System and method for determining service requirements of network elements
First Claim
1. A method for determining service requirements for network elements comprising the steps of:
- collecting performance data from at least one component of one or more switch elements of a network for which service requirements are desirable by an entity, wherein performance data comprises a component score for each component, wherein further a component score comprises a ratio with a component failure rate as the numerator and a component base count as the denominator, the performance data for each switch comprising out of service data, software error data, processor and peripheral performance data, network fault data, code 5s central office equipment data, SS7 subsystem unavailable data, and AIN Measures data;
processing the performance data to calculate a network health indicator for each of the one or more elements wherein the component scores for each component of an element are weighted by a factor and totaled, wherein further the maximum network health indicator for an element is the total of all the maximum theoretical component scores;
saving the performance data to a database;
comparing the network health indicator for each of the one or more elements to a graduated service schedule to determine the service requirement for each of the one or more elements, wherein the graduated service schedule comprises a plurality of ranges of network heath scores each range associated with a health category and a service requirement, the plurality of ranges comprising a first range indicative of no service being required, a second range indicative of service needed within the next week, a third range indicative of service needed within the next three days, a fourth range indicative of service needed within the next day, and a fifth range indicative of service needed immediately; and
generating one or more trouble tickets and exception reports, wherein the trouble tickets and reports are determined by the resulting service requirement and prioritized according to the network healthy indicator of the associated element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining service requirements of elements in a network. A collection program is used to gather performance data from an element for which a service requirement is desirable by an entity. The performance data is stored in a database. The performance data is then retrieved by a microprocessor. The microprocessor processes the performance data to calculate a network health indicator associated with the performance data. Using the network health indicator, a service requirement of the associated element can be determined. When at least two network health indicators or service requirements of different elements are compared, service priorities among the elements can be established.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for determining service requirements for network elements comprising the steps of:
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collecting performance data from at least one component of one or more switch elements of a network for which service requirements are desirable by an entity, wherein performance data comprises a component score for each component, wherein further a component score comprises a ratio with a component failure rate as the numerator and a component base count as the denominator, the performance data for each switch comprising out of service data, software error data, processor and peripheral performance data, network fault data, code 5s central office equipment data, SS7 subsystem unavailable data, and AIN Measures data; processing the performance data to calculate a network health indicator for each of the one or more elements wherein the component scores for each component of an element are weighted by a factor and totaled, wherein further the maximum network health indicator for an element is the total of all the maximum theoretical component scores; saving the performance data to a database; comparing the network health indicator for each of the one or more elements to a graduated service schedule to determine the service requirement for each of the one or more elements, wherein the graduated service schedule comprises a plurality of ranges of network heath scores each range associated with a health category and a service requirement, the plurality of ranges comprising a first range indicative of no service being required, a second range indicative of service needed within the next week, a third range indicative of service needed within the next three days, a fourth range indicative of service needed within the next day, and a fifth range indicative of service needed immediately; and generating one or more trouble tickets and exception reports, wherein the trouble tickets and reports are determined by the resulting service requirement and prioritized according to the network healthy indicator of the associated element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for determining service requirements of network elements comprising the steps of:
developing at least one network health assessment schemes for one or more elements in a network for which service requirements are desirable by an entity, wherein the network health assessment schemes further comprise the steps of; collecting performance data from the one or more elements in accordance with the network health assessment schemes, the performance data for each switch comprising out of service data, software error data, processor and peripheral performance data, network fault data, code 5s central office equipment data, SS7 subsystem unavailable data, and AIN Measures data; calculating a network health indicator, ranging from a minimum score to a maximum score, for each of the one or more elements by using the performance data in accordance with the network health assessment schemes; comparing the resulting network health indicator(s) for the one or more elements to a plurality of possible service requirements for the one or more elements in accordance with the network health assessment schemes, the network health indicators falling into one of a plurality of ranges, the plurality of ranges comprising a first range indicative of no service being required, a second range indicative of service needed within the next week, a third range indicative of service needed within the next three days, a fourth range indicative of service needed within the next day, and a fifth range indicative of service needed immediately; and determining the service requirement required by the one or more elements as indicated by the network health indicator. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for determining service requirements of elements in a telephone network comprising:
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one or more elements in the telephone network for which service requirements are desirable by an entity affiliated with the telephone network, wherein each of the one or more elements is adapted to generate performance data related to failures it experiences; a collection program associated with each of the one or more elements, wherein the collection program is adapted to collect the performance data, the performance data for each switch comprising out of service data, software error data, processor and peripheral performance data, network fault data, code 5s central office equipment data, SS7 subsystem unavailable data, and AIN Measures data; and a microprocessor in communication with the collection program, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to retrieve the performance data from the collection program at the end of a measuring period, wherein the microprocessor processes the performance data at the end of the measuring period to calculate a network health indicator ranging between a minimum score and a maximum score, inclusive, for each of the one or more elements, individually or in combination, in accordance with a network health assessment scheme, wherein the network health indicator is compared to a plurality of predetermined score ranges indicating a plurality of heath ranges and the level of service required, the plurality of ranges comprising a first range indicative of no service being required, a second range indicative of service needed within the next week, a third range indicative of service needed within the next three days, a fourth range indicative of service needed within the next day, and a fifth range indicative of service needed immediately. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for determining service requirements of elements of a telephone network comprising the steps of:
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developing a network health assessment scheme for one or more elements in the telephone network for which service requirements of the elements are desirable by an entity affiliated with the telephone network, wherein the network health assessment schemes further comprise the steps of; collecting performance data from each of the one or more elements in accordance with the network health assessment schemes, the performance data for each switch comprising out of service data software error data, processor and peripheral performance data, network fault data, code 5s central office equipment data, SS7 subsystem unavailable data, and AIN Measures data; processing the performance data from the one or more elements to calculate a network health indicator for each element, ranging from minimum score to a maximum score, in accordance with the network health assessment scheme; relating the resulting network health indicator(s) for the one or more elements to a plurality of possible service requirements for the one or more elements in accordance with the network health assessment schemes, the network health indicators falling into one of a plurality of ranges, the plurality of ranges comprising a first range indicative of no service being required, a second range indicative of service needed within the next week, a third range indicative of service needed within the next three days, a fourth range indicative of service needed within the next day, and a fifth range indicative of service needed immediately; determining the service requirement required by the one or more elements as indicated by the network health indicator; and providing the service requirement to the entity. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for determining service requirements of network elements comprising:
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means for collecting performance data from at least one component of one or more elements of a network for which service requirements are desirable by an entity, wherein performance data comprises the component scores for each component, the performance data for each switch comprising out of service data, software error data, processor and peripheral performance data, network fault data, code 5s central office equipment data, SS7 subsystem unavailable data, and AIN Measures data; means for processing the performance data to calculate a network health indicator for each of the one or more elements wherein the component scores for each component of an element are weighted by a factor and totaled, wherein further the maximum network health indicator for an element is the total of all the maximum theoretical component scores; and means for comparing the network health indicator to a graduated service schedule to determine the service requirement for each of the one or more elements, the network health indicator falling into one of a plurality of ranges, the plurality of ranges comprising a first range indicative of no service being required, a second range indicative of service needed within the next week, a third range indicative of service needed within the next three days, a fourth range indicative of service needed within the next day, and a fifth range indicative of service needed immediately. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification