Associating problem tickets based on an integrated network and customer database

• US 8,458,323 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Lobo, Shane A., Shinholster, Drew A. Jr., Szymanski, Todd M., Baader, Michael Joseph II, Lushear, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Boutah, Alina N
• Assistant Examiner(s): COONEY, ADAM A
• Application Number:
  US12/546,351
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets

Abstract

A system associates problem tickets based on an integrated network and customer database. A data retriever retrieves router configurations from data stores for routers in a service provider network. A data analysis tool parses the router configurations to create port data for each port on each router in the service provider network and integrates the port data with customer data to create an integrated database. The data analysis tool assigns ports to groups in the integrated database based on applying user defined rules. The data analysis tool accesses a problem management system to identify problem tickets that lack an association in the problem management system, and identifies ports associated with the problem tickets. The data analysis tool creates an association between the problem tickets if one of the groups includes the ports associated with the problem tickets. A user interface displays the created association between the problem tickets to troubleshoot associated tickets.

Claims

1. A system for associating problem tickets based on an integrated network and customer database, comprising:

a processor;

a data retriever that, when executed by the processor, retrieves router configurations from data stores for routers in a service provider network;

a data analysis tool that, when executed by the processor,

parses the router configurations to create port data for each port on each router in the service provider network, wherein the port data for each port on each router includes a customer name,

integrates the port data with customer data to create an integrated database, wherein each customer data is associated with one of a plurality of customers, and wherein the integrating comprises matching the customer name included in the port data for each port to a corresponding one of the plurality of customers associated with each customer data,

assigns a plurality of ports to a plurality of user defined groups in the integrated database based on applying a set of user defined rules, wherein at least one of the plurality of ports is assigned to multiple user defined groups,

accesses a problem management system to identify a first problem ticket and a second problem ticket, wherein the first problem ticket lacks an association with the second problem ticket in the problem management system, and wherein the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket are different tickets associated with different problems,

identifies a first port associated with the first problem ticket and a second port associated with the second problem ticket, wherein the first port and the second port are different physical or logical ports,

determines whether one of the plurality of user defined groups comprises the first port and the second port, and

creates an association between the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket in response to a determination that the one of the plurality of user defined groups comprises the first port and the second port; and

a user interface that, when executed by the processor, displays the created association between the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket to troubleshoot associated tickets.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis tool assigns a port to a group if one of each rule in the set of user defined rules applies to the port and one of the set of user defined rules applies to the port.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of user defined rules identifies ports for exclusion from a group.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of user defined rules is based on at least one of a customer full name, a customer short name, a remote side internet protocol address, a network address number, a private line number, an interface description, a remote border gateway protocol autonomous system number, a router and interface name, a support office indicator code, and a multi protocol label switching virtual routing and forwarding name.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of user defined rules is based on a user identification of individual ports, wherein the system creates a rule that corresponds to the individual ports.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first problem ticket is based on one of a first current problem and a first historical problem for which the first problem ticket is completed and the second problem ticket is based on one of a second current problem and a second historical problem for which the second problem ticket is completed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis tool further provides the created association between the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket to the problem management system to troubleshoot associated tickets.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein troubleshooting associated tickets comprises at least one of making an assignment that comprises the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket, identifying a common solution for the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket, changing a priority for at least one of the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket, and reassigning one of the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket.

9. A computer implemented method for associating problem tickets based on an integrated network and customer database, comprising:

retrieving router configurations from data stores for routers in a service provider network;

parsing the router configurations to create port data for each port on each router in the service provider network, wherein the port data for each port on each router includes a customer name;

integrating the port data with customer data to create an integrated database, wherein each customer data is associated with one of a plurality of customers, and wherein the integrating comprises matching the customer name included in the port data for each port to a corresponding one of the plurality of customers associated with each customer data;

assigning a plurality of ports to a plurality of user defined groups in the integrated database based on applying a set of user defined rules, wherein at least one of the plurality of ports is assigned to multiple user defined groups;

accessing a problem management system to identify a first problem ticket and a second problem ticket, wherein the first problem ticket lacks an association with the second problem ticket in the problem management system, and wherein the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket are different tickets associated with different problems;

identifying a first port associated with the first problem ticket and a second port associated with the second problem ticket, wherein the first port and the second port are different physical or logical ports;

determining whether one of the plurality of user defined groups comprises the first port and the second port;

creating an association between the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket in response to a determination that the one of the plurality of user defined groups comprises the first port and the second port; and

displaying the created association between the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket to troubleshoot associated tickets.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a customer link diversity for a group that comprises the first port and the second port; and

displaying the customer link diversity to enable troubleshooting of associated tickets.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10, further comprising recommending reassignment of a customer link when the customer link diversity is less than a corresponding target customer link diversity.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the customer link diversity comprises a router diversity based on a number of customer links on each router.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the customer link diversity comprises a card diversity based on a number of customer links on each card.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the customer link diversity comprises a customer locations router diversity based on a number of customer links on each router to each location.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the customer link diversity comprises a customer locations card diversity based on a number of customer links on each card to each location.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 10, further comprising determining the customer link diversity when adding a card and determining the customer link diversity when adding a customer link.

17. A system for associating problem tickets based on an integrated network and customer database, comprising:

a processor;

a data retriever that, when executed by the processor, retrieves router configurations from data stores for routers in a service provider network;

a data analysis tool that, when executed by the processor,

parses the router configurations to create port data for each port on each router in the service provider network, wherein the port data for each port on each router includes a customer name,

integrates the port data with customer data to create an integrated database, wherein each customer data is associated with one of a plurality of customers, and wherein the integrating comprises matching the customer name included in the port data for each port to a corresponding one of the plurality of customers associated with each customer data,

identifies ports associated with a customer,

identifies the ports associated with the customer which are bundled into bundled logical ports as a first service group,

identifies the ports associated with the customer which are partitioned into partitioned logical ports as a second service group,

accesses a problem management system to identify a first problem ticket and a second problem ticket, wherein the first problem ticket lacks an association with the second problem ticket in the problem management system, and wherein the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket are different tickets associated with different problems,

identifies a first port associated with the first problem ticket and a second port associated with the second problem ticket, wherein the first port and the second port are different physical or logical ports,

determines whether one of the first service group and the second service group comprises both the first port and the second port, and

creates an association between the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket in response to a determination that one of the first service group and the second service group comprises both the first port and the second port; and

a user interface that, when executed by the processor, displays the created association between the first problem ticket and the second problem ticket to troubleshoot associated tickets.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the first service group and the second service group comprises a parent port that comprises a child port, wherein a determination of the parent port and the child port is based on a service provided to the customer, wherein the parent port comprises a port selected from the ports associated with the customer, the bundled logical ports, and the partitioned logical ports, and the child port comprises a different port selected from the ports associated with the customer, the bundled logical ports, and the partitioned logical ports.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the first service group and the second service group comprises a first peer port that relates to a second peer port based on a service provided to the customer, wherein the first peer port comprises a port selected from the ports associated with the customer, the bundled logical ports, and the partitioned logical ports, and the second peer port comprises a different port selected from the ports associated with the customer, the bundled logical ports, and the partitioned logical ports.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first peer port comprises a port associated with inbound communications for a gateway and the second peer port comprises a port associated with outbound communications for the gateway.