Element management system for heterogeneous telecommunications network

• US 6,260,062 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vertel Corporation
• Original Assignee: PathNet, Inc.
• Inventors: Dudley, William H., McCabe, Pauric, Podietz, Eric, Davis, Kenton T., Weidong, Shao, Gallagher, Derek, Gee, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/288,622
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• 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 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components

Abstract

The element management system (“EMS”) of the present invention addresses the need for effective and efficient management of heterogeneous telecommunications networks that include network elements of different types, such as radios and fiber optic devices, made by different manufacturers. This EMS provides a core set of element-independent network management messages that support basic network management functions, such as fault and performance monitoring and configuration management. Element-independent messages to an individual network element are mapped to an element-dependent message for that network element; messages from individual network elements are correspondingly mapped into the core set of element-independent messages. Management applications and user interfaces in the EMS thus send and receive network management information using the core set of messages, in the common protocol of those messages. The EMS of the present invention thus supports rapid and low-cost integration of additional network elements of different types and different manufacturers, additional management functionality and additional and modified telecommunications services. The present invention also provides a method for developing the core set of element-independent network management messages for basic telecommunications management functions.

Claims

1. An element management system for a telecommunications network, comprising

means for receiving, from a software application, a downstream element-independent network management message selected from a core set of downstream element-independent network management messages, for transmission to a telecommunications network element, wherein the core set of downstream element-independent network management messages comprises a reduced number of downstream network management messages supporting basic telecommunications network management functionality, and, wherein, with respect to at least one telecommunications network element in the telecommunications network, basic telecommunications network functionality comprises core common network management functions and core equipment type-specific network management functions;

means for mapping the downstream element-independent network management message into a downstream element-dependent network management message, and into an element-dependent protocol, for the telecommunications network element; and

means for transmitting the downstream element-dependent network management message to the telecommunications network element.

5. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, further including means for forwarding application requests to a specified telecommunications network element.

6. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the core common network management functions comprise the functions of:

monitoring faults and alarms in the telecommunications network element;

configuring the telecommunications network element;

monitoring performance of the telecommunications network element; and

monitoring security of the telecommunications network element.

7. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the core common network management functions comprise the functions of:

setting a time clock for the telecommunications network element;

setting threshold values for the telecommunications network element;

retrieving performance data for a specified time period for the telecommunications network element;

updating the external output control on the telecommunications network element;

sending a signal to the external output interface on the telecommunications network element;

updating the external input control attributes on the telecommunications network element;

retrieving the operational status of the telecommunications network element;

processing equipment information from the telecommunications network element;

retrieving and updating protection status for the telecommunications network element; and

processing alarms.

8. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the core equipment type-specific network management functions comprise:

core microwave radio network management functions; and

core fiber optic device network management functions.

9. An element management system according to claim 8, wherein the core microwave radio network management functions comprise the functions of:

invoking and releasing protection status for the telecommunications network element; and

requesting a manual exercise on a protection unit related to a regular channel used by the telecommunications network element.

10. An element management system according to claim 8, wherein the core fiber optic device network management functions comprise the functions of:

retrieving, entering, editing and removing a facility of a fiber optic device; and

retrieving, performing and removing a cross-connection of a fiber optic device.

11. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for processing fault management information.

12. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for logging network notifications and events into a database.

13. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for forwarding e-mail from a network management software application.

14. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for communicating with a network management software application.

15. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for storing notifications and events concerning the telecommunications network element.

16. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the telecommunications network includes telecommunications network elements of more than one type.

17. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the telecommunications network includes telecommunications network elements of more than one manufacturer.

18. An element management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the telecommunications network element is selected from a group consisting of a microwave radio and a fiber optic device.

2. An element management system for a telecommunications network, comprising

means for receiving an upstream element-dependent network management message from a telecommunications network element;

means for mapping the upstream element-dependent network management message into an upstream element-independent network management message selected from a core set of upstream element-independent network management messages, and into a common element-independent message protocol, wherein the core set of upstream element-independent network management messages comprises a reduced number of upstream network management messages supporting basic telecommunications network management functionality, and, with respect to at least one telecommunications network element in the telecommunications network, basic telecommunications network functionality comprises core common network management functions and core equipment type-specific network management functions; and

means for transmitting the upstream element-independent network management message to a software application.

3. An element management system according to claim 2, wherein at least one message of the core set of upstream element-independent network messages corresponds to a message of a core set of downstream element-independent network messages.

4. An element management system according to claim 2, wherein at least one upstream element-dependent network management message responds to a downstream element-dependent network management message.

19. An element management system for a telecommunications network, the element management system comprising:

at least one adapter block, wherein each adapter block

receives a plurality of upstream element-dependent network management messages from at least one network element served by the adapter block;

maps each upstream element-dependent network management message into one of a plurality of upstream element-independent network management messages;

sends upstream element-independent network management messages to a communications backbone;

receives a plurality of downstream element-independent network management messages, from the communications backbone, for at least one network element served by the adapter block;

maps each downstream element-independent network management message into a downstream element-dependent network management message; and

sends downstream element-dependent network management messages to at least one network element served by the adapter block;

wherein the communications backbone

receives downstream element-independent network management messages, from a network management request broker, for transmission to at least one network element served by the adapter block; and

sends upstream element-independent network management messages from the adapter block to the request broker; and

wherein the request broker communicates with network management applications.

20. The element system of claim 19, wherein the communications backbone sends upstream element-independent network management messages from the adapter block to an event manager in communications with network management applications.

21. An adapter block for an element management system for a telecommunications network, the adapter block comprising:

an upstream receiver for receiving a plurality of upstream element-dependent network management messages from at least one network element served by the adapter block;

a downstream transmitter for sending a plurality of downstream element-dependent network management messages to the network element;

an upstream transmitter for sending a plurality of upstream element-independent network management messages to a communications backbone in communications with the adapter block;

a downstream receiver for receiving a plurality of downstream element-dependent network management messages from the communications backbone; and

processing means for mapping each upstream element-dependent network management message into one of the plurality of upstream element-independent network management messages, and for mapping each downstream element-independent network management message into one of the plurality of downstream element-dependent network management messages.

22. The adapter block of claim 21, wherein the communications backbone

receives downstream element-independent network management messages, from a network management request broker, for transmission to at least one network element served by the adapter block; and

sends element-independent network management messages from the adapter block to the request broker.

23. The adapter block of claim 22, wherein the request broker communicates with network management applications.

24. The adapter block of claim 23, wherein the communications backbone sends upstream element-independent network management messages from the adapter block to an event manager in communication with network management applications.