Method of collecting data from network elements

• US 7,472,189 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tomalenas, Paul, Fry, Brad, Dresser, Ken, Schine, Bruce, Ramsey, Todd, Mallya, Arvind R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US11/186,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP

Abstract

Method of collecting data from one or more network elements used to support customer networks. The method may include compiling a customer list from information extracted from a customer information database and an operation processes database. The customer list may be used to indicate one or more customers, the network elements associated therewith, and network addresses for each of the listed network elements. The method may include automatically generating data collection messages to the network addresses specified in the customer list.

Claims

1. A method of collecting data for network elements used to support customer networks, the method comprising:

extracting network element identifiers identifying network elements used to support the customer networks for one or more customers from a customer information database, wherein the customer information database includes the network element identifiers for the network elements with regard to the customers associated therewith and without regard to network element addresses for the network elements;

extracting network element addresses for one or more network elements from a network element addressing database as a function of the network element identifier associated therewith, the network element addresses providing information sufficient for electronically locating and communicating with the network elements, wherein the network element addressing database includes the network element identifiers for the network elements with regard to the network element addresses of the network elements and without regard to the customers associated therewith;

correlating the network element addresses with the customers associated with the network element identifiers such that each network element is associated with a customer and a network element address;

addressing instructions to the network elements based on the network element address and the customer associated therewith, the instructions instructing the network elements to provide data for use in assessing the operation thereof;

compiling the data provided by the network elements in a database according to the customer associated therewith;

generating a report for each customer based on the data compiled in the database, the report indicating performance of one or more network elements associated with the customer; and

including condition codes in the addressing instructions for triggering generation of alarm messages by the network elements, the alarm messages including the data comprising the reports;

wherein the condition codes trigger autonomous messages to notify personnel of failure or fault conditions that require an immediate response;

wherein the condition codes trigger transient condition messages to provide a record of events that are momentary;

wherein the transient condition messages include at least one of a notification of threshold crossings of performance monitoring (PM) parameters or notification of switches between Working and Protection equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising hosting the report on a server for access by the customers.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying network rings for each customer as a function of network ring identifiers included within the customer information database and compiling reports for each network ring to indicate the operation thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising identifying the network rings based on connectivity information included with the customer information database.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising including performance information in the reports.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the performance information includes alarm data for the network elements in the reports.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the performance information is provided through autonomous, transient, and standing condition messages provided by the network elements.

8. A method of collecting data for network elements used to support customer networks in a deployed system wherein customer information is stored in a customer information database and network element operation information is stored in an operation processes database, the customer information database lacking network addresses for the network elements and the operation processes database lacking customer identifying information for the network elements, the method comprising:

compiling a customer list from information extracted from the customer information database and the operation processes database, the customer list indicating one or more customers and the network elements associated therewith, the customer list further including network addresses for each of the listed network elements;

automatically generating data collection messages to the network addresses specified in the customer list, the data collection messages being suitable for retrieving data from that network elements;

generating a report for each customer in the customer list based on the collected data; and

including condition codes in the data collection messages for triggering generation of alarm messages by the network elements, the alarm messages including the data comprising the reports;

wherein the condition codes trigger autonomous messages to notify maintenance and operational personnel of failure or fault conditions that require an immediate response;

wherein the condition codes trigger transient condition messages to provide a record of events that are momentary;

wherein the transient condition messages include at least one of a notification of threshold crossings of performance monitoring (PM) parameters or notification of switches between Working and Protection equipment.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising hosting the reports on a remotely accessible storage medium for remote access by the customers.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising restricting customer access to at least a portion of the data provided in one or more of the reports.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the condition codes trigger standing condition messages to provide a record of events resulting from a manual operation of the network element where the condition remains present until the manual operation that created the condition is released.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising filtering the alarm messages.

13. A machine-readable storage medium for collecting data for network elements used to support customer networks, the machine-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for compiling a customer list from information extracted from a customer information database and an operation processes database, the customer list including one or more customers and the network elements associated therewith, the customer list further including network addresses for each of the listed network elements;

instructions for automatically generating data collection messages to the network addresses specified in the customer list, the data collection messages being suitable for retrieving data from the network elements;

instructions for generating a report for each customer based on the collected data; and

instructions for including condition codes in the data collection messages for triggering generation of alarm messages by the network elements, the alarm messages including the data comprising the reports;

wherein the condition codes trigger autonomous messages to notify personnel of failure or fault conditions that require an immediate response;

wherein the condition codes trigger transient condition messages to provide a record of events that are momentary;

wherein the transient condition messages include at least one of a notification of threshold crossings of performance monitoring (PM) parameters or notification of switches between Working and Protection equipment.