Network management system and graphical user interface

• US 8,539,032 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pugaczewski, John T., Kays, Jeffrey T., Chantiloupe, Nicholas P., Hendricks, Fred M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US13/156,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20110302496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/052 using standardised network management architectures, e.g. telecommunication management network [TMN] or unified network management architecture [UNMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing

Abstract

A network management system and graphical user interface for configuring a network connection between first and second service access points utilizes a configuration manager and information manager to provide a generic set of models so that different manufacturer'"'"'s nodal processors and other network hardware can be inserted into the network with minimal changes to the software which controls the device. The system comprises an information manager including routing information for the network. The configuration manager operates to establish a connection across each subnet on the route by sending requests to element managers to program the subnet elements.

Claims

1. A method of providing, to a subscriber, a user interface to a network management system for configuring a network connection between the subscriber and an Internet service provider, the method comprising:

providing a user interface that directs a residential subscriber to select one or more network configuration parameters pertaining to for configuring one or more classes of service of a network connection between a residence of the subscriber and the Internet service provider;

receiving, through the user interface, a message indicative of the selected network configurations parameters; and

remotely provisioning one or more network elements with the network management system in response to receiving the message, to modify one or more classes of service of the network connection to implement the selected network configuration parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing the subscriber to select a time duration for the selected network configuration parameters;

receiving a message indicative of a selected duration; and

remotely provisioning the one or more network elements, upon expiration of the selected duration, to restore a set of one or more previous network configuration parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface provides the subscriber with a list of available options for each of the one or more network configuration parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing security authentication of the subscriber.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying a billing structure of the subscriber, based on the selected network configuration parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is web-based, and wherein providing the user interface comprises providing the user interface for display in a web browser.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network configuration parameters comprise a bandwidth.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network configuration parameters comprise a connection speed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network configuration parameters comprise an Internet service provider selection.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein remotely provisioning one or more network elements comprises tearing down the network connection between the subscriber and the Internet service provider and building a new network connection between the subscriber and a second Internet service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network configuration parameters comprise provisioning control parameters.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the network connection comprises a virtual circuit, and wherein at least one of the one or more network configuration parameters comprises a parameter for configuring the virtual circuit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit (“

PVC”

).

15. The method of claim 1, wherein remotely provisioning one or more network elements comprises the network management system interfacing with an element management layer interface of at least one of the one or more network elements.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements comprises a central office switch.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (“

ATM”

) assigned switch port.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the network connection comprises a digital subscriber line (“

DSL”

) connection.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a DSL access multiplexor (“

DSLAM”

).

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more computers to provide, to a residential subscriber, a user interface to a network management system for configuring a network connection between a residence of the subscriber and an Internet service provider, the instructions comprising;

instructions for providing a user interface that directs the subscriber to select one or more network configuration parameters pertaining to for configuring one or more classes of service of the network connection;

instructions for receiving, through the user interface, a message indicative of the selected network configuration parameters; and

instructions for remotely provisioning one or more network elements with the network management system in response to receiving the message, to modify one or more classes of services of the network connection to implement the selected network configuration parameters.

21. A network management system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by the one or more processors to provide, to a residential subscriber, a user interface to a network management system for configuring a network connection between a residence of the subscriber and an Internet service provider, the instructions comprising;

instructions for providing a user interface that directs the subscriber to select one or more network configuration parameters pertaining to for configuring one or more classes of service of the network connection;

instructions for receiving, through the user interface, a message indicative of the selected network configuration parameters; and

instructions for remotely provisioning one or more network elements with the network management system in response to receiving the message, to modify one or more classes of services of the network connection to implement the selected network configuration parameters.