Providing an integrated service assurance environment for a network

• US 6,571,285 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Lund, Timothy, Sachse, Christopher, Bloom, Jeremy D., Miller, Myke L., Beskar, Patrick J., Groath, Steve G., Turkson, Leslie T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US09/470,776
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 709/500, 709/527, 709/680, 709/683, 709/614, 709/615, 709/224, 709/318, 709/223, 370/352, 370/389, 370/392, 370/383, 370/395, 370/390
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A method providing service assurance for a network to maintain an agreed upon Quality of Service. First, an alarm is generated to indicate a status of a network. The generation of the alarm comprises selecting a parameter of network to be monitored; determining a triggering level of the parameter; monitoring the parameter of an occurrence of the triggering level; and initiating alarm notification upon the monitored occurrence of the triggering level. Network event information is then dispatched upon generation of the alarm and is subsequently mapped. The data collected on the status of the network is then manipulated by concatenating the data collected on a network into a master file; reformatting the data into a standarized format; translating the data to key codes; sorting the data according to predetermined criteria; and concatenating the sorted data together. The data is then sorted in a database. Thereafter, network availability is conveyed graphically.

Claims

1. A method for providing service assurance for a network to maintain a predetermined agreed upon Quality of Service, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating an alarm to indicate a status of a network;

wherein the step of generating an alarm to indicate a status of a network further comprises the steps of;

selecting a parameter of the network that is to be monitored, determining a triggering level of the parameter, monitoring the parameter of an occurrence of the triggering level, and initiating an alarm notification upon the monitored occurrence of the triggering level;

(b) dispatching network event information of the network upon generation of the alarm;

(c) mapping the network event information;

(d) manipulating data collected on the status of the network, wherein manipulating data comprises;

(i) concatenating data collected on a network into a master file;

(ii) reformatting the concatenated data into a standardized format;

(iii) translating the standardized data to key codes;

(iv) sorting the translated data according to predetermined criteria; and

(v) concatenating the sorted data together;

(e) storing the manipulated data in a database; and

(f) graphically conveying availability of the network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of dispatching network event information of the network upon generation of the alarm further comprises the steps of:

monitoring a network for an event;

generating at least one notification action based upon the occurrence of the event, wherein the notification action comprises at least one of;

an alphanumeric page, an e-mail message, a resolution script, a remedy trouble ticket, and a log message; and

transmitting the notification action to notify a recipient about the occurrence of the event.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of mapping the network event information further comprises the steps of:

monitoring a network for the occurrence of availability events, threshold events, and trap events, correlating at least one occurred event to at least one other occurred event to generate at least one correlating event, mapping the occurred events and correlating events on at least one network map; and

displaying the network map.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of graphically conveying availability of the network further comprises the steps of:

selecting report parameters relating to availability of monitored elements, services, and processes of a network, polling a database for data that matches the report parameters, generating a graph from the data that matches the report parameters, and displaying the generated graph to graphically represent the monitored elements, services, and processes of the network.

5. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing service assurance for a network to maintain a predetermined agreed upon Quality of Service, comprising:

(a) a code segment for generating an alarm to indicate a status of a network;

wherein the code segment for generating an alarm to indicate a status of a network is further adapted for selecting a parameter of the network that is to be monitored, determining a triggering level of the parameter, monitoring the parameter of an occurrence of the triggering level, and initiating an alarm notification upon the monitored occurrence of the triggering level;

(b) a code segment for dispatching network event information of the network upon generation of the alarm;

(c) a code segment for mapping the network event information;

(d) a code segment for manipulating data collected on the status of the network, wherein manipulating data comprises;

(i) concatenating data collected on a network into a master file;

(ii) reformatting the concatenated data into a standardized format;

(iii) translating the standardized data to key codes;

(iv) sorting the translated data according to predetermined criteria; and

(v) concatenating the sorted data together;

(e) a code segment for storing the manipulated data in a database; and

(f) a code segment for graphically conveying availability of the network.

6. A computer program as recited in claim 5, wherein the code segment for dispatching network event information of the network upon generation of the alarm is further adapted for monitoring a network for an event;

generating at least one notification action based upon the occurrence of the event, wherein the notification action comprises at least one of;

an alphanumeric page, an e-mail message, a resolution script, a remedy trouble ticket, and a log message; and

transmitting the notification action to notify a recipient about the occurrence of the event.

7. A computer program as recited in claim 5, wherein the code segment for mapping the network event information is further adapted for monitoring a network for the occurrence of availability events, threshold events, and trap events, correlating at least one occurred event to at least one other occurred event to generate at least one correlating event, mapping the occurred events and correlating events on at least one network map;

and displaying the network map.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 5, wherein the code segment for graphically conveying availability of the network is further adapted for selecting report parameters relating to availability of monitored elements, services, and processes of a network, polling a database for data that matches the report parameters, generating a graph from the data that matches the report parameters, and displaying the generated graph to graphically represent the monitored elements, services, and processes of the network.

9. A system for providing service assurance for a network to maintain a predetermined agreed upon Quality of Service, comprising:

(a) logic for generating an alarm to indicate a status of a network;

wherein the logic for generating an alarm to indicate a status of a network is further adapted for selecting a parameter of the network that is to be monitored, determining a triggering level of the parameter, monitoring the parameter of an occurrence of the triggering level, and initiating an alarm notification upon the monitored occurrence of the triggering level;

(b) logic for dispatching network event information of the network upon generation of the alarm;

(c) logic for mapping the network event information;

(d) logic for manipulating data collected on the status of the network, wherein manipulating data comprises;

(i) concatenating data collected on a network into a master file;

(ii) reformatting the concatenated data into a standardized format;

(iii) translating the standardized data to key codes;

(iv) sorting the translated data according to predetermined criteria; and

(v) concatenating the sorted data together;

(e) logic for storing the manipulated data in a database; and

(f) logic for graphically conveying availability of the network.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the logic for dispatching network event information of the network upon generation of the alarm is further adapted for monitoring a network for an event;

generating at least one notification action based upon the occurrence of the event, wherein the notification action comprises at least one of;

an alphanumeric page, an e-mail message, a resolution script, a remedy trouble ticket, and a log message; and

transmitting the notification action to notify a recipient about the occurrence of the event.

11. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the logic for mapping the network event information is further adapted for monitoring a network for the occurrence of availability events, threshold events, and trap events, correlating at least one occurred event to at least one other occurred event to generate at least one correlating event, mapping the occurred events and correlating events on at least one network map;

and displaying the network map.

12. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the logic for graphically conveying availability of the network is further adapted for selecting report parameters relating to availability of monitored elements, services, and processes of a network, polling a database for data that matches the report parameters, generating a graph from the data that matches the report parameters, and displaying the generated graph to graphically represent the monitored elements, services, and processes of the network.