Telecommunications network devoid of a distinct network management layer

• US 5,974,459 A
• Filed: 01/23/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mukherjee, Arabinda, Chattopadhyay, Swapan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALDWELL, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US08/787,783
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.53, 395/200.54, 395/182.02, 395/184.01, 379/1, 379/9, 379/14, 379/2, 379/26, 379/33, 370/216-220, 370/241-242, 370/245, 370/247, 370/469, 370/389, 709/223, 709/224, 714/4, 714/47
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13521 fault management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13533 multivendor and hybrid, e.g. public/private, networks, inc. international
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0075 Fault management techniques

Abstract

A telecommunication network without a network management layer meets operational objectives by providing at least one hot standby system which replaces a malfunctioning element of a service-providing node in the event of any disruption in services. Each service-providing node includes n primary processors and k spare processors. The telecommunications network implements all layers of the Telecommunication Management Network (TMN) standard except for the network management layer. The system therefore implements the business managemen, service management, and element management layers. An operation administration and maintenance server monitors the network to detect a malfunctioning element of a service-providing network node. Upon detecting a fault, the operation administration and maintenance server sends an out of service message to a central network planning and operations center and/or notifies an on site work force of the probable trouble. While the failure is being repaired, a hot standby system takes over the function of the defective system.

Claims

1. A telecommunications network having service-providing nodes, a Business Management Layer, a Service management Layer, and an Element Management Layer, and without a Network Management Layer comprising:

a Customer Sales and Support Center for providing sales related services to customers;

a Customer Service Management Center for managing information regarding features and services offered to customers;

an Operation Administration and Maintenance Server for monitoring said service-providing nodes of said network and generating an Out Of Service message in the event of a malfunction detected in an element of one of said service-providing nodes;

at least one hot standby system that is associated with said one of said service-providing nodes and adapted to be engaged to said network, replacing said malfunctioning element of said one of said service-providing nodes upon an occurrence of said malfunction, where said one of said service-providing nodes comprises n concurrently operating processors as well as k concurrently operating spare processors and where said malfunctioning element is one of said n processors or one of said k processors; and

a Central Network Planning and Operations Center communicating with said Element Management Layer to maintain said hot standby system.

2. The network defined in claim 1 wherein, said Operation Administration and Maintenance Server notifies said Central Network Planning and Operations Center in the event of said Out Of Service message.

3. The network defined in claim 1 wherein said central Network Planning and Operations Center maintains databases of said n+k cooperating processors as well as a database of said hot standby system.

4. The network defined in claim 1 wherein, said hot standby stays current with respect to said network but does not participate in service processing until said malfunctioning element of said one of said service-providing nodes goes off-line and said hot standby system goes on-line.

5. The network defined in claim 1 wherein, said Operation Administration and Maintenance Server notifies an On Site Work Force in the event of said Out Of Service message.

6. The network defined in claim 5 wherein, said Out Of Service message instructs said On Site Work Force of probable trouble condition in said malfunctioning element of said one of said service-providing nodes.

7. The network defined in claim 6 wherein, said Out Of Service message instructs said On Site Work Force to replace said malfunctioning element of said one of said service-providing nodes followed by reloading said data base.

8. The network defined in claim 5 wherein, said Out Of Service message indicates corruption of a data base.

9. The network defined in claim 5 wherein, said Out Of Service message indicates failure associated with software malfunction.

10. In a network having a business management layer, service management layer, and an element management layer but devoid of a network management layer, and systems that comprise n+k concurrently operating elements, where n of said operating elements are sufficient to perform assigned tasks, thus making k of said operating elements active spares, a method comprising the steps of:

by means of an Operation Administration and Maintenance Server, monitoring said network for hardware and software related problems and generating an Out of Service message in the event of a malfunction in a system of said network;

maintaining a plurality of hot standby elements associated with at least some systems of said network (enhanced system), where each of said enhanced systems has at least one of said hot standby elements associated therewith;

providing database information to said hot standby elements from a Central Network Planning and Operations Center; and

in the event of a malfunction in an element of one of said enhanced systems, placing the malfunctioning element off-line and placing one of the hot standby elements associated with the one of said enhanced system on-line.

11. The method defined in claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

notifying an On Site Work Force in the event of said Out Of Service message;

notifying a Service Management Layer OSS in the event of said Out Of Service message; and

notifying a Central Network Planning and Operations Center in the event of said Out Of Service message.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein, said Operation Administration and Maintenance Server notifies said On Site Work Force in the event of said Out Of Service message.

13. The method defined in claim 11 wherein, said On Site Work Force provides maintenance of said system by isolating and diagnosing said Out Of Service condition.

14. The method defined in claim 11 wherein, diagnosing of said Out Of Service message results in replacement of a defective hardware.

15. The method defined in claim 14 wherein, replacement of said defective component is followed by reloading a database.

16. The method defined in claim 14 wherein, replacement of said defective component is followed by reloading software.

17. The method defined in claim 11 wherein, diagnosing of said Out Of Service message results in reloading a database.

18. The method defined in claim 11 wherein, diagnosing of said Out Of Service message results in reloading software.

19. The method defined in claim 10 wherein, said Central Network Planning and Operations Center provides database information to active elements in said enhanced systems as well as to said at least one hot standby system associated with each of said enhanced systems.

20. The method defined in claim 10 wherein, said hot standby system stays current with respect to said network but does not participate in processing until said system goes off-line and said hot standby system goes on-line.