Intranet graphical user interface for SONET network management

• US 5,870,558 A
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Landon, Steve, Parks, Arthur Lee Jr., Kouch, Eric V., Stepler, Sam, DeMoss, John Mark, Branton, Robert A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US08/778,731
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.54, 395/200.53, 395/200.47, 395/200.33, 395/200.5, 395/200.51
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system and method for effectively retrieving and managing network data from thousands of network elements by providing a graphical user interface to a network management system that permits shared access by service provider personnel using diverse computer equipment distributed over a wide geographical region. User requests to the network management system are input via any one of a plurality of workstations that are coupled with a company-wide Intranet system. Additionally, users can view predefined performance reports via a web browser program running on any one of the plurality of workstations coupled with the company-wide Intranet. Users can submit batch or on-line requests. Batch requests are scheduled to be processed at a later time and on-line requests are processed immediately. Results from on-line requests are available to the user as soon as the request has been processed.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and configuring network elements in a telecommunications network comprising:

a network management system coupled to the network elements via a switched network, wherein the network elements are arranged as a plurality of data communication channel groups, each group comprising a plurality of network elements, and each group comprising at least one network element that is coupled with said switch network via a craft interface port;

a web server coupled to said network management system;

an computer network coupled to said web server; and

a plurality of workstations, coupled to said web server via said computer network, for user interaction with said network management system, wherein each of said workstations communicates with said web server via a web browser program.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said network management system comprises a scheduler, a database and a controller coupled together via a second computer network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interaction includes users submitting a request to said network management system by filling out a pre-formatted web page form presented by said web server.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said request includes an on-line request to monitor at least one of the network elements in real-time.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said request includes a batch request to monitor at least one of the network elements.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said request includes an on-line request to configure at least one of the network elements in real-time.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said request includes a batch request to configure at least one of the network elements.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interaction includes users navigating through a series of web pages presented by said web server to view pre-formatted reports from said network management system.

9. A method for monitoring and configuring network elements in a telecommunications network comprising:

(1) displaying, on a web browser, a formatted user request form for accepting user requests to a network management system;

(2) accepting, from said web browser, said user request upon submission by said user;

(3) sending information from said user request to said network management system;

(4) translating said information into a controller work request;

(5) processing said controller work request;

(6) storing results from said controller work request into a database;

(7) formatting said results for said web browser; and

(8) sending said results to a web server to be displayed by said web browser.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said user request is an on-line request to monitor at least one network element in real-time.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said user request is a batch request to monitor at least one network element.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said user request is an on-line request to configure at least one network element in real-time.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said user request is a batch request to configure at least one network element.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of launching a child web browser application program in a separate thread to display results from said on-line request.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of launching a child web browser application program in a separate thread to display results from said on-line request.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of sending status information to said user to provide information related to the processing of said user request.

17. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for enabling a processor to manage program execution, said computer readable program code means comprising;

computer readable program code means for enabling the processor to display on a web browser, a formatted user request form for accepting user requests to a network management system;

computer readable program code means for enabling the processor to accept from said web browser, said user request upon submission by said user;

computer readable program code means for enabling the processor to send information from said user request to said network management system;

computer readable program code means enabling the processor to translate said information into a controller work request;

computer readable program code means enabling the processor to process said controller work request;

computer readable program code means enabling the processor to store results from said controller work request into a database;

computer readable program code means enabling the processor to format said results for said web browser; and

computer readable program code means enabling the processor to send said results to a web server to be displayed by said web browser.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said user request is an on-line request to monitor at least one network element in real-time.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said user request is a batch request to monitor at least one network element.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said user request is an on-line request to configure at least one network element in real-time.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said user request is a batch request to configure at least one network element.

22. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising means enabling the processor to launch a child web browser application program in a separate thread to display results from said on-line request.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising means enabling the processor to launch a child web browser application program in a separate thread to display results from said on-line request.

24. The computer program product of claim method of claim 17, further comprising means enabling the processor to send status information to said user to provide information related to the processing of said user request.