Method for implementing TopN measurements in operations support systems

• US 20060190578A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Neal, Scott S., Votipka, Bruce, Nelson, Ellen Maureen, Ehike, Craig A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/022 by sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays

Abstract

In an OSS, storing a plurality, typically less than all, of name-value pairs from a sample space and calculating a “representative” value based on values in the entire sample space. Optionally, a “remainder” value can be generated based on name-value pairs in the sample space that were not stored as part of the plurality of name-value pairs. Displays may be generated based on the top “M” name-value pairs, with “M” typically being set by the user at some number less than “M.”

Claims

1. A method of measuring comprising:

storing “

M”

name-value pairs from a sample space over a period of time; and

calculating a representative value based on all of the name-value pairs in the sample space.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1 wherein the representative value is selected from the group comprising:

the largest value in the sample space, the smallest value in the sample space, the average of the values in the sample space, and the sum of all the values in the sample space.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a graphic based on the top “

M”

name-value pairs wherein N≦

M.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 3 further comprising:

calculating an other value representative of values in the sample space other than the values included in the top “

M”

name-value pairs; and

displaying a representation of the other value in association with the graphic.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a plurality of data structures encapsulating the “

M”

name-value pairs and representative value for each period of time.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the plurality of data structures comprise objects.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

aggregating at least two data structures.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

intervalizing at least two data structures.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a remainder value based on name-value pairs taken during the period of time not included in the group of “

M”

name-value pairs.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the remainder value is selected from the group comprising:

the largest of the name-value pairs taken during the period of time not included in the group of “

M”

name-value pairs, the smallest of the name-value pairs taken during the period of time not included in the group of “

M”

name-value pairs;

the average of name-value pairs taken during the period of time not included in the group of “

M”

name-value pairs;

the sum of name-value pairs taken during the period of time not included in the group of “

M”

name-value pairs.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

creating a bar graph having at least one segmented bar with “

M”

segments representing the respective values of the top “

M”

name-value pair and at least one segment representing an other value based on name-value pairs taken during the period of time not included in the top “

M”

name-value pairs.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

storing a second set of “

M”

name-value pairs from a sample space over a second period of time;

identifying top “

M”

name-value pairs of the second set of “

M”

name-value pairs;

calculating an other value based on name-value pairs taken during the second period of time not included in the group of“

M”

name-value pairs; and

wherein the step of creating a bar graph comprises creating a bar graph having at least two segmented bars with the first segmented bar representing the top “

M”

name-value pairs from the first period of time and the first other value and the second segmented bar representing the top “

M”

name-value pairs from the second period of time and the second other value.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of storing “

M”

name-value pairs comprises;

receiving a set of name-value pairs over a period of time; and

storing the top “

M”

name-value pairs of the set of name-value pairs.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

performing a mathematical operation on the name-value pairs in the set of name-value pairs but not in the top “

M”

name-value pairs to generate a remainder value.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

performing a mathematical operation on the name-value pairs in the set of name-value pairs but not in the top “

M”

name-value pairs where N≦

M to generate an other value.

16. An OSS system comprising:

at least one agent that measures values related to a system under test, the agent forming an object based on a sample space for each measurement frequency, the object comprising “

M”

name-value pairs from the sample space, a representative value for the entire sample space, and a remainder value representative of measured values in the sample space but not included in the “

M”

name-value pairs.

17. An OSS system, as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

a database system to store the objects created by the agents.

18. An OSS system, as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

a graphical user interface adapted to generate graphics based on the objects formed by the agent.

19. An OSS system, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface generates a bar graph display with a single bar for each representative value of each object.

20. An OSS system, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface generates a bar graph for a single object with a bar for each name-value pair in the top “

M”

name-value pairs.

21. An OSS system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the bar graph includes a bar representative of the values of the name-value pairs outside of the top “

M”

name-value pairs.