Method and apparatus for emulating a digital cross-connect switch network using a flexible topology to test MCS network management
First Claim
1. An emulator apparatus for emulating a digital cross-connect switch network to allow testing of a communication network monitor and control system (MCS) in the presence or absence of a selected network failure, the emulator apparatus comprising:
- a communication module which communicates with the MCS over at least one emulator control link using a communications protocol substantially identical to a communications protocol used in the digital cross-connect switch network to communicate to the MCS;
a memory unit for storing emulated network data representative of the behavior and topology of the emulated digital cross-connect switch network in the presence or absence of the selected network failure, wherein said emulated network data includes configuration data identifying the transmission behavior of DXC nodes in the digital cross-connect network and topology data identifying logical trunks extending through corresponding ports in the said nodes; and
a processor coupled to said communication module and said memory unit, said processor sending emulator messages for the MCS to said communication module based on said emulated network data, said emulator messages emulating solicited and unsolicited messages which would be sent from the digital cross-connect switch network to the MCS in the presence and absence of the selected network failure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for emulating a digital cross-connect switching (DXC) network fully tests a telecommunication network monitoring and control system (MCS). The communication and behavior of a DXC network are emulated in the presence and absence of selected network node and trunk configurations, failures, and/or normalizations. A communication module communicates with the MCS through emulator control links using a communications protocol substantially identical to a communications protocol used in the emulated digital cross-connect network. A configuration database stores configuration data representing the current behavior of the DXC nodes. A topology database stores flexible topology data identifying trunks through adjacent DXC nodes. Changes to trunk connections can be made without knowledge of intermediate site and equipment topology details to test many network scenarios. An emulator message generator generates messages emulating communications from DXC nodes to the MCS. An emulator link selector further selects an enabled emulator control link depending upon whether respective emulated network control links are enabled. Intelligent emulator responses are generated and sent based on the current configuration and/or topology data which take into account any selected user-input to emulate solicited and unsolicited responses by actual digital cross-connect network nodes to MCS commands and audits. Simulated multi-tasking and dynamic user-interface control options are included. Different DXC networks and systems are emulated to test an MCS including a hybrid DXC network.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An emulator apparatus for emulating a digital cross-connect switch network to allow testing of a communication network monitor and control system (MCS) in the presence or absence of a selected network failure, the emulator apparatus comprising:
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a communication module which communicates with the MCS over at least one emulator control link using a communications protocol substantially identical to a communications protocol used in the digital cross-connect switch network to communicate to the MCS; a memory unit for storing emulated network data representative of the behavior and topology of the emulated digital cross-connect switch network in the presence or absence of the selected network failure, wherein said emulated network data includes configuration data identifying the transmission behavior of DXC nodes in the digital cross-connect network and topology data identifying logical trunks extending through corresponding ports in the said nodes; and a processor coupled to said communication module and said memory unit, said processor sending emulator messages for the MCS to said communication module based on said emulated network data, said emulator messages emulating solicited and unsolicited messages which would be sent from the digital cross-connect switch network to the MCS in the presence and absence of the selected network failure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer-implemented method for emulating a digital cross-connect network to test a network monitoring and control system (MCS), comprising the steps of:
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storing emulated network data representative of the behavior and topology of the digital cross-connect network being emulated, said emulated network data including configuration data representative of the behavior of each DXC node in the digital cross-connect network being emulated and topology data identifying logical trunks extending between adjacent nodes to represent the topology of the digital cross-connect network; establishing connectivity with the MCS over at least one emulator control link; detecting incoming MCS messages; and sending emulator messages over said at least one emulator control link to the MCS in response to said incoming MCS messages based on said emulated network data, said emulator messages emulating messages which would be sent from DXC nodes in the digital cross-connect network being emulated to the MCS in response to said detected incoming MCS messages. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification