Interface for interfacing client programs with network devices in a telecommunications network

• US 6,389,129 B1
• Filed: 03/24/1997
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Cowan, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Application Number:
  US08/824,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20020031214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 379/34, 379/265, 379/1, 379/2, 379/10, 379/26, 379/29, 379/32, 379/279, 379/9, 379/14, 379/268, 379/15, 379/16, 379/17, 379/25, 709/201, 709/203, 709/205, 709/213, 709/217, 709/220, 709/230, 709/311, 709/400
• US Class Current: 379/221.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A generic interface is provided for interfacing multiple client application programs with multiple network devices. The client application programs may differ from each other and may include application programs for performing a network restoration, network maintenance, and network administration. The network devices may be of different device types. The interface converts communications between the client application programs and the network devices so that the communications are compatible with the requirements of the destination. The interface may include added functionality, such as an automatic auditing mechanism and a data link manager mechanism.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network having a plurality of network devices and a processor, wherein the processor runs at least one of a plurality of programs for communicating with the plurality of network devices and each of said plurality of network devices has a device-specific communication format, a method of interfacing programs with network devices, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

providing an interface for interfacing a selected one of the plurality of programs with the network devices, wherein said interface comprises real-time network device data from a database, operatively coupled to said interface, that reflects current a configuration and topology of said network devices;

receiving a first communication destined to a selected one of the plurality of network devices from the selected one of the plurality of programs of the interface in a first format;

with the interface, converting the first communication from the first format to a second format that is the device-specific communication format of the selected one of the plurality of network devices; and

forwarding the converted first communication in the second format from the interface to the selected one of the plurality of network devices.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

receiving a second communication from the selected one program at the interface, said second communication being destined to one of the plurality of network devices that is a different one of the network devices than the selected one of the plurality of network devices, and said second communication being in the first format;

with the interface, converting the second communication from the first format to a third format that is the device-specific communication format of the given network device; and

forwarding the converted second communication in the third format from the interface to the given network device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the selected one of the plurality of network devices and the given one of the plurality of network devices are different types of network devices.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the selected network device and the given network device are a same type of network device that executes programmable instructions but the selected network device and the given network device execute different versions of the programmable instructions.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second communication that is destined to the program from a given one of the network devices at the interface, said second communication being in a device-specific communication format of the given network device;

with the interface, converting the second communication from the device-specific communication format of the given network device to a format that is compatible with the program; and

forwarding the converted second communication to the program from the interface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second communication is a response from the given network device to a communication sent from the program.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the second communication is an unsolicited alarm indicating a problem in the telecommunications network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications network is a telephone network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor runs multiple programs and the interface interfaces the multiple programs with the plurality of network devices.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple instances of the interface are provided such that a separate instance of the interface is provided for each of said plurality of network devices.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication is a command to request the selected network device to perform an action for the program.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the command is an audit command asking the selected network device to provide information about status of the selected network device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected network device is a digital cross connect (DXC).

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the program is a restoration program for restoring the network from a failure.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said interface further comprises two redundant data links operatively coupled to said network devices, wherein communication between said interface and said network devices includes establishing a primary link, and wherein said primary link is designated as the first link to respond to a connection request over said two redundant data links.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said connection request is sent to at least one of said network devices.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said connection request is sent to one of said network devices being interfaced with said interface.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein communication between said interface and said network devices occurs over one of said two redundant data links at a time.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said interface farther comprises at least two instances, a first instance serving as a primary interface and a second instance serving as a backup interface.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said two instances are run on separate computer systems, each of which being operatively coupled to said network devices.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said primary interface is capable of operating in at least one of a normal readiness mode and an alert readiness mode.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said alert readiness mode ceases auditing and background processing which occurs in said normal readiness mode.

15. A telecommunications network, comprising:

a plurality of programs run on a processor, each of said plurality of programs having a communication format for communications;

a plurality of network devices, each of said plurality of network devices having a device-specific communication format for communications; and

an interface for interfacing the plurality of programs with the plurality of network devices to facilitate communications between the programs and the network devices, said interface including;

at least a first converter for converting communications from the programs that are destined to network devices into the device-specific communication formats of the network devices, and a real-time network device database, operatively coupled to said interface that reflects current configuration and topology of said network devices.

16. The telecommunications network of claim 15 wherein the interface further includes a second converter for converting communications from the network devices into the communication format of the program.

17. The telecommunications network of claim 15 wherein the network is a telephone network.

18. The telecommunications network of claim 15, further comprising at least one additional program run on the processor that communicates with the network devices and wherein the interface interfaces the programs with the network devices.

19. The telecommunications network of claim 15 wherein at least one of said plurality of programs is a restoration program for restoring the network from a failure.

20. The telecommunications network of claim 15 wherein the interface includes an audit mechanism for automatically auditing at least one of the network devices to obtain information regarding the status of the network device without a request originating outside of the interface for the auditing.

21. The telecommunications network of claim 15 wherein at least one of the network devices is a digital cross-connect.

22. The telecommunications network of claim 15 wherein the network devices include devices of different types.

31. The network of claim 15, wherein said interface comprises two redundant data links operatively coupled to said network devices, and communication between said interface and said network devices includes establishing a primary link, and wherein said primary link is designated as the first link to respond to a connection request over said two redundant data links.

32. The network of claim 31, wherein said connection request is sent to at least one of said network devices.

33. The network of claim 31, wherein said connection request is sent to one of said network devices being interfaced with said interface.

34. The network of claim 31, wherein communication between said interface and said network devices occurs over one of said two redundant data links at a time.

35. The network of claim 31, wherein said interface farther comprises at least two instances, a first instance serving as a primary interface and a second instance serving as a backup interface.

36. The network of claim 35, wherein said two instances are run on separate computer systems, each of which being operatively coupled to said network devices.

37. The network of claim 35, wherein said primary interface is capable of operating in at least one of a normal readiness mode and an alert readiness mode.

38. The network of claim 37, wherein said alert readiness mode ceases auditing and background processing which occurs in said normal readiness mode.