates to a service provided on a communication network. The method includes analyzing the service order to determine a plurality of network elements to provision to complete the service request and one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request. The method includes retrieving a configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements and reserving the one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request. The method also includes preparing a service template for each of the plurality of network elements using the configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements. The service templates are capable of being delivered to respective network elements for execution. The method also includes delivering each service template to a respective network element for execution to fulfill the service order.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a service on a communication network, comprising:

receiving a service order comprising a service request, the service request relating to a service provided on a communication network;

analyzing the service order to determine;

a plurality of network elements to provision to complete the service request; and

one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request;

retrieving a configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements;

reserving the one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request;

preparing a service template for each of the plurality of network elements using the configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements, the service templates capable of being delivered to respective network elements for execution; and

delivering each service template to a respective network element for execution to fulfill the service order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the service template for each of the plurality of network elements comprises:

correlating service parameters of the service request, the configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements and the reserved one or more network resources; and

populating each service template with task primitives associated with a respective network element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the service order to determine whether the service order relates to a legitimate service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a database of available network resources as the reserved one or more network resources are utilized.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering each service template to a respective network element for execution comprises delivering each service template to a respective network element according to one or more schedule parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting one or more of the service templates to a separate format for delivery to a respective network element.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of network elements utilize unique management systems requiring different types of task primitives to configure, alter or manage the network elements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein execution of at least one of the service templates at a respective network element comprises an alteration of a configuration of the respective network element.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to provision a new service for the subscriber on the communication network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to alter a current service provisioned on the communication network for the subscriber.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to resolve a problem for the subscriber with a current service provisioned on the communication network.

12. A system for provisioning a service on a communication network, comprising:

an interface operable to receive a service order comprising a service request, the service request relating to a service provided on a communication network;

a service provisioning manager coupled to the interface, the service provisioning manager operable to;

analyze the service order to determine;

a plurality of network elements to provision to complete the service request; and

one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request;

retrieve a configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements;

reserve the one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request; and

prepare a service template for each of the plurality of network elements using the configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements, the service templates capable of being delivered to respective network elements for execution; and

a delivery manager coupled to the service provisioning manager, the delivery manager operable to deliver each service template to a respective network element for execution to fulfill the service order.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a service provisioning manager operable to prepare the service template for each of the plurality of network elements comprises a service provisioning manager operable to:

correlate service parameters of the service request, the configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements and the reserved one or more network resources; and

populate each service template with task primitives associated with a respective network element.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the service provisioning manager is further operable to analyze the service order to determine whether the service order relates to a legitimate service.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a resource manager coupled to the service provisioning manager, the resource manager operable to update a database of available network resources as the reserved one or more network resources are utilized.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein a delivery manager operable to deliver each service template to a respective network element for execution comprises a delivery manager operable to deliver each service template to a respective network element according to one or more schedule parameters.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a gateway coupled to the delivery manager, the gateway operable to convert one or more of the service templates to a separate format for delivery to a respective network element.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein at least two of the plurality of network elements utilize unique management systems requiring different types of task primitives to configure, alter or manage the network elements.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein execution of at least one of the service templates at a respective network element comprises an alteration of a configuration of the respective network element.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to provision a new service for the subscriber on the communication network.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to alter a current service provisioned on the communication network for the subscriber.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to resolve a problem for the subscriber with a current service provisioned on the communication network.

23. Software embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive a service order comprising a service request, the service request relating to a service provided on a communication network;

analyze the service order to determine;

a plurality of network elements to provision to complete the service request; and

one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request;

retrieve a configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements;

reserve the one or more network resources of the communication network required to complete the service request;

prepare a service template for each of the plurality of network elements using the configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements, the service templates capable of being delivered to respective network elements for execution; and

deliver each service template to a respective network element for execution to fulfill the service order.

24. The medium of claim 23, wherein code operable to prepare the service template for each of the plurality of network elements comprises code operable to:

correlate service parameters of the service request, the configuration profile for each of the plurality of network elements and the reserved one or more network resources; and

populate each service template with task primitives associated with a respective network element.

25. The medium of claim 23, wherein the code is further operable to analyze the service order to determine whether the service order relates to a legitimate service.

26. The medium of claim 23, wherein the code is further operable to update a database of available network resources as the reserved one or more network resources are utilized.

27. The medium of claim 23, wherein code operable to deliver each service template to a respective network element for execution comprises code operable to deliver each service template to a respective network element according to one or more schedule parameters.

28. The medium of claim 23, further comprising code operable to convert one or more of the service templates to a separate format for delivery to a respective network element.

29. The medium of claim 23, wherein at least two of the plurality of network elements utilize unique management systems requiring different types of task primitives to configure, alter or manage the network elements.

30. The medium of claim 23, wherein execution of at least one of the service templates at a respective network element comprises an alteration of a configuration of the respective network element.

31. The medium of claim 23, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to provision a new service for the subscriber on the communication network.

32. The medium of claim 23, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to alter a current service provisioned on the communication network for the subscriber.

33. The medium of claim 23, wherein the service request comprises a subscriber request to resolve a problem for the subscriber with a current service provisioned on the communication network.