System and method for automated network element database population

• US 7,231,448 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Steen, Roberta R., Reddick, Linda, Huff, Leslie, Hodges, Charles Y. Jr., Walters, Jon Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/107,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/219, 709/217, 709/223, 709/225, 709/229, 709200-202, 709/224, 707/1, 707/9, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/100, 707/102, 370/546
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

In an illustrative method for populating a database for use in automated administration of network elements, data that describes network elements in a telecommunication system is aggregated from existing systems. The aggregated network element data is validated and inserted into a database. Finally, a log is generated for each database entry.

Claims

1. A method for automated loading of network element data, comprising:

receiving network element data, the network element data corresponding to attributes of network elements in a telecommunication system;

validating the network element data;

inserting the valid network element data into a database that enables automated control of the network elements in the telecommunication system; and

generating a log file of each network element data entry wherein the log file comprises a log of successful data entries, skipped or incomplete data entries, and erroneous data entries and wherein an error message is included for each log of erroneous data entries wherein at least one log of an erroneous data entry includes an error message indicating that invalid data was entered and at least one log of an erroneous data entry includes an error message indicating that a record already exists in the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of validating the network element data comprises validating that the received data corresponding to a network element attribute comprises data included in a predetermined set of recognized data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of validating the network element data comprises validating that the received data corresponding to a network element attribute comprises data included in a predetermined set of recognized data based on the received data corresponding to another network element attribute.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting a directory location of the network element data to be loaded.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the network element data from the directory location.

6. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions recorded thereon for performing the method recited in claim 1.

7. A system for automated loading of network element data, comprising:

a processor operative to execute computer executable instructions; and

a memory having stored therein computer executable instructions for performing the following steps;

receiving network element data, the network element data corresponding to attributes of network elements in a telecommunication system;

validating the network element data;

inserting the valid network element data into a database that enables automated control of the network elements in the telecommunication system; and

generating a log file of each network element entry wherein the log file comprises a log of successful data entries, skipped or incomplete data entries, and erroneous data entries and wherein an error message is included for each log of erroneous data entries wherein at least one log of an erroneous data entry includes an error message indicating that invalid data was entered and at least one log of an erroneous data entry includes an error message indicating that a record already exists in the database.

8. A method for automated loading of network element data, comprising:

receiving a plurality of data entries associated with network element data stored in a loop equipment inventory module;

generating a log file in response to receiving the plurality of data entries wherein the log file comprises a log of successful data entries, skipped or incomplete data entries, and erroneous data entries and wherein an error message is included for each log of erroneous data entries wherein at least one log of an erroneous data entry includes an error message indicating that invalid data was entered and at least one log of an erroneous data entry includes an error message indicating that a record already exists in the database;

for each data entry, determining whether the data entry is valid;

if the data entry is valid, then inserting it into a transport database that enables automated control of the network elements in the telecommunication system; and

if the data entry is invalid, then;

inserting the data entry in the log file that includes the erroneous data entries; and

generating an error message that indicates why the data entry is invalid, wherein the error message specifies either that there is invalid data for the data entry or that a record already exists for that data entry.