Management of network configuration in telecommunications network

• US 9,893,956 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Cleary, David, Salamanca, Epifanio, Cremin, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Anyan, Barbara B
• Application Number:
  US13/876,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,694 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols

Abstract

A method for managing the configuration of a telecommunications network, the method comprises remotely creating a data file containing attributes of managed objects for one or more network elements of the network, uploading the data file to a management system of the network, inspecting the data file and identifying managed objects having attributes which have been created, varied or deleted, producing a database of the identified managed objects and the values thereof, and analysing the data in the database to manage the configuration of the telecommunications network accordingly. Also disclosed are an apparatus for performing the method, a management system incorporating the or apparatus and a telecommunications network incorporating the management system.

Claims

1. A method of managing configuration of a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

performing, by at least one computing device, a synchronization of a plurality of managed objects within a managed object cache of a management system with a plurality of associated managed objects of network elements of the telecommunications network, the synchronization performed periodically according to a frequency associated with a caching policy;

receiving, by the at least one computer processing device of the management system of the network, a remotely created data file containing attributes of the managed objects for one or more network elements of the network;

inspecting, by the at least one computer processing device, the data file and identifying managed objects having a plurality of attributes and a plurality of operations associated with the managed objects;

extracting, by the at least one computer processing device, the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations associated with the managed objects;

producing, by the at least one computer processing device, a database of the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations associated with the managed objects; and

analyzing, by the at least one computer processing device, the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations in the database to identify at least one reoccurring operation on a set of affected managed objects within the plurality of objects; and

based on the identified at least one reoccurring operation on the set of affected managed objects, changing, by the at least one computer processing device, the frequency of the synchronization of the set of affected managed objects within the managed object cache of the management system with the associated managed objects of the network elements of the network to optimize the caching policy based on actual usage of affected managed objects rather than expected usage of managed objects, the frequency of the synchronization of the affected objects changed without changing the frequency of the synchronization of the plurality of managed objects other than the set of affected managed objects associated with the identified at least one reoccurring operation.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said inspecting step comprises inspecting the data file for commands contained therein which create, vary or delete managed objects.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said inspecting step comprises comparing the data file with a data file containing existing attributes of managed objects of network elements of the network and identifying managed objects having attributes which have been created, varied or deleted.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said data file is created by examining a data file downloaded from said management system, said downloaded file containing existing attributes of managed objects of network elements of the network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising storing in said database the time and/or date when the respective identified managed objects are created, varied or deleted.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, in which said analyzing step comprises analyzing any frequency in the creation, variation or deletion of each affected managed object.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, comprising synchronizing said managed object cache with the affected managed objects of network elements of the network in dependence of the frequency.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said analyzing step comprises identifying repeating patterns in the creation, variation or deletion of affected managed objects, and using said analysis to suggest future workflows in the creation, variation or deletion of affected managed objects.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said analyzing step comprises identifying a pattern in the creation, variation or deletion of affected managed objects which causes an error in the network, and using said analysis to provide a warning if the pattern is detected on a subsequent inspecting step.

10. An apparatus for managing configuration of a telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising:

a monitor device operable to;

monitor data files received by a management system of the telecommunications network, the data files containing attributes of a plurality of managed objects for one or more network elements of the telecommunications network;

inspect the data file and identify the managed objects having a plurality of attributes and a plurality of operations associated with the managed objects; and

extract the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations associated with the managed objects;

a database for storing, in a managed object cache, the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations extracted by the monitor device; and

a processor operable to;

periodically perform a synchronization of the plurality of managed objects in the managed object cache with a plurality of associated managed objects of the network elements of the telecommunications network, the synchronization performed according to a frequency associated with a caching policy;

analyze the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations in the database to identify at least one reoccurring operation on a set of affected managed objects within the plurality of objects; and

based on the identified at least one reoccurring operation on the set of affected managed objects, change the frequency of the synchronization of the set of affected managed objects within the managed object cache of the management system with the associated managed objects of the network elements of the network to optimize the caching policy based on actual usage of affected managed objects rather than expected usage of managed objects, the frequency of the synchronization of the affected objects being changed without changing the frequency of the synchronization of the plurality of managed objects other than the set of affected managed objects associated with the identified at least one reoccurring operation.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, arranged for connecting to a remote said management system.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, arranged within said management system.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which said monitor is arranged to inspect the data file for commands contained therein which create, vary or delete managed objects.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which said monitor is arranged to compare the data file with a data file containing existing attributes of managed objects of network elements of the network and to identify managed objects having attributes which have been created, varied or deleted.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, arranged to store in the database the time and/or date when the identified managed objects are created, varied or deleted together with the respective identified managed objects and the values thereof.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, arranged to analyze the frequency of creation, variation or deletion of each affected managed object and to produce a synchronization interval for the periodic synchronization of the managed object cache of the management system with the managed objects of network elements of the network.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, arranged to identify repeating patterns in the creation, variation or deletion of the affected managed objects, and to suggest future workflows in the creation, variation or deletion of the affected managed objects.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, arranged to identify a pattern in the creation, variation or deletion of the affected managed objects which causes an error in the network, and to use said analysis to provide a warning if the pattern is subsequently identified by said monitor.

19. A management system for a telecommunications network, the system comprising an apparatus for managing configuration of a telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising:

a monitor device operable to;

monitor data files received by a management system of the network, the data files containing attributes of a plurality of managed objects for one or more network elements of the network;

inspect the data file and identify the managed objects having a plurality of attributes and a plurality of operations associated with the managed objects; and

extract the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations associated with the managed objects;

a database for storing, in a managed object cache, the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations extracted by the monitor device; and

a processor operable to;

perform, a synchronization of the plurality of managed objects within the managed object cache of the management system with a plurality of associated managed objects of the network elements of the telecommunication network, the synchronization performed periodically according to a frequency associated with a caching policy;

analyze the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations in the database to identify at least one reoccurring operation on a set of affected managed objects within the plurality of objects; and

based on the identified at least one reoccurring operation on the set of affected managed objects, change the frequency of the synchronization of the set of affected managed objects within the managed object cache of the management system with the managed objects of network elements of the network to optimize the caching policy based on actual usage of affected managed objects rather than an expected usage of managed objects without changing the frequency of the synchronization of the plurality of managed objects other than the set of the affected managed objects associated with the identified at least one reoccurring operation.

20. A management system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the apparatus comprises the apparatus arranged for connecting to a remote said management system.

21. A management system as claimed in claim 19, arranged to synchronizing said managed object cache with the managed objects of network elements of the network in dependence of the frequency.

22. A telecommunications network comprising a management system, the system comprising an apparatus for managing configuration of the telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising:

a monitor device operable to;

monitor data files received by a management system of the network, the data files containing attributes of a plurality of managed objects for one or more network elements of the network;

inspect the data file and identify the managed objects having a plurality of attributes and a plurality of operations associated with the managed objects; and

extract the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations associated with the managed objects;

a database for storing, in a managed object cache, the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations extracted by the monitor device; and

a processor operable to;

perform, a synchronization of the plurality of managed objects within the managed object cache of the management system with plurality of associated managed objects of the network elements of the telecommunication network, the synchronization performed periodically according to a frequency associated with a caching policy;

analyze the plurality of attributes and the plurality of operations in the database to identify at least one reoccurring operation on a set of affected managed objects within the plurality of objects; and

based on the identified at least one reoccurring operation on the set of affected managed objects, change the frequency of the synchronization of the set of affected managed objects within a managed object cache of the management system with the managed objects of network elements of the network to optimize the caching policy based on actual usage of affected managed objects rather than expected usage of managed objects, the frequency of the synchronization of the affected objects changed without changing the frequency of the synchronization of the plurality of managed objects other than the set of affected managed objects associated with the identified at least one reoccurring operation.

23. A telecommunications network as claimed in claim 22, wherein the management system comprises the management system arranged for connecting to a remote said management system.