NETWORK OPERATION MANAGEMENT

• US 20100228854A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Kurt D., Morrison, Patrick S., Edwards, Daniel C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• 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 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to monitor and control peripheral devices at a remote operational site. A management platform configures a site controller deployed at the operational site, wherein configuration specifies collection of data from the peripheral devices connected to the site controller. Conditions that monitor device status and specify device alarms triggers also can be configured. Commands, which can be part of a script, remotely control peripheral devices functionally coupled to the site controller. Collected data is conveyed through a wired or wireless link to management component, which stores the data for analysis and report generation, and can supply the data to an authorized terminal. Data and reports can be conveyed to one or more systems and mass storage functionally connected to the management component. Analysis includes data trend generation. Reports include features of observed and predicted data, and alarm summaries.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

employing a processor to execute code instructions retained in a memory, the code instructions when executed by the processor carry out the following acts;

receiving a status profile that configures a port in a site controller, wherein the status profile includes at least a set of conditions associated with operation of a device functionally linked to the port;

collecting data from the device in accordance at least in part with a polling condition in the received set of conditions and retaining the collected data in a memory;

when a status condition in the received set of conditions is fulfilled based at least in part on the collected data, delivering status information; and

conveying the collected data in accordance at least with the polling condition in the received set of conditions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an alarm class that determines at least in part an alarm condition and an alarm mechanism;

when the alarm condition is satisfied based at least in part on the collected data, reporting an alarm in accordance at least in part with the alarm mechanism; and

terminating data collection when determining to discontinue data collection based at least in part on the alarm condition that is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 2, reporting an alarm in accordance at least in part with the alarm mechanism includes generating an alarm indication and delivering the alarm indication, wherein the alarm indication is a simple network management protocol (SNMP) trap.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a command to control the device functionally coupled to the port; and

when the command is in format native to the device'"'"'s signaling protocol, implementing the received command.

5. The method of claim 4, when the command is not in format native to the device'"'"'s signaling protocol, formatting the received command to adhere to the native device'"'"'s signaling protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the port is one of a parallel port, a serial port, an Ethernet port, a V.35 port, an X.21 port, or a dry contact.

7. A controller, comprising:

a port platform that includes a set of ports functionally linked to a set of devices;

an interface component that receives a status profile that configures a port in the port platform;

wherein the status profile includes at least a set of conditions associated with operation of a device functionally linked to the port;

a data collection component that retrieves operation data from the device in accordance at least in part with a polling condition in the set of conditions; and

a monitor component that conveys status information of the device when a status condition in the received set of conditions is fulfilled based at least in part on the retrieved data; and

a component that delivers the retrieved data in accordance with the received status profile.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein retrieved data is delivered through a single backhaul link that is one of wireless or wired, a wired backhaul link is one of a DS0 line, an Ethernet line, an optical fiber backbone link, a twisted-pair line, a T1/E1 or T3/E3 phone line, a digital subscriber line (DSL), or a coaxial cable.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein the interface component receives an alarm class that determines at least in part an alarm condition and an alarm mechanism.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein the monitor component includes an alarm component that supplies an alarm indication in accordance at least in part with the alarm mechanism when the alarm condition is satisfied based at least in part on the collected data, wherein the alarm indication is a simple network management protocol (SNMP) trap.

11. The controller of claim 7, wherein the monitor component includes a control component that receives a command to manipulate operation of the device, and implements the command.

12. The controller of claim 9, to implement the command, the control component formats the received command to a signaling protocol of the device when the received command format does not adhere to the signaling protocol.

13. The controller of claim 7, wherein the data collection component includes a format component that arranges the retrieved data into a format suitable for by an intended recipient.

14. The controller of claim 7, wherein the data collection component includes an integrity component that monitors whether the controller is by-passed when maintenance is conducted at a cell site associated therewith, and reports one or more changes in configuration of the controller.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the set of ports include one or more of a parallel port, a serial port, an Ethernet port, a V.35 port, an X.21 port, or a dry contact.

16. The controller of claim 7, wherein the interface component integrates a legacy controller through a local area network.

17. A method for monitoring and controlling remote network sites, the method comprising:

employing a processor to execute code instructions retained in a memory, the code instructions when executed by the processor carry out the following acts;

granting or denying an access request based at least in part on requester credentials and an originating point of the access request; and

when the access request in granted;

receiving a request to monitor a first set of remote network sites, wherein the request includes a status profile that configures a port in a site controller and includes at least a set of conditions associated with operation of a device functionally connected to the controller through the port;

conveying operational information gathered from the set of remote network sites in accordance at least in part with the received request;

receiving a directive to control a sub-system in a second set of remote network sites; and

delivering the directive to a respective set of site controllers to implement the received directive.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the status profile configures the port globally or in a site-specific fashion.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving a request to monitor a first set of remote network sites includes committing the status profile that configures the port.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving a request to monitor a first set of remote network sites further includes:

receiving a configuration of an alarm class associated with one or more conditions in the received set of conditions, wherein the alarm class specifies at least one of a set of recipients of an alert and a mechanism to convey the alert; and

committing the received configuration of the alarm class.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

analyzing received operational data;

predicting data based at least in part on the received operational data;

supplying a data trend profile based at least in part on at least one of analyzed operational data or predicted data, wherein the data trend profile reveals at least one of a time-dependent trend or a space-dependent trend; and

retaining at least one of analyzed operational data or predicted data.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising conveying at least one of the analyzed operational data or the predicted data.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

generating an operation report based at least in part on the received operational data;

generating a prognosis report based at least in part on the predicted data; and

supplying at least one of the operation report or the prognosis report.

24. The method of claim 21, autonomously generating at least a portion of at least one of a status profile or an alarm class based at least in part on received operational data and manipulation thereof, wherein manipulation includes at least one of analysis or simulation of operational data.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

delivering an application that allows, at least in part, operation of the device functionally connected to the controller through the port;

delivering an update for the application when an update condition is fulfilled and the update for the application is available, wherein the update condition includes a scheduled update.

26. The method of claim 25, when the update for the application is not available and the update condition is fulfilled, further comprising obtaining the update for the application prior to delivery thereof.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the component the receives the operational data receives an alarm indication based at least on a configured alarm class that defines at least one of a set of alarm conditions, a group of recipients for the alarm indication, and an alarm mechanism.

29. The system of claim 25, further comprising an analysis component that processes received operational data and predicts data based at least in part on analyzed data, wherein at least a portion of processed operational data and the predicted data comprise a data trend.

30. The system of claim 25, further comprising a report component that receives at least one of analyzed data, predicted data, or alarm signal(s), and generates at least one of an operational report, a forecast report, or alarm report(s).

31. The system of claim 30, wherein at least one of the operational report, the forecast report, or the alarm report(s) are conveyed to at least one of an organization layer or an external data storage.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the interface component includes a data selector component that allows to query at least one of database of operational data or a database of predicted data.

33. The system of claim 25, further including a component that configures a monitoring and control environment when a computing device is authorized to at least one of consume received operational data or supply control directives, wherein the monitoring and control environment includes a specific set of configuration tools, a set of data modeling tools, or predetermined access privileges to dedicated site controllers and peripheral devices functionally connected thereto.

34. The system of claim 25, further comprising a component that delivers at least one of a software application or firmware application that allows at least one of remote or local operation of the device functionally connected to the dedicated site controller through the port, wherein the component updates a delivered software application or firmware application on at least one of a scheduled basis or an event basis.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the interface component includes a display component that supplies data and signaling to render the configured monitoring and control environment through a display user interface (DUI) implemented in the authorized computing device, wherein the DUI includes at least one of the following:

a selection interface to discriminate among a plurality of dedicated site controllers;

a selection interface to discriminate among a plurality of sub-system categories, wherein a sub-system comprise a group of one or more devices functionally linked to respective ports in a dedicated site controller;

a floor plan display interface that conveys a set of remote cell sites;

a data monitor display interface that renders at least one of streaming data or static data, and indicia to select a specific device or variable associated with operation thereof;

a data trend display interface that renders at least one of historical operational data or predicted data, and indicia to select a model to simulate received operational data;

or

a display interface that renders at least one of imagery of a remote cell site or aural indicia associated therewith.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the DUI further includes at least one of the following:

a query interface;

a command interface;

a script interface that allows to convey a status profile or an alarm class;

or

a report interface.

27. A system that manages a remote cell site, the system comprising a processor that executes the following computer executable components retained in a memory:

an interface component that receives at least one of a status profile, wherein the status profile configures a port in a dedicated site controller and includes at least a set of conditions associated with operation of a device functionally connected to the dedicated site controller through the port, and

a component that receives operational data of the device in accordance at least in part with polling conditions in the set of conditions in the received status profile;

a component that remotely controls the device through delivery of one or more commands in a script; and

a component that delivers operational data to at least one of an authorized terminal, a server, or a data storage.