System and method for isolating an outage within a communications network

• US 5,920,257 A
• Filed: 07/31/1997
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Commerford, G. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/903,666
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/825.06, 340/825.16, 370/242, 370/244, 370/250, 395/200.54, 395/200.59, 395/750.06, 395/182.18, 395/185.1, 395/183.19, 395/183.18, 395/182.05, 707/203, 364/186, 364/187, 364/188, 364/146
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks

Abstract

A system and method for isolating an outage within a communications network comprising a database containing the configuration of switching elements within a network and a plurality of instructions resident on a memory device for operating a control computer wherein the plurality of instructions include a code segment for receiving alarms from the switching elements, a code segment for determining which of the alarms indicate an outage, and a code segment for identifying the location of the switching elements that isolate the outage based upon the configuration of the switching elements in the database are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for isolating an outage within a communications network comprising:

a database containing the configuration of switching elements within said network;

a plurality of instructions resident on a memory device for operating a control computer, said plurality of instruction including a code segment for receiving alarms form said switching elements, a code segment for determining which of said alarms indicate said outage, and a code segment for identifying the location of said switching elements that isolate said outage based upon the configuration of said switching elements in said database; and

means for initiating said plurality of instructions and operative to remove said outage from within said communications network and restore communications within said communications network.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said code segment for receiving alarms from said switching elements identifies which ports on which of said switching elements are in alarm.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein said code segment for identifying the location of said switching elements includes identifying the location of said ports in alarm on one of said switching elements relative to the location of said ports in alarm on another of said switching element.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said code segment for determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes determining if said alarms were generated on a spare trunk.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said code segment for determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes determining if said alarms were generated on a traffic trunk.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein said code segment for determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes determining the priority of said traffic trunk.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said code segment for determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes requiring said alarms to be generated from more than one port on said switching element.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said code segment for identifying the location of said switching elements includes generating and maintaining a list of trunks based upon said alarms.

9. A method for isolating an outage within a communications network comprising:

storing the configuration of switching elements within said network in a database;

receiving alarms from said switching elements;

determining which of said alarms indicate said outage;

identifying the location of said switching elements that isolate said outage based upon the configuration of said switching elements in said database; and

initializing said switching elements to isolate and remove said outage from within said communications network and restore communications within said communications network.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said step of receiving alarms from said switching elements further includes identifying which ports on which of said switching elements are in alarm.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of identifying the location of said switching elements further includes identifying the location of said ports in alarm on one of said switching elements relative to the location of said ports in alarm on another of said switching element.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the step of determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes determining if said alarms were generated on a spare trunk.

13. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the step of determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes determining if said alarms were generated on a traffic trunk.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said step of determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes determining the priority of said traffic trunk.

15. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the step of determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes requiring said alarms to be generated from more than one port on said switching element.

16. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the step of identifying the location of said switching elements includes generating and maintaining a list of trunks based upon said alarms.

17. A system for isolating an outage within a communications network comprising:

a database containing the configuration of switching elements within said network; and

a plurality of instructions resident on a memory device for operating a control computer, said plurality of instructions including a code segment for receiving alarms from said switching elements, a code segment for identifying which ports on which of said switching elements are in alarm, a code segment for determining which of said alarms indicate said outage, and a code segment for identifying the location of said switching elements that isolate said outage based upon the configuration of said switching elements in said database, said plurality of instructions operative to initiate isolation of said outage from the communications network and restore communications within said communications network.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein said code segment for identifying the location of said switching elements includes identifying the location of said ports in alarm on one of said switching elements relative to the location of said ports in alarm on another of said switching element.

19. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein said code segment for determining which of said alarms indicate said outage further includes requiring said alarms to be generated from more than one port on said switching element.

20. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein said code segment for identifying the location of said switching elements includes generating and maintaining a list of trunks based upon said alarms.