Telecommunications network traffic monitoring

• US 8,194,568 B1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Arnold, George Hutchinson, Parimisetty, Hima Diwakar, Metters, Dahl Brougham
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferris, Derrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crompton, Christopher R
• Application Number:
  US11/144,434
• Time in Patent Office: 2,527 Days
• Field of Search: 370/217, 370/230, 370/241, 370/254
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements

Abstract

Blocked traffic is monitored in a telecommunications network. Respective switch data is collected from each of the switches including respective routing tables and trunk performance parameters for a current time period. Final trunk groups are identified for each respective switch in response to the respective routing tables. The number of circuits within each final trunk group is determined. The total usage of each of the final trunk groups is determined in response to the respective trunk performance parameters. A blocking value for each of the final trunk groups is determined. A network portrayal is generated wherein each of the switches is depicted according to one of a plurality of ranges of aggregate blocking values for each respective switch. A plurality of switch portrayals is generated wherein each switch portrayal depicts each final trunk group within a respective switch according to a plurality of ranges of blocking values.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring blocked traffic in a telecommunications network including a plurality of switches interconnected by a plurality of trunk groups, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting respective switch data from each of said switches including respective routing tables and trunk performance parameters for a current time period;

identifying final trunk groups for each respective switch in response to said respective routing tables;

determining a number of circuits within each final trunk group;

determining total usage of each of said final trunk groups in response to said respective trunk performance parameters;

determining a blocking value for each of said final trunk groups;

generating a network portrayal wherein each of said switches is depicted by a respective graphic element having a respective non-alphanumeric characteristic for identifying one of a plurality of ranges of aggregate blocking values for each respective switch;

storing a history of said blocking values;

generating a plurality of switch portrayals wherein each switch portrayal depicts each final trunk group within a respective switch by a respective graphic element having a respective non-alphanumeric characteristic for identifying a respective one of a plurality of ranges of blocking values;

displaying the network portrayal and switch portrayals on a display screen,

wherein said portrayals represent a time period having a worst grade of service within a predetermined time span; and

generating a worst trunk group portrayal listing a plurality of final trunk groups having a highest blocking percentage of all final trunk groups during said predetermined time span.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of switch portrayals further depict a number of trunk circuits present in each of said final trunk groups.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said trunk performance parameters are comprised of centum call seconds (CCS) and said number of circuits.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined time span is a previous one week.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

generating a trunk group history portrayal for each of said final trunk groups depicting a history of trunk performance parameters over said predetermined time span.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said portrayals are comprised of web page graphic elements stored on a web server.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the respective non-alphanumeric characteristic for depicting said ranges of blocking values for said switches in the network portrayal is comprised of respective colors of said graphic elements.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein each switch portrayal depicts said numbers of circuits within each final trunk group according to the respective sizes given to said graphic elements.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

displaying said graphic elements to a user as a web page in response to browsing initiated by said user.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

displaying a first pop-up text box in response to a user selection of a switch in said network portrayal, said first pop-up text box displaying switch summary data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said switch summary data comprises offered usage, carried percentage, and blocked percentage.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

displaying a second pop-up text box in response to a user selection of a final trunk group in one of said switch portrayals, said second pop-up text box displaying final trunk group summary data.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said final trunk group summary data is selected from a group comprising number of circuits, offered usage, carried percentage, blocked percentage, worst grade of service, and a time period coinciding with said worst grade of service.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said current time period is a previous half hour.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of switches are comprised of mobile switches connected to a wireless cellular network.

16. A blocked traffic monitoring system for a telecommunications network wherein said network includes a plurality of switches connected to a plurality of trunk groups and wherein said switches are coupled to a data network, said system comprising:

a data gathering application for coupling to said switches via said data network for gathering switch data from each respective switch including respective routing tables and trunk performance parameters for a current time period;

a web page generator coupled to said data gathering application for identifying final trunk groups for each respective switch in response to said respective routing tables, determining a number of circuits within each final trunk group, determining total usage of each of said final trunk groups in response to said respective trunk performance parameters, determining a blocking value for each of said final trunk groups, generating a network portrayal wherein each of said switches is depicted by a respective graphic element having a respective non-alphanumeric characteristic for identifying one of a plurality of ranges of aggregate blocking values for each respective switch, and generating a plurality of switch portrayals wherein each switch portrayal depicts each final trunk group within a respective switch by a respective graphic element having a respective non-alphanumeric characteristic for identifying a plurality of ranges of blocking values;

a web server accessible to a user via a web browser for displaying said network portrayal and said switch portrayals as said plurality of graphic elements on a plurality of web pages; and

a memory for storing a history of said blocking values, wherein said portrayals represent a time period having a worst grade of service within a predetermined time span;

wherein said web page generator further generates a worst trunk group portrayal listing a plurality of final trunk groups having a highest blocking percentage of all final trunk groups during said predetermined time span.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said web page generator further generates a trunk group history portrayal for each of said final trunk groups depicting a history of trunk performance parameters over said predetermined time span.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said data gathering application is compatible with mobile switches of a wireless cellular network.