SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION FOR A SERVICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

• US 20090132710A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Motive Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pelley, Edward S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• 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 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A service management system and method. In one embodiment, the service management system includes: (1) a service description repository configured to contain service descriptions that define services in terms of a set of end points that assume roles in the services and (2) a self-service application configured to collect ones of the end points mapped into roles pertaining to one of the services from a corresponding one of the service descriptions, collect key/value pairs on the ones of the end points pertaining to an issue with respect to the one of the services, evaluate the key/value pairs using optimal values and, if a predefined condition regarding the issue is met, attempt to employ the key/value pairs to address the issue.

Claims

1. A service management system, comprising:

a service description repository configured to contain service descriptions that define services in terms of a set of end points that assume roles in said services; and

a self-service application configured to collect ones of said end points mapped into roles pertaining to one of said services from a corresponding one of said service descriptions, collect key/value pairs on said ones of said end points pertaining to an issue with respect to said one of said services, evaluate said key/value pairs using optimal values and, if a predefined condition regarding said issue is met, attempt to employ said key/value pairs to address said issue.

2. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said self-service application is further configured to initiate a test to determine whether said issue is addressed.

3. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said self-service application has been coded to provide self-service for said one of said service descriptions.

4. The service management system as recited in claim 3 wherein said self-service application is a provisioning application for said one of said service descriptions.

5. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said self-service application has been coded to provide self-service for more than one service description.

6. The service management system as recited in claim 5 wherein said self-service application performs a backup/restore function for key/value pairs related to ones of said services.

7. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said self-service application is further configured to select among said end points only end points pertaining to said roles and said service.

8. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said data comprises service-specific data defined in said service description.

9. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said end points are selected from the group consisting of:

devices, and

systems,

and said optimal values are selected from the group consisting of;

user-queried values,

predefined optimal values, and

computed optimal values.

10. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said self-service application is further configured to compare said optimal values against key/value pairs collected from said end points.

11. The service management system as recited in claim 10 wherein said self-service application is further configured to compare said optimal values against said key/value pairs and functions collected from said end points.

12. The service management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said self-service application is further configured to present alternative options including an escalation to a customer service representative if said testing indicates that said issue remains unaddressed.

13. A method of providing self-service, comprising:

collecting end points mapped into roles pertaining to a service from a corresponding service description;

collecting key/value pairs on said end points pertaining to an issue with respect to said service;

evaluating said key/value pairs using optimal values;

if a predefined condition regarding said issue is met, attempting to employ said key/value pairs to address said issue; and

testing to determine whether said issue is addressed.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said retrieving comprises making a call into a service management system.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising selecting among said end points only end points pertaining to said roles and said service.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said data comprises service-specific data defined in said service description.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said end points are selected from the group consisting of:

devices, and

systems.

18. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said optimal values are selected from the group consisting of:

user-queried values,

predefined optimal values, and

computed optimal values.

19. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said evaluating comprises comparing said optimal values against key/value pairs collected from said end points.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said comparing comprises comparing said optimal values against said key/value pairs and functions collected from said end points.

21. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising presenting alternative options including an escalation to a customer service representative if said testing indicates that said issue remains unaddressed.