Real time configuration and provisioning for a carrier ethernet exchange
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an Ethernet switch platform configured to present web pages and templates via a web portal to enable a plurality of carriers to participate in the Ethernet switch platform, the templates soliciting information from the carriers and store the information into a relational database, the web portal enabling a buying carrier to submit a request for quote (RFQ) for network services, a selling carrier to submit a response to the RFQ, and either or both of the buying carrier and the selling carrier to initiate a provisioning order after entering into an agreement, wherein fields of the provisioning order are filled out based on the information stored in the relational database and based on information extracted from the RFQ and the response to the RFQ, and wherein the provisioning order is to enable an Ethernet network of the buying carrier to connect to an Ethernet network of the selling carrier using the Ethernet switch platform.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An Ethernet switch platform is configured to receive and process a provisioning order to establish a logical virtual circuit interconnecting a physical port associated with a buying carrier and a physical port associated with a selling carrier to set up a private network to private network connection between the buying and selling carriers. The virtual circuit is established with parameters called for in a request for quote (RFQ) initiated by the buying carrier and in a response to the RFQ submitted by the selling carrier. Information from the RFQ and from the response together with information previously stored in a relational database is extracted and used to fill out the provisioning order. The information extracted from the database include profile information and network service information associated with the buying and selling carriers.
79 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
an Ethernet switch platform configured to present web pages and templates via a web portal to enable a plurality of carriers to participate in the Ethernet switch platform, the templates soliciting information from the carriers and store the information into a relational database, the web portal enabling a buying carrier to submit a request for quote (RFQ) for network services, a selling carrier to submit a response to the RFQ, and either or both of the buying carrier and the selling carrier to initiate a provisioning order after entering into an agreement, wherein fields of the provisioning order are filled out based on the information stored in the relational database and based on information extracted from the RFQ and the response to the RFQ, and wherein the provisioning order is to enable an Ethernet network of the buying carrier to connect to an Ethernet network of the selling carrier using the Ethernet switch platform. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for interconnecting private Ethernet networks using an Ethernet exchange platform, the method comprising:
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presenting web pages and templates via a web portal to enable a plurality of carriers to participate in an Ethernet switch platform, soliciting information through the templates from the carriers; storing the information into a relational database, enabling a buying carrier via the web portal to submit a request for quote (RFQ) for network services, a selling carrier via the web portal to submit a response to the RFQ, and either or both of the buying carrier and the selling carrier to initiate a provisioning order after entering into an agreement, filling out fields of the provisioning order automatically by the Ethernet switch platform based on the information stored in the relational database and based on information extracted from the RFQ and the response to the RFQ, and wherein the provisioning order is to enable a first private Ethernet network of the buying carrier to connect to a second private Ethernet network of the selling carrier using the Ethernet switch platform. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification