SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A BACKUP-RESTORE SOLUTION FOR ACTIVE-STANDBY SERVICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• US 20100040205A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amidi, Erfan
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/9.50
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0075 Fault management techniques

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein include a system and method for providing a backup-restore solution for active-standby service management systems. In one embodiment, a telecommunication system is disclosed having first and second service management systems (SMS), a storage device shared by the first and second SMSs and circuitry operative to provide backup/restore functionality. This provides system redundancy in that the second SMS can perform the same functions as the first SMS in the event that the first SMS is unavailable due to, for example, system failures, a scheduled maintenance, or an upgrade process. Other embodiments are provided, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system comprising:

a first service management system comprising;

a first web server;

a first database in communication with the first web server; and

a first replication server in communication with the first database

a second service management system comprising;

a second web server;

a second database in communication with the second web server; and

a second replication server in communication with the second database

a shared storage device in communication with both the first and second service management systems, wherein the storage device is located in the second service management system;

first backup/restore circuitry in communication with the first database and the shared storage device, the first backup/restore circuitry operative to store a backup of the first database in the shared storage device; and

second backup/restore circuitry in communication with the second database and the shared storage device, the second backup/restore circuitry operative to load the backup of the first database from the shared storage device to the second database.

2. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the first backup/restore circuitry is located in the first service management system, and wherein the second backup/restore circuitry is located in the second service management system.

3. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the first and second backup/restore circuitry are located in the first service management system.

4. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the first and second backup/restore circuitry are located in the second service management system.

5. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second backup/restore circuitry is located in a component other than the first and second service management systems.

6. The telecommunication system of claim 1 further comprising:

third backup/restore circuitry in communication with the second database and the shared storage device, the third backup/restore circuitry operative to store a backup of the second database in the shared storage device; and

fourth backup/restore circuitry in communication with the first database and the shared storage device, the fourth backup/restore circuitry operative to load the backup of the second database from the shared storage device to the first database.

7. The telecommunication system of claim 6, wherein the third backup/restore circuitry is located in the second service management system, and wherein the fourth backup/restore circuitry is located in the first service management system.

8. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the shared storage device is located in the first service management system.

9. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication system comprises a second shared storage device in communication with both the first and second service management systems and located in the first service management system.

10. The telecommunication system of claim 1 further comprising:

third backup/restore circuitry in communication with the second database and the second shared storage device, the third backup/restore circuitry operative to store a backup of the second database in the second shared storage device; and

fourth backup/restore circuitry in communication with the first database and the second shared storage device, the fourth backup/restore circuitry operative to load the backup of the second database from the second shared storage device to the first database.

11. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises a disk drive.

12. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the second backup/restore circuitry is operative to automatically load the backup of the first database from the shared storage device to the second database.

13. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the first service management system is active when the second service management system is in standby mode, and wherein the first service management system is in standby mode when the second service management system is active.

14. A telecommunication system comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory configured to stored computer-executable program code, wherein the computer-executable program codes is configured to;

store a backup of a first database of a first service management system in a shared storage device in communication with both the first service management system and a second service management system, wherein the shared storage device is located in the second service management system; and

load the backup of the first database from the shared storage device to the second database.

15. The telecommunication system of claim 14, wherein the storage device comprises a disk drive.

16. The telecommunication system of claim 14, wherein the computer executable program code is further configured to automatically load the backup of the first database from the storage device to the second database.