COMMON CHRONICS RESOLUTION MANAGEMENT

• US 20100211817A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2009
• 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: Yang, Chen-Yui, Bajpay, Paritosh, Hossain, Monowar
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/149 for prediction of maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing problems that are determined to be chronic problems with network devices or circuits are disclosed. The systems and methods receive data indicating a problem with a network device or circuit and determine based on the data a first action to be performed on the network device or circuit. Upon determining that a recurring problem exists for the network device or circuit, a rule set is used to determine if the data indicates a chronic problem. Upon determining that a chronic problem exists for the network device or circuit, the rule set is used to determine a monitoring period for the network device or circuit. Further, within the monitoring period a performance indicator that indicates that the network equipment or circuit is performing acceptably or unacceptably is used to determine further actions for the network device or circuit.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving first data indicating a resolution for a problem with a network device;

receiving second data indicating a problem with the network device;

upon determining that a recurring problem exists for the network device, using a rule set to determine if the first data and second data indicates a chronic problem;

upon determining that a chronic problem exists for the network device, using the rule set to determine a monitoring period for the network device;

periodically determining within the monitoring period a performance indicator for the network device; and

performing an action based on the performance indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising opening a trouble ticket for the problem.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the performance indicator indicates that the network device is performing acceptably and wherein the action comprises closing the trouble ticket.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance indicator indicates that the network device is performing unacceptably and wherein the action comprises determining a second action to be performed on the network device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein using the rule set to determine a monitoring period includes determining a resolution type for the problem and determining the monitoring period based on the resolution type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining a monitoring period determines a first monitoring period if the resolution type indicates the network device was repaired and determines a second monitoring period if the resolution type indicates that the network device is unstable.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first period is shorter than the second period.

8. The method of claim 1, and further comprising creating a watch list entry for the network device.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising displaying the watch list entry and a current value of the performance indicator.

10. A system comprising:

a ticketing module to maintain data for a problem with a network device;

a rules management module to maintain a set of rules, to receive the data for the problem and to use the data and the set of rules to determine that a chronic problem exists based on a recurrence frequency and a trouble resolution code, and to determine a monitoring period for the network device or circuit; and

a monitoring module to receive data for the network device and to determine a performance indicator for the network device, wherein the performance indicator and the set of rules are used to determine a second action for the network device within the monitoring period.

11. The system of claim 10, and further comprising an auto-diagnose module to determine a predicted root cause for the problem in accordance with the set of rules and the data for the problem.

12. The system of claim 10, and further comprising a notification module to provide a notification that a trouble ticket was opened.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the notification includes at least one of an email notification, a web page notification, a pager notification, a text message notification, or a phone notification.

14. The system of claim 10, and further comprising a network inventory database to provide data to the rules module regarding the network device.

15. A machine-readable medium having machine executable instructions stored thereon that cause one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving first data indicating a problem with a network device;

receiving second data indicating a problem with the network device;

upon determining that a recurring problem exists for the network device, using a rule set to determine if the first data and second data indicates a chronic problem;

upon determining that a chronic problem exists for the network device, using the rule set to determine a monitoring period for the network device;

periodically determining within the monitoring period a performance indicator for the network device; and

performing an action based on the performance indicator.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the performance indicator indicates that the network device is performing acceptably and wherein the action comprises closing a trouble ticket associated with the problem.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the performance indicator indicates that the network device is performing unacceptably and wherein the action comprises determining a second action to be performed on the network device.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise issuing a notification that a trouble ticket has been opened for the problem.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein the notification is provided to a customer of a telecommunications provider.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein receiving data indicating a problem with a network device includes receiving data from a plurality of network devices.