Method and apparatus for automating the creation of service activation requests

• US 6,351,770 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramamoorthy, Sai V., Li, Yu-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, RICKY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/449,030
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 379/201, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 709/102, 709/103, 709/104, 705/600
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5048 Automatic or semi-automatic definitions, e.g. definition templates
• 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

An automated method and apparatus for classifying a customer service activation request (SAR) according to whether repeatable, schedulable, or scaleable elements are present. When the request has no repeating elements, a traditional SAR is forwarded and serviced by the network management system according to provisions well-known in the art. In the more complex case, however, a SAR comprises elements that are both repeatable and schedulable and is thus classified as a service activation module (SAM). An automated process first determines the starting quality of service (QoS) level at the beginning of the service life cycle requested by the customer. The process next determines the life cycle ending time as well as the trigger times at which elements repeat or are reinitiated. In some embodiments of the present invention, the SAM is examined for resource availability. If one or more resources are not available during the service life cycle, the process generates a report. In a further alternate embodiment, a set of templates representing various QoS levels are constructed and modified to reflect the fact that certain services are not available. If all resources are available, the elements of the SAM are transmitted to a well-known provisioning process for fulfillment. The present invention thus provides faster and more reliable service provisioning for extremely complex, time-dependent SARs including repeating sub-elements and the necessary scaling to enable expansion and enhancement of customer service.

Claims

1. A method of responding to a service activation request comprising the steps of:

analyzing a service activation module (SAM) having one or more elements;

identifying zero or more repeating elements in said SAM, said repeating elements each having a quality of service;

determining a life cycle of said SAM, said life cycle having a beginning time and an ending time; and

determining a trigger time for each said repeating element;

wherein said life cycle beginning time, said life cycle ending time, and said trigger times are recorded in a data structure for each SAM.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of provisioning said SAM according to the contents of said data structure.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting a template for each said repeating element wherein said templates are recorded in said data structure for each SAM.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said template is based on said repeating element quality of service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining said trigger time further comprises evaluating available resources and adjusting a pool of said QoS templates if said resources are inadequate.

6. A computer system for responding to a service activation request, comprising computer instructions for:

analyzing a service activation module (SAM) having one or more elements;

identifying zero or more repeating elements in said SAM, said repeating elements each having a quality of service;

determining a life cycle of said SAM, said life cycle having a beginning time and an ending time; and

determining a trigger time for each said repeating element;

wherein said life cycle beginning time, said life cycle ending time, and said trigger times are recorded in a data structure for each SAM.

7. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising the step of provisioning said SAM according to the contents of said data structure.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising selecting a template for each said repeating element wherein said templates are recorded in said data structure for each SAM.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said template is based on said repeating element quality of service.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said determining said trigger time further comprises evaluating available resources and adjusting a pool of said QoS templates if said resources are inadequate.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

analyzing a service activation module (SAM) having one or more elements;

identifying zero or more repeating elements in said SAM, said repeating elements each having a quality of service;

determining a life cycle of said SAM, said life cycle having a beginning time and an ending time; and

determining a trigger time for each said repeating element;

wherein said life cycle beginning time, said life cycle ending time, and said trigger times are recorded in a data structure for each SAM.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising the step of provisioning said SAM according to the contents of said data structure.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising selecting a template for each said repeating element wherein said templates are recorded in said data structure for each SAM.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein said template is based on said repeating element quality of service.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said determining said trigger time further comprises evaluating available resources and adjusting a pool of said QoS templates if said resources are inadequate.

16. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, comprising computer instructions for:

analyzing a service activation module (SAM) having one or more elements;

identifying zero or more repeating elements in said SAM, said repeating elements each having a quality of service;

determining a life cycle of said SAM, said life cycle having a beginning time and an ending time; and

determining a trigger time for each said repeating element;

wherein said life cycle beginning time, said life cycle ending time, and said trigger times are recorded in a data structure for each SAM.

17. The computer data signal of claim 16, further comprising the step of provisioning said SAM according to the contents of said data structure.

18. The computer data signal of claim 17, further comprising selecting a template for each said repeating element wherein said templates are recorded in said data structure for each SAM.

19. The computer data signal of claim 18 wherein said template is based on said repeating element quality of service.

20. The computer data signal of claim 19, wherein said determining said trigger time further comprises evaluating available resources and adjusting a pool of said QoS templates if said resources are inadequate.