Network management system

• US 7,779,052 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hahs, John M., Webb, Parker C., Mai, Hieu V., Golobay, Paul M., Russell, Kelvin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Baoquoc N
• Application Number:
  US11/298,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/100, 707/103.Y
• US Class Current: 707/811
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system includes a relational database and processing logic. The relational database is configured to define a relationship between a group of logical activities and groups of physical commands that perform the logical activities. The processing logic is configured to receive a request to perform one logical activity of the group of logical activities, translate the one logical activity into one group of physical commands using the relational database, and cause the one logical activity to be performed on a remote device using the one group of physical commands.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

A memory to store instructions and a relational database, where the relational database includes;

A table that provides a relationship between a logical grouping of remote devices and at least on activity of a plurality of logical activities that is permitted to be performed on the logical grouping of remote devices;

A table that defines a relationship between users and profiles;

A table that defines a relationship between the profiles and the plurality of logical activities; and

A table that defines a relationship between the plurality of logical activities and groups of physical commands that perform the logical activities; and

a processor to execute the instructions to;

Receive a request to perform one logical activity of the plurality of logical activities,

Translate the one logical activity into one of the groups of physical commands using the relational database; and

Cause the one or more logical activity to be performed on one of the remote devices using the one of the groups of physical command.

2. The system of claim 1 where the one of the groups of physical commands is in a native syntax of the remote device.

3. The system of claim 1 where the relational database includes:

a table the provides a relationship between the users and the profiles identifies activities of the plurality of logical activities that the users are permitted to perform.

4. The system of claim 1 where the request identifies a plurality of remote devices on which the one logical activity is to be performed, and

Where, when translating the one logical activity, the processing logic is configured to:

Translate the one logical activity into groups of physical commands, including the one of the groups of physical commands and at least one other one of the groups of physical commands, using the relational database, the groups of physical commands having different syntax; and

Where, when causing the one logical activity to be performed, the processing logic is configured to;

Cause the one logical activity to be performed on the plurality of remote devices using the groups of physical commands.

5. The system of claim 1, where the logical grouping of remote device includes a grouping of remote devices that work together to perform a specific function.

6. The system of claim 1, where the logical grouping of remote devices include at least two different types of devices.

7. The system of claim 1, where the relational database further includes:

A table that provides a relationship between the logical grouping of remote devices and the remote devices that are part of the logical grouping of remote devices.

8. The system of claim 1 where the one logical activity includes an add user activity, a delete user activity, or a change password activity.

9. The system of claim 1, where the relational database further includes:

A table that defines a relationship between platforms and the plurality of logical activities; and

A table that defines a relationship between the remote devices and the platforms.

10. A method comprising:

Creating, by a computing device, a first table that defines a relationship between uses and profiles;

Creating, by the computing device, a second table that defines a relationship between the profiles and a plurality of logical activities, each of the profiles being associated with at least one of the plurality of logical activities that is permitted for the user to which the profile is related;

Creating, by the computing device, a third table that defines a relationship between the plurality of logical activities and groups of physical commands that perform the plurality of logical activities; and

Using, by the computing device, the first, second and third tables to remotely configure a plurality of devices.

11. The method of claim 10 where the groups of physical commands are in the syntax of the plurality of devices.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

creating a fourth table that defines a relationship between platforms and the plurality of the logical activities; and

creating a fifth table the defines a relationship between the plurality of devices and the platforms.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

remotely configured a platform in response to a single logical activity request, using information in the fourth table and information in the fifth table.

14. The method of claim 12 where the first table, the second table, the third table, the fourth table, and fifth table are part of a relational database.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of logical activities includes at least one of an add user activity, a delete user activity, or a change password activity.