Command processing in a telecommunications network

• US 7,752,293 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blanchard, Alfred J., Vander Voord, Gerald F., Homola, Charles M., Bishop, Eddie E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US10/209,482
• Time in Patent Office: 2,898 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/246, 715/234
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

Command processing includes providing a managed object corresponding to a command. The command is associated with a noun and a verb, where the noun represents an item and the verb represents an action to perform on the item. The managed object describes generation of a request for the command. A request for the command generated in accordance to the managed object is received. The request includes a noun value corresponding to the noun and a verb value corresponding to the verb. A reply is determined in response to the request and is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method for command processing, comprising:

providing a managed object from an element management system of a switch to a network operations center, the managed object corresponding to a command, the command associated with a noun and a verb, the noun representing an item, the verb representing an action to perform on the item, the managed object describing generation of a request for the command, the element management system operable to configure the switch;

receiving a request for the command generated in accordance to the managed object, the request comprising an extensible markup language (XML) request, the XML request comprising a noun value corresponding to the noun, the XML request comprising a verb value corresponding to the verb;

implementing a common object request broker architecture (CORBA) interface servant of the element management system to extract the XML request;

extracting the noun value and the verb value from the XML request;

generating an extensible markup language document from the noun value and the verb value;

generating a request object from the extensible markup language document;

determining a reply in response to the request; and

transmitting the reply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a managed object corresponding to a command comprises:

retrieving the managed object corresponding to the noun and the verb;

generating an extensible markup language document comprising the managed object; and

providing the extensible markup language document comprising the managed object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises one or more parameters, each parameter comprising an element key and an element value, the element key identifying an element, the element value representing a value corresponding to the element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a reply in response to the request comprises:

executing the request object to determine a reply object; and

generating the reply corresponding to the reply object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a reply in response to the request comprises:

creating a request data object from the request object;

executing the request data object to yield a reply data table; and

inserting the reply data table into a reply object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the managed object is associated with a request schema and a reply schema, the request schema describing generation of the request, the reply schema describing reporting of the reply.

7. A system for command processing, comprising:

a database operable to store a managed object corresponding to a command, the command associated with a noun and a verb, the noun representing an item, the verb representing an action to perform on the item, the managed object describing generation of a request for the command; and

a physical switch coupled to the database, the switch comprising an element management system operable to configure the switch, the element management system operable to;

provide the managed object to a network operations center;

receive a request for the command generated in accordance to the managed object, the request comprising an extensible markup language (XML) request, the XML request comprising a noun value corresponding to the noun, the XML request comprising a verb value corresponding to the verb;

implement a common object request broker architecture (CORBA) interface servant of the element management system to extract the XML request;

extract the noun value and the verb value from the XML request;

generate an extensible markup language document from the noun value and the verb value;

generate a request object from the extensible markup language document;

determine a reply in response to the request; and

transmit the reply.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the switch is operable to provide the managed object corresponding to the command by:

retrieving the managed object corresponding to the noun and the verb;

generating an extensible markup language document comprising the managed object; and

providing the extensible markup language document comprising the managed object.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the request comprises one or more parameters, each parameter comprising an element key and an element value, the element key identifying an element, the element value representing a value corresponding to the element.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the switch is operable to determine a reply in response to the request by:

executing the request object to determine a reply object; and

generating the reply corresponding to the reply object.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the switch is operable to determine a reply in response to the request by:

creating a request data object from the request object;

executing the request data object to yield a reply data table; and

inserting the reply data table into a reply object.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the managed object is associated with a request schema and a reply schema, the request schema describing generation of the request, the reply schema describing reporting of the reply.

13. A physical switch storing logic for command processing, the logic operable to:

provide a managed object from an element management system of the switch to a network operations center, the managed object corresponding to a command, the command associated with a noun and a verb, the noun representing an item, the verb representing an action to perform on the item, the managed object describing generation of a request for the command, the element management system operable to configure the switch;

receive a request for the command generated in accordance to the managed object, the request comprising an extensible markup language (XML) request, the XML request comprising a noun value corresponding to the noun, the XML request comprising a verb value corresponding to the verb;

implement a common object request broker architecture (CORBA) interface servant of the element management system to extract the XML request;

extract the noun value and the verb value from the XML request;

generate an extensible markup language document from the noun value and the verb

value;

generate a request object from the extensible markup language document;

determine a reply in response to the request; and

transmit the reply.

14. The switch of claim 13, the logic operable to provide a managed object corresponding to a command by:

retrieving the managed object corresponding to the noun and the verb;

generating an extensible markup language document comprising the managed object; and

providing the extensible markup language document comprising the managed object.

15. The switch of claim 13, wherein the request comprises one or more parameters, each parameter comprising an element key and an element value, the element key identifying an element, the element value representing a value corresponding to the element.

16. The switch of claim 13, the logic operable to determine a reply in response to the request by:

executing the request object to determine a reply object; and

generating the reply corresponding to the reply object.

17. The switch of claim 13, the logic operable to determine a reply in response to the request by:

creating a request data object from the request object;

executing the request data object to yield a reply data table; and

inserting the reply data table into a reply object.

18. The switch of claim 13, wherein the managed object is associated with a request schema and a reply schema, the request schema describing generation of the request, the reply schema describing reporting of the reply.

19. A method for command processing, comprising:

providing a managed object from an element management system of a switch to a network operations center, the managed object corresponding to a command, the command associated with a noun and a verb, the noun representing an item, the verb representing an action to perform on the item, the managed object describing generation of a request for the command, the element management system operable to configure the switch, providing a managed object corresponding to a command comprising retrieving the managed object corresponding to the noun and the verb, generating an extensible markup language document comprising the managed object, and providing the extensible markup language document comprising the managed object, the managed object associated with a request schema and a reply schema, the request schema describing generation of the request, the reply schema describing reporting of the reply;

receiving a request for the command generated in accordance to the managed object, the request comprising an extensible markup language (XML) request, the XML request comprising a noun value corresponding to the noun, the XML request comprising a verb value corresponding to the verb, the request comprising one or more parameters, each parameter comprising an element key and an element value, the element key identifying an element, the element value representing a value corresponding to the element;

implementing a common object request broker architecture (CORBA) interface servant of the element management system to extract the XML request;

extracting the noun value and the verb value from the XML request, generating an extensible markup language document from the noun value and the verb value, generating a request object from the extensible markup language document, creating a request data object from the request object, executing the request data object to yield a reply data table;

inserting the reply data table into a reply object and generating the reply corresponding to the reply object.