NETWORK ENTITY DISCOVERY AND SERVICE STITCHING

• US 20170070582A1
• Filed: 09/03/2015
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: DESAI, Mayank, ANTONY, Saji
• Application Number:
  US14/844,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20170070582A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/219 Managing data history or versioning querying versioned data G06F16/2474; querying temporal data G06F16/2477
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

Method comprises obtaining a network snapshot of a plurality of network entities existing at a predetermined discovery level. Network entity delta between the network snapshot and a previous network snapshot is computed. Network entity delta indicates modifications made to the predetermined discovery level since capturing of a preceding network snapshot. At least one network entity, existing at the predetermined discovery level, which was not previously registered in a service management database, is ascertained. The at least one network entity is service stitched with one or more network entities based on service stitching rules and entity catalogs to define associations between the at least one network entity and the one or more network entities for activating the at least one network entity. Each entity catalog defines attributes of the corresponding network entity and parent-child relationship between the corresponding network entity and another network entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a network snapshot of a plurality of network entities existing in a communication network, the network snapshot indicating attribute data corresponding to the plurality of network entities, wherein the plurality of network entities correspond to a predetermined discovery level of the communication network;

computing network entity delta between the network snapshot and at least one previous network snapshot stored in a network management database, wherein the network entity delta indicates modifications made to the predetermined discovery level since capturing of a preceding network snapshot;

ascertaining at least one network entity, existing at the predetermined discovery level, that was not previously registered in a service management database, based on the network entity delta; and

service stitching the at least one network entity with one or more network entities based on service stitching rules and entity catalogs, wherein the service stitching defines associations between the at least one network entity and the one or more network entities for activating the at least one network entity, and wherein each entity catalog defines attributes of the corresponding network entity and parent-child relationship between the corresponding network entity and another network entity.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ascertaining further comprising:

comparing the network entity delta and the service management database, wherein the service management database includes attribute data of registered network entities;

determining if any discrepancy exists between the network entity delta and the service management database based on the comparison, wherein the discrepancy indicates that the at least one network entity has not been registered, and wherein the at least one network entity has been added at the predetermined discovery level since capturing of the preceding network snapshot; and

generating audit results including the discrepancy and severity of the discrepancy based on the determining.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the service stitching further comprising:

obtaining an entity catalog corresponding to the at least one network entity based on the service stitching rules;

determining the one or more network entities that have to be associated with the at least one network entity based on the service stitching rules and the entity catalog, wherein the one or more network entities have a parent-child relationship with the at least one network entity;

obtaining, for each of the one or more network entities, a corresponding entity catalog; and

defining associations between the at least one network entity and the one or more network entities based on the associated entity catalogs.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the service stitching further comprising:

adding the attribute data corresponding to the at least one network entity in the service management database to register the at least one network entity.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the service stitching further comprising:

determining, for each of the one or more network entities, if the network entity is registered with the service management database; and

adding, for each of the network entity that is not registered, corresponding attribute data in the service management database to register the network entity.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the obtaining a network snapshot further comprising:

obtaining attribute data corresponding to the plurality of network entities; and

transforming the attribute data into the network snapshot of a normalized format.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein for the predetermined discovery level being a third discovery level, the plurality of network entities include logical terminations and inter-element connections existing in the communication network.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein for the predetermined discovery level being a fourth discovery level, the plurality of network entities include services implemented in the communication network.

9. A network entity discovery and stitching system comprising:

a processor;

a mediation engine coupled to the processor to;

obtain a network snapshot of a plurality of network entities existing in a communication network, the network snapshot indicating attribute data corresponding to the plurality of network entities, wherein the plurality of network entities correspond to a predetermined discovery level of the communication network;

a discovery engine coupled to the processor to;

compute network entity delta between the network snapshot and at least one previous network snapshot stored in a network management database, wherein the network entity delta indicates modifications made to the predetermined discovery level since capturing of a preceding network snapshot;

an audit engine coupled to the processor to;

ascertain at least one network entity, existing at the predetermined discovery level, that was not registered in a service management database, based on the network entity delta; and

a service stitching module coupled to the processor to;

service stitch the at least one network entity with one or more network entities based on service stitching rules and entity catalogs, wherein the service stitching defines associations between the at least one network entity and the one or more network entities for activating the at least one network entity, and wherein each entity catalog defines attributes of the corresponding network entity and parent-child relationship between the corresponding network entity and another network entity.

10. The network entity discovery and stitching system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the audit engine further is to:

compare the network entity delta and a service management database, wherein the service management database includes attribute data of registered network entities;

determine if any discrepancy exists between the network entity delta and a service management database based on the comparison, wherein the discrepancy indicates that the at least one network entity has not been registered, and wherein the at least one network entity has been added at the predetermined discovery level since capturing of the preceding network snapshot; and

generate audit results including the discrepancy and severity of the discrepancy based on the determining.

11. The network entity discovery and stitching system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the service stitching module further is to:

obtain an entity catalog corresponding to the at least one network entity based on the service stitching rules;

determine the one or more network entities that have to be associated with the at least one network entity based on the service stitching rules and the entity catalog, wherein the one or more network entities have a parent-child relationship with the at least one network entity;

obtain, for each of the one or more network entities, a corresponding entity catalog; and

define associations between the at least one network entity and the one or more network entities based on the associated entity catalogs.

12. The network entity discovery and stitching system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a reconciliation engine coupled to the processor to:

add the attribute data corresponding to the at least one network entity in the service management database to register the at least one network entity;

determine, for each of the one or more network entities, if the network entity is registered with the service management database; and

add, for each of the network entity that is not registered, corresponding attribute data in the service management database to register the network entity.

13. The network entity discovery and stitching system as claimed in claim 9, wherein for the predetermined discovery level being a third discovery level, the plurality of network entities include logical terminations and inter-element connections existing in the communication network.

14. The network entity discovery and stitching system as claimed in claim 9, wherein for the predetermined discovery level being a fourth discovery level, the plurality of network entities include services implemented in the communication network.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed, causes a processor to:

obtain a network snapshot of a plurality of network entities existing in a communication network, the network snapshot indicating attribute data corresponding to the plurality of network entities, wherein the plurality of network entities correspond to a predetermined discovery level of the communication network;

compute network entity delta between the network snapshot and at least one previous network snapshot stored in a network management database, wherein the network entity delta indicates modifications made to the predetermined discovery level since capturing of a preceding network snapshot;

ascertain at least one network entity, existing at the predetermined discovery level, that was not registered in a service management database, based on the network entity delta; and

service stitch the at least one network entity with one or more network entities based on service stitching rules and entity catalogs, wherein the service stitching defines associations between the at least one network entity and the one or more network entities for activating the at least one network entity, and wherein each entity catalog defines attributes of the corresponding network entity and parent-child relationship between the corresponding network entity and another network entity.