Gateway for using legacy telecommunications network element equipment with a common management information protocol

• US 5,764,955 A
• Filed: 10/19/1995
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OASys Group, Inc. (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Doolan, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US08/545,024
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/650, 395/200.2, 379/10, 379/243, 379/201, 379/289, 370/61, 380/23, 380/49, 364/419.02, 364/419.03
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols

Abstract

A gateway that allows a CMIP/CMISE network manager to manage legacy telecommunications network elements by providing a bidirectional mapping between CMIP messages and legacy syntax messages. The gateway has the ability to understand the individual dialects of each vendor specific legacy syntax; therefore, a single CMIP/CMISE network manager can manage a network composed of a variety of network legacy elements from multiple vendors.

Claims

1. A telecommunications gateway method for use with a source of network management messages provided in a first syntax and a plurality of network elements, each network element adapted to respond to network management messages provided in respective element syntaxes, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first message from said source, said first message being in said first syntax and identifying at least a particular one of said network elements;

selecting a dictionary from a plurality of dictionaries in response to said identification of said particular one of said network elements;

queuing state information relating to said first message and said second message, said first message includes a command, a first syntax command reference identification and a network element identification, said state information includes said first syntax command reference identification and a respective element syntax command reference identification;

mapping said first message into at least a second message in response to said selected dictionary, said second message being in a respective element syntax associated with said identified particular one of said network elements, said second message includes said respective element syntax command reference identification; and

transmitting said second message to said particular one of said network elements.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

mapping said first message into a third message in response to said selected dictionary, said third message being in said respective element syntax associated with said identified particular one of said network elements;

transmitting said third message to said particular one of said network elements.

3. A method according to claim 1,

said step of selecting a dictionary includes the step of accessing configuration data based on said identification, said configuration data including an identification of said selected dictionary.

4. A method according to claim 1, further including the steps of:

receiving a third message from said particular one of said network elements, said third message being in said respective element syntax;

selecting said dictionary from a plurality of dictionaries;

mapping said third message into at least a fourth message in response to said selected dictionary, said fourth message being in said first syntax; and

transmitting said fourth message to said source.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first syntax is CMIP.

6. A method for allowing a plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements to be used with a Common Management Information Protocol, comprising the steps of:

receiving CMIP syntax including a legacy equipment identification which identifies at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements;

queuing state information corresponding to said CMIP syntax;

accessing a dictionary based on said legacy equipment identification;

mapping said CMIP syntax into legacy syntax based on said dictionary;

sending a first legacy syntax message, based on said CMIP syntax, to said at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

said step of receiving CMIP syntax includes receiving a CMIP reference identification;

said state information includes said CMIP reference identification and a legacy syntax message identification which corresponds to said CMIP reference identification; and

said first legacy syntax message includes said legacy syntax message identification.

8. A method according to claim 6, further including the step of:

sending a second legacy syntax message, based on said CMIP syntax, to said at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements.

9. A method according to claim 6, further including the step of:

sending a second legacy syntax message, based on said CMIP syntax, to a second one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements.

10. A method according to claim 6, further including the steps of

receiving a legacy syntax response;

searching said queue for said state information;

accessing said dictionary; and

mapping said legacy syntax response into CMIP syntax.

11. A method according to claim 10, further including the step of:

sending said CMIP syntax to an agent.

12. A method according to claim 6, further including the steps of:

receiving a legacy syntax autonomous message;

accessing said dictionary; and

mapping said legacy syntax autonomous message into CMIP syntax.

13. A method according to claim 12, further including the step of:

filtering said legacy syntax autonomous message.

14. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

said step of receiving CMIP syntax includes receiving a CMIP reference identification;

said state information includes said CMIP reference identification and a legacy syntax message identification which corresponds to said CMIP reference number; and

said system further includes the steps of;

receiving a legacy syntax response including said legacy syntax message identification,

searching said queue for said state information,

accessing said dictionary, and

mapping said legacy syntax response into CMIP syntax.

15. A computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied on said computer readable storage medium, said computer readable program code for use with a source of network management messages provided in a first syntax and a plurality of network elements, each network element adapted to respond to network management messages provided in respective network element syntaxes, said computer readable program code including:

mapper program code including a command logic program code and response logic program code;

said command logic program code receives a CMIP syntax command from said source identifying a particular one of said network elements, selects a dictionary from a plurality of dictionaries in response to said identification of said particular one of said network elements, maps said CMIP syntax command into at least one second syntax command; and

said response logic program code receives a second syntax response identifying said particular one of said network elements, selects said dictionary based on said identification, and maps said second syntax response to a CMIP syntax response.

16. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein:

said computer readable program code maintains a queue;

said command logic program code queues state information relating to said CMIP syntax command and said at least one second syntax command; and

said response logic program code accesses said queue after receiving said second syntax response.

17. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said computer readable program code further includes:

command generator program code, in communication with said mapper program code, said command generator program code forwards respective network element syntax commands to said plurality of network elements; and

response handler program code, in communication with said mapper program code, said response handler program code receives respective network element syntax responses from said plurality of network elements and communicates said respective network element syntax responses to said mapper program code.

18. A method for allowing a plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements to be used with a Common Management Information Protocol, comprising the steps of:

receiving CMIP syntax including a legacy equipment identification which identifies at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements;

mapping said CMIP syntax into legacy syntax based on a dictionary; and

sending a first legacy syntax message, based on said CMIP syntax, to said at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements.

19. A method according to claim 18, further including the step of:

accessing and dictionary based on said legacy equipment identification.

20. A method according to claim 19, further including the step of:

initializing a configuration database, said configuration database stores configuration data for said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements, said configuration data includes an identification of a corresponding dictionary for each of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements, said step of accessing a dictionary includes accessing said configuration database using said legacy equipment identification.

21. A method according to claim 18, further including the step of:

queuing state information corresponding to said CMIP syntax.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

said step of receiving CMIP syntax includes receiving a CMIP reference identification;

said state information includes said CMIP reference identification and a legacy syntax message identification which corresponds to said CMIP reference identification; and

said first legacy syntax message includes said legacy syntax message identification.

23. A method according to claim 21, further including the steps of:

receiving a legacy syntax response;

searching said queue for said state information;

accessing said dictionary; and

mapping said legacy syntax response into CMIP syntax.

24. A method according to claim 18, further including the steps of:

receiving a legacy syntax autonomous message;

accessing said dictionary; and

mapping said legacy syntax autonomous message into CMIP syntax.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein:

said legacy syntax autonomous message is an alarm; and

said method further includes the step of intelligently filtering said alarm.

26. A processor readable storage medium, comprising:

processor readable program code embodied on said processor readable storage medium, said processor readable program code for programming a processor to perform a method for allowing a plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements to be used with a Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP), the method comprising the steps of;

receiving CMIP syntax including a legacy equipment identification which identifies at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements;

mapping said CMIP syntax into legacy syntax based on a dictionary; and

sending a first legacy syntax message, based on said CMIP syntax, to said at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements.

27. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 26, wherein the method further includes the step of:

accessing said dictionary based on said legacy equipment identification.

28. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the method further includes the step of:

initializing a configuration database, said configuration database stores configuration data for said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements, said configuration data includes an identification of a corresponding dictionary for each of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements, said step of accessing a dictionary includes accessing said configuration database using said legacy equipment identification.

29. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 26, wherein the method further includes the step of:

queuing state information corresponding to said CMIP syntax.

30. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 29, wherein:

said step of receiving CMIP syntax includes receiving a CMIP reference identification;

said state information includes said CMIP reference identification and a legacy syntax message identification which corresponds to said CMIP reference identification; and

said first legacy syntax message includes said legacy syntax message identification.

31. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the method further includes the steps of:

queuing state information corresponding to said CMIP syntax; and

accessing a dictionary based on said legacy equipment identification.

32. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the method further includes the steps of:

receiving a legacy syntax response;

searching said queue for said state information;

accessing said dictionary; and

mapping said legacy syntax response into CMIP syntax.

33. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the method further includes the steps of:

receiving a legacy syntax autonomous message;

accessing said dictionary; and

mapping said legacy syntax autonomous message into CMIP syntax.

34. A processor readable storage medium according to claim 33, wherein:

said legacy syntax autonomous message is an alarm; and

said method further includes the step of intelligently filtering said alarm.

35. An apparatus for allowing a plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements to be used with a Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP), comprising:

a memory adapted to store program code; and

a processor in communication with said memory, said program code capable of programming said processor to perform a method for allowing a plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements to be used with a Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP), the method comprising the steps of;

receiving CMIP syntax including a legacy equipment identification which identifies at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements,

mapping said CMIP syntax into legacy syntax based on a dictionary, and

sending a first legacy syntax message, based on said CMIP syntax, to said at least one of said plurality of legacy telecommunications network elements.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the method further includes the step of:

accessing said dictionary based on said legacy equipment identification.

37. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the method further includes the step of:

queuing state information corresponding to said CMIP syntax.

38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein:

said step of receiving CMIP syntax includes receiving a CMIP reference identification;

said state information includes said CMIP reference identification and a legacy syntax message identification which corresponds to said CMIP reference identification; and

said first legacy syntax message includes said legacy syntax message identification.

39. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the method further includes the steps of

receiving a legacy syntax response;

searching said queue for said state information;

accessing said dictionary; and

mapping said legacy syntax response into CMIP syntax.

40. A processor readable storage medium, comprising:

processor readable program code embodied on said processor readable storage medium, said processor readable program code for programming a processor to perform telecommunications gateway method for use with a source of network management messages provided in a first syntax and a plurality of network elements, each network element adapted to respond to network management messages provided in respective element syntaxes, the method comprising the steps of;

initializing a configuration database, said configuration database stores configuration data for said plurality of network elements, said configuration data includes an identification of a corresponding dictionary for each of said plurality of network elements;

receiving a first message, said first message being in said first syntax and identifying at least a particular one of said network elements;

accessing said configuration data using said identification of said particular one of said network elements;

selecting a dictionary from a plurality of dictionaries based on said step of accessing said configuration data;

mapping said first message into at least a second message in response to said selected dictionary, said second message being in a respective element syntax associated with said identified particular one of said network elements; and

transmitting said second message to said particular one of said network elements.

41. A processor readable storage medium, comprising:

processor readable program code embodied on said processor readable storage medium, said processor readable program code for programming a processor to perform telecommunications gateway method for use with a source of network management messages provided in a first syntax and a plurality of network elements, each network element adapted to respond to network management messages provided in respective element syntaxes, the method comprising the steps of;

receiving a first message, said first message being in said first syntax and identifying at least a particular one of said network elements;

selecting a dictionary from a plurality of dictionaries based on said identification of said particular one of said network elements;

mapping said first message into at least a second message in response to said selected dictionary, said second message being in a respective element syntax associated with said identified particular one of said network elements;

transmitting said second message to said particular one of said network elements;

receiving an autonomous message, said autonomous message being in said respective element syntax, said autonomous message is an alarm; and

intelligently filtering said alarm.