System and method for automatic network management support using artificial intelligence

• US 6,047,279 A
• Filed: 11/17/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Objective Systems Integrators, Inc. (Mycom Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Objective Systems Integrators, Inc. (Mycom Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Andrew H., Barrack, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US08/971,528
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 706/60, 706/45, 706/908, 706/917, 706/61, 706/62, 702/186
• US Class Current: 706/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/052 using standardised network management architectures, e.g. telecommunication management network [TMN] or unified network management architecture [UNMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence

Abstract

The inventive system and method incorporates artificial intelligence concepts to create a system that automatically integrates new network elements. The system detects the connection of the new element with the system. The system identifies the new element, either directly or inferentially, by examining the protocol, the inputs, and the outputs of the new element, as compared with stored information. The inventive system then either selects the appropriate rule set from previously written rules, modifies an existing rule set from similar elements, or creates an appropriate rule set to integrate each new element into the network. The rule set produced by the system is then used to manage the new element.

Claims

1. A network management support system that automatically integrates a new element into the system, the system comprising:

means for identifying the new element by comparing certain characteristics of the new element with characteristic information stored in a database; and

means for formulating a rule set for managing the new element based upon an identification of the new element and control information stored in the database.

2. The network management system of claim 1, wherein:

the network management system is a component of an operations support system.

3. The network management support system of claim 1, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for determining a protocol used by the new element;

means for analyzing input accepted by the new element; and

means for analyzing output issued by the new element.

4. The network management support system of claim 3, wherein the means for determining the protocol comprises:

means for applying a plurality of test patterns to the new element;

wherein each test pattern corresponds to a different standard protocol.

5. The network management support system of claim 3, wherein the means for analyzing input comprises:

means for applying a plurality of analytical test questions to the new element; and

means for determining to which questions the new element responded.

6. The network management support system of claim 3, wherein the means for analyzing output comprises:

means for applying a plurality of analytical test questions to the new element; and

means for comparing responses to the questions and the protocol used by the new element with information stored in the database.

7. The network management support system of claim 6, wherein:

the means for comparing matches the responses and the protocol with information in the database, and directly identifies the new element.

8. The network management support system of claim 6, wherein:

the means for comparing does not match the responses and the protocol with information in the database.

9. The network management support system of claim 8, wherein the means for identifying further comprises:

means for inferentially identifying the new element by determining a particular class of elements to which the new element is associated.

10. The network management support system of claim 8, wherein the means for identifying further comprises:

means for inferentially identifying the new element by determining a known element which resembles the new element.

11. The network management support system of claim 3, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for comparing the protocol, the input, and the output of the new element with other information stored in a database.

12. The network management support system of claim 1, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for comparing a protocol, an input, and an output of the new element with information stored in a database.

13. The network management support system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for detecting a connection of the new element with the system.

14. The network management support system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for using the rule set to manage the new element.

15. The network management support system of claim 1, wherein the means for formulating comprises:

means for determining functional requirements of the new element.

16. The network management support system of claim 1, wherein the new element has been directly identified, and the means for formulating comprises:

means for retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to the directly identified new element.

17. The network management support system of claim 1, wherein the new element has been inferentially identified, and the means for formulating comprises:

means for retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to a known element that resembles the new element.

18. The network management support system of claim 1, wherein the new element has been inferentially identified, and the means for formulating comprises:

means for retrieving the rule set, from the database, which is useable for a class of elements in which the new element has been associated.

19. The network management support system of claim 1, wherein the new element has been inferentially identified, and the means for formulating comprises:

means for creating the rule set by posing a predetermining series of interrogatories to a system user.

20. A network management support system that automatically integrates a new element into the system, the system comprising:

means for detecting a connection of the new element with the system;

means for determining a protocol used by the new element;

means for analyzing input accepted by the new element;

means for analyzing output issued by the new element;

means for identifying the new element by comparing the protocol, the input, and the output of the new element with information stored in a database;

means for formulating a rule set for managing the new element based upon an identification of the new element and information stored in the database; and

means for using the rule set to manage the new element.

21. The network management system of claim 20, wherein:

the network management system is a component of an operations support system.

22. The network management support system of claim 20, wherein the means for determining the protocol comprises:

means for applying a plurality of test patterns to the new element;

wherein each test pattern corresponds to a different standard protocol.

23. The network management support system of claim 20, wherein the means for analyzing output comprises:

means for applying a plurality of analytical test questions to the new element; and

means for comparing responses to the questions and the protocol used by the new element with information stored in the database.

24. The network management support system of claim 23, wherein:

the means for comparing matches the responses and the protocol with information in the database, and directly identifies the new element.

25. The network management support system of claim 24, wherein the means for formulating comprises:

means for retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to the directly identified new element.

26. The network management support system of claim 23, wherein:

the means for comparing does not match the responses and the protocol with information in the database.

27. The network management support system of claim 26, wherein the means for identifying further comprises:

means for inferentially identifying the new element by determining a particular class of elements to which the new element is associated.

28. The network management support system of claim 27, wherein the means for formulating comprises:

means for retrieving the rule set, from the database, which is useable for the class of elements.

29. The network management support system of claim 26, wherein the means for identifying further comprises:

means for inferentially identifying the new element by determining a known element which resembles the new element.

30. The network management support system of claim 29, wherein the means for formulating comprises:

means for retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to the known element.

31. The network management support system of claim 26, wherein the means for formulating comprises:

means for creating the rule set by posing a predetermining series of interrogatories to a system user.

32. A method for automatically integrating a new element into a network management support system, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying the new element by comparing certain characteristics of the new element with characteristic information stored in a database; and

formulating a rule set for managing the new element based upon an identification of the new element and control information stored in the database.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the network management system is a component of an operations support system.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the step for identifying comprises the steps of:

determining a protocol used by the new element;

analyzing input accepted by the new element; and

analyzing output issued by the new element.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of determining the protocol comprises the step of:

applying a plurality of test patterns to the new element;

wherein each test pattern corresponds to a different standard protocol.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of analyzing output comprises the steps of:

applying a plurality of analytical test questions to the new element; and

comparing responses to the questions and the protocol used by the new element with information stored in the database.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the step of comparing matches the responses and the protocol with information in the database, and directly identifies the new element.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the step of comparing does not match the responses and the protocol with information in the database.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of identifying further comprises the step of:

inferentially identifying the new element by determining a particular class of elements to which the new element is associated.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of identifying further comprises the step of:

inferentially identifying the new element by determining a known element which resembles the new element.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of identifying comprises the step of:

comparing the protocol, the input, and the output of the new element with other information stored in a database.

42. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

detecting a connection of the new element with the system.

43. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

using the rule set to manage the new element.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of formulating comprises the step of:

determining functional requirements of the new element.

45. The method of claim 32, wherein the new element has been directly identified, and the step of formulating comprises the step of:

retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to the directly identified new element.

46. The method of claim 32, wherein the new element has been inferentially identified, and the step of formulating comprises the step of:

retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to a known element that resembles the new element.

47. The method of claim 32, wherein the new element has been inferentially identified, and the step of formulating comprises the step of:

retrieving the rule set, from the database, which is useable for a class of elements in which the new element has been associated.

48. The method of claim 32, wherein the new element has been inferentially identified, and the step of formulating comprises the step of:

creating the rule set by posing a predetermining series of interrogatories to a system user.

49. A method that automatically integrates a new element into a network management support system, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a connection of the new element with the system;

determining a protocol used by the new element;

analyzing input accepted by the new element;

analyzing output issued by the new element;

identifying the new element by comparing the protocol, the input, and the output of the new element with information stored in a database;

formulating a rule set for managing the new element based upon an identification of the new element and information stored in the database; and

using the rule set to manage the new element.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein:

the network management system is a component of an operations support system.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of determining the protocol comprises the step of:

applying a plurality of test patter ns to the new element;

wherein each test pattern corresponds to a different standard protocol.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of analyzing output comprises the steps of:

applying a plurality of analytical test questions to the new element; and

comparing responses to the questions and the protocol used by the new element with information stored in the database.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein:

the step of comparing matches the responses and the protocol with information in the database, and directly identifies the new element.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of formulating comprises the step of:

retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to the directly identified new element.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein:

the step of comparing does not match the responses and the protocol with information in the database.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the step of identifying further comprises the step of:

inferentially identifying the new element by determining a particular class of elements to which the new element is associated.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the step of formulating comprises the step of:

retrieving the rule set, from the database, which is useable for the class of elements.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the step of identifying further comprises the step of:

inferentially identifying the new element by determining a known element which resembles the new element.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of formulating comprises the step of:

retrieving the rule set, from the database, which corresponds to the known element.

60. The method of claim 55, wherein the step of formulating comprises the step of:

creating the rule set by posing a predetermining series of interrogatories to a system user.