METHOD AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR MANAGING A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20090182861A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: HIRSCH, Lucian
• Granted Patent: US 9,667,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Communication networks are automatically tested from a superordinate producer-independently managing network management center, such as when subordinate, producer-specific operation and maintenance centers (OMCs) are not occupied. Producer-dependent information is transmitted when an alarm report is sent and producer-specific hardware tests are automatically generated in the network management center (NMC). It is unnecessary for producer-specific object classes to be completely defined in the information model of the OMC-NMC interface. The tests automatically generated in the network management center can be triggered in response to errors, e.g. for a particular hardware board, or preventively, for example for the entire hardware of a network unit.

Claims

1. A method for managing a communication network having a first device on a first management level, a second device on a second management level, and an interface between the first device and the second device using an information model based on functional object classes, comprising:

providing at least one equipment summary management object class as a component of the information model; and

transmitting, via the interface, at least one message containing at least one equipment summary management object class as a parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the equipment summary management object class is a generic object class.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the complete hardware on a network unit level is modeled by a generic management object class.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein each hardware is one of a hardware component and a hardware board.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the network unit is one of a base station controller, a base station receiver/transmitter controller, and a transcoder and rate adapter unit.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising transmitting, via the interface, additional information that uniquely characterizes the hardware.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising recognizing, in the first device, by means of the equipment summary management object class, that there is a producer-specific hardware defect when the at least one message includes an alarm report.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising determining an address of the defective hardware by evaluating the additional information together with the equipment summary management object class and an equipment summary management object instance.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending a management action from the first device to the second device via the interface; and

receiving the management action by an equipment summary management object at the second device.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the management action includes a parameter identifying hardware to be tested.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising interpreting the management action as a test request for that entire network unit which is modeled by the receiver of the management action.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising conducting several individual tests for each hardware.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

gathering the results of each individual test at the second device; and

transmitting the gathered individual test results as one single test results notification to the first device.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first device is a network management center and the second device is a operations and maintenance center.

15. A communication network having a first device on a first management level, a second device on a second management level, and an interface between the first device and the second device using an information model based on functional object classes, comprising:

means for providing at least one equipment summary management object class as a component of the information model; and

means for transmitting, via the interface, at least one message containing at least one parameter identifying the at least one equipment summary management object class.

16. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for managing a communication network having a first device on a first management level, a second device on a second management level, and an interface between the first device and the second device using an information model based on functional object classes, the program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform a method comprising:

providing at least one equipment summary management object class as a component of the information model; and

transmitting, via the interface, at least one message containing at least one parameter identifying the at least one equipment summary management object class.