Methods, Systems, and Products for Reflective Maintenance

• US 20120078565A1
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• 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: Qian, Zhiqiang, Bajpay, Paritosh, Liu, Jackson, Zinnikas, Michael John
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/117
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products maintain reflective maintenance records for a network. Test results are mirrored from different testing applications to a centralized testing database. The test results are associated to circuit identifiers. A work order is received that identifies trouble associated with a customer. A circuit identifier associated with the customer is retrieved and, prior to performing a test of a circuit to resolve the trouble, the centralized testing database is queried for the circuit identifier. A test result associated with the circuit identifier is retrieved and the work order is updated with the test result.

Claims

1. A method for reflective maintenance of a network, comprising:

mirroring test results from different testing applications to a centralized testing database;

associating the test results to circuit identifiers;

receiving notification of trouble associated with a circuit identifier;

prior to performing a test of a circuit to resolve the trouble, querying the centralized testing database for the circuit identifier; and

retrieving a test result associated with the circuit identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing the test of the circuit when the centralized testing database stores no test results associated with the circuit identifier.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising mirroring a result of the test to the centralized testing database.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising clearing the result of the test from the centralized testing database.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising clearing the test result from the centralized testing database.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising clearing the test result from the centralized testing database when the trouble is resolved.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising associating the test results to facility identifiers.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein prior to performing the test of the circuit, querying the centralized testing database for the facility identifier and retrieving the test result associated with the facility identifier.

13. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to clear the test result from the centralized testing database when the trouble is resolved.

14. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to associate the test results to facility identifiers.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising code that causes the processor to query the centralized testing database prior to performing the test of the circuit to, retrieve the test result associated with a facility identifier.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor executing code stored in memory that causes the processor to;

mirror test results from different testing applications to a centralized testing database;

associating the test results to circuit identifiers;

receiving notification of trouble associated with a circuit identifier;

prior to performing a test of a circuit to resolve the trouble, querying the centralized testing database for the circuit identifier;

retrieving a test result associated with the circuit identifier; and

updating a work order with the test result.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to perform the test of the circuit when the centralized testing database stores no test results associated with the circuit identifier.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising code that causes the processor to mirror a result of the test to the centralized testing database.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising code that causes the processor to clear the result of the test from the centralized testing database.

16. A computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

mirroring test results from different testing applications to a centralized testing database;

associating the test results to circuit identifiers;

receiving notification of trouble associated with a circuit identifier;

prior to performing a test of a circuit to resolve the trouble, querying the centralized testing database for the circuit identifier;

retrieving a test result associated with the circuit identifier; and

updating a work order with the test result.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising instructions for performing the test of the circuit when the centralized testing database stores no test results associated with the circuit identifier.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for mirroring a result of the test to the centralized testing database.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising instructions for associating the test results to facility identifiers.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for querying the centralized testing database prior to performing the test of the circuit and retrieving the test result associated with the facility identifier.