Network configuration management system for digital communication networks

• US 5,774,689 A
• Filed: 09/22/1995
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolak, Robert A., Curtis, David C., Curtis, Kathleen P., Denunzio, David D., Reed, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trans, Vincent N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/532,314
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/527, 395/280, 395/680, 395/682, 395/614, 395/615, 395/51, 395/284, 395/683, 395/50, 395/653, 395/182.02, 395/200.35, 395/200.01, 364/468.05, 379/201, 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 370/351
• US Class Current: 703/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks

Abstract

An arrangement (apparatus and method) for dynamically provisioning infrastructure components in a digital communication network using an object-oriented relational paradigm. A network configuration system, also referred to as a video support system, stores all related information on each of the infrastructure components (IFCs) as objects in an object oriented relational database, including the functions, capabilities, locations, when and how the IFCs are assigned, and the capacities, working and spare, existing in and between various locations. The objects are arranged into clusters based on common characteristics, and the object clusters (modules), selectively access other modules to provide functional and logical connections independent from nonrelevant objects, such as physical location. Entity relationships establish the relevancy of different objects and object clusters. The object-oriented relational paradigm allows new technology devices to be added to the infrastructure, and enables intelligent infrastructure components to perform dynamic and adaptive configurations with minimal modification in the provisioning system.

Claims

1. A system for establishing and maintaining an infrastructure for a digital communication system providing digital services, comprising:

a library system identifying relationships between a first group of objects representing respective parameters of an infrastructure component, a second group of objects representing respective characteristics of an infrastructure option, and a third group of objects representing available physical connections for connecting a plurality of the infrastructure components in a specified pattern, the library system identifying at least one logical configuration for each of the infrastructure components that corresponds to one of the identified relationships that identifies the corresponding parameters with corresponding connection sequences to obtain a corresponding infrastructure option;

a model system for creating provisioning models identifying families of said infrastructure components performing the respective infrastructure options, each of said provisioning models comprising a first and second handoff object identifying a first and second connection of the corresponding provisioning model, and a location object identifying a path of the corresponding provisioning model, said model system comprising a routing algorithm for assembling a sequence of the provisioning models to provide at least one path model supplying the corresponding infrastructure options between identified locations to provide a digital service;

an inventory system identifying logical assignments available from the library system to provide the infrastructure options in accordance with the provisioning models and provisioned logical assignments; and

a contract system for assigning the logical assignments identified by the inventory system to said provisioned logical assignments to provide a specified infrastructure option between two specified locations.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an object-oriented database system storing the objects, the database system comprising a relational data base management system managing groupings of the objects in accordance with identified relationships.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, further comprising at least one management information base (MIB) server, responsive to user inputs, for controlling the identified relationships, the families of infrastructure components, and the groupings of the objects managed by the relational data base management system.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, further comprising a graphic user interface for generating graphical objects corresponding to the identified relationships controlled by the at least one MIB server.

5. A system as recited in claim 2, further comprising an interface system for outputting work order requests to a work order management system, the work order requests corresponding to at least one of the logical assignments identified in said inventory system.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein said interface system comprises a translator for outputting configuration assignment information to element management systems of said infrastructure in the corresponding format.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the work order management system is a WFA/C system.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the work order management system is a NMA system.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said provisioned logical assignments includes a first logical configuration for one of said infrastructure components, said inventory identifying secondary infrastructure options available using said one infrastructure component in said first logical configuration with corresponding secondary logical assignments in accordance with the provisioning models.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein said one infrastructure component comprises primary and secondary configuration levels each comprising two or more available configurations.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said one provisioned logical assignment assigns said one infrastructure component in said first configuration for the primary configuration level, said inventory system identifying a plurality of said available second infrastructure options using respective configurations of said secondary configuration level and the respective secondary logical assignments.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said infrastructure component parameters represented by said first group of objects is bandwidth capacity and at least two of said objects of said third group represent physical connections of said corresponding infrastructure components, said objects from said first group identifying said bandwidth capacity being assigned independent from said third group of objects.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein another one of said infrastructure component parameters represented by said first group of objects is timeslot sequences, said objects from said first group identifying said respective timeslot sequences being assigned independent from said third group of objects.

14. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein another one of said infrastructure component parameters represented by said first group of objects is memory processing capacity and at least one of said objects of said second group represents a memory requirement for an instance of a corresponding infrastructure option.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein said contract system dynamically assigns the logical assignments to said provisioned logical assignments in response to the objects of said second group indicating the memory requirements exceed a predetermined threshold.

16. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein said contract system generates work orders in response to the objects of said second group indicating the memory requirements exceed a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface system for outputting work order requests to a work order management system configured for tracking addition of the infrastructure components for the digital communication system, the work order requests corresponding to at least one of the logical assignments identified in the inventory system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the work order management system is a WFA/C system.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the work order management system is a NMA system.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the specified infrastructure option provides transmission of broadband data between the two specified locations serving different geographic portions of the digital communications system.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the broadband data includes digital video data.

22. A method for establishing and maintaining an infrastructure for a digital communications system providing digital services, comprising the steps of:

creating a hierarchial component reference record for an infrastructure component having primary and secondary configurations, said hierarchial component reference record comprising a plurality of objects each representing one of a parameter, configuration, and infrastructure function, said hierarchial component reference record identifying a plurality of relationships between said objects and defining infrastructure functions in respective configurations;

storing said component reference record in a library portion of an object oriented relational database storing a plurality of said component reference records for respective infrastructure components;

forming a first group of said objects on the basis of location and a second group of said objects on the basis of said infrastructure functions and storing object relationships of the first and second group in an inventory portion of said object oriented relational database;

defining provisioning models identifying a third group of said infrastructure components capable of performing a selected one of said infrastructure functions;

selecting a fourth group of said provisioning models identifying two or more model sequences defining respective paths to perform said selected infrastructure function between two geographic locations;

selecting one of said model sequences to perform said selected one infrastructure function between said two geographic locations;

assigning the infrastructure components identified by said selected one of said model sequences to perform said selected infrastructure function between said two geographic locations, at least one of said assigned infrastructure components having the primary configuration set to an assigned configuration; and

updating the object relationships of said first and second group of objects in accordance with said assigning step, the objects identifying said secondary configurations of said at least one of said assigned infrastructure components having modified relationships generated in response to said primary assigned configuration.