Methods and systems for provisioning and maintaining a circuit in a data network

• US 8,200,802 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, William Scott, June, Thad
• Primary Examiner(s): Salad, Abdullahi
• Application Number:
  US12/967,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20110083045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-224, 370/216, 370/242, 370/252, 714/2, 714/4.1
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information

Abstract

A disclosed example method involves at a network management module, receiving a request for logical circuit data associated with a network circuit. In addition, the example method involves requesting the logical circuit data from a legacy logical element in communication with a network device of the network circuit. The logical circuit data is received from the legacy logical element. The logical circuit data is indicative of whether the network circuit has failed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a network management module, receiving a request for logical circuit data associated with a network circuit from a legacy physical element after a problem associated with the network circuit is reported to the legacy physical element and after the legacy physical element retrieves physical circuit information associated with the network circuit;

requesting the logical circuit data from a legacy logical element in communication with a network device of the network circuit;

receiving the logical circuit data from the legacy logical element, the logical circuit data indicative of whether the network circuit has failed; and

when the network circuit has failed, sending the logical circuit data to the legacy physical element external from the network circuit to facilitate the legacy physical element in testing the network circuit by taking the network circuit out of service without losing data.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network circuit includes a physical circuit and a logical circuit.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the network circuit has failed when the logical circuit is not transmitting data.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network management module is external to the network circuit.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the legacy physical element retrieves the physical circuit information from a network database that stores assignments of port numbers to physical circuits, and the physical circuit information is a port number associated with the network circuit.

6. A system, comprising:

a network manager to;

receive a request for logical circuit data associated with a network circuit from a legacy physical element after a problem associated with the network circuit has been reported to the legacy physical element and after the legacy physical element has retrieved physical circuit information associated with the network circuit;

request the logical circuit data from a legacy logical element in communication with a network device of the network circuit, the logical circuit data to indicate whether the network circuit has failed; and

the legacy physical element to;

receive the logical circuit data from the network manager when the network circuit has failed; and

test the network circuit by taking the network circuit out of service without losing data.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the network circuit includes a physical circuit and a logical circuit.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the network circuit has failed when the logical circuit is not transmitting data.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the network manager is external to the network circuit.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the legacy physical element is to retrieve the physical circuit information from a network database that stores assignments of port numbers to physical circuits, and the physical circuit information is a port number associated with the network circuit.

11. A tangible article of manufacture having machine readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

at a network manager, receive a request for logical circuit data associated with a network circuit from a legacy physical element after a problem associated with the network circuit is reported to the legacy physical element and after the legacy physical element retrieves physical circuit information associated with the network circuit;

request the logical circuit data from a legacy logical element in communication with a network device of the network circuit;

receive the logical circuit data from the legacy logical element, the logical circuit data indicative of whether the network circuit has failed; and

when the network circuit has failed, send the logical circuit data to the legacy physical element external from the network circuit to facilitate the legacy physical element in testing the network circuit by taking the network circuit out of service without losing data.

12. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11, wherein the network circuit includes a physical circuit and a logical circuit.

13. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 12, wherein the network circuit has failed when the logical circuit is not transmitting data.

14. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11, wherein the network manager is external to the network circuit.

15. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11, wherein the legacy physical element retrieves the physical circuit information from a network database that stores assignments of port numbers to physical circuits, and the physical circuit information is a port number associated with the network circuit.