Integrated systems for providing communications network management services and interactive generating invoice documents

• US 7,225,249 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Barry, B. Reilly, Chodoronek, Mark A., DeRose, Eric, Gonzales, Mark N., James, Angela R., Levy, Lynne, Tusa, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Refai; Ramsey
• Application Number:
  US09/159,695
• Time in Patent Office: 3,169 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/203, 709/303, 709/224, 709/227, 709/229, 707/501, 707/513, 345/335, 345/329, 345/369, 345/356, 345/357
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration

Abstract

A integrated customer interface for providing telecommunications management to a customer at a browser involves a web server and a client application. The web server manages a client session supports communication of request messages received from the browser to a network management resource. The client application is integrated for use within the browser, downloadable from the web server in accordance with a predetermined customer entitlement, and programmed to be in interactive communications with the network management resource.

Claims

1. An integrated system for providing communications network management to a customer, said system comprising:

one or more secure web servers for managing one or more secure client sessions over a data network in response to customer entry into said system, each said one or more secure web servers supporting secure communications with a client workstation;

one or more client applications for providing a customer interface integrated within a web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) and enabling interactive communications with one or more communications network management resources via the one or more secure web servers,

wherein each of said one or more secure web servers supports communication of request message entered by said customer via said customer interface to said one or more network management resources,

wherein one or more remote application resources process said request messages and provide responses to said one or more secure web servers for secure uploading to said client browser and display via said integrated customer interface,

wherein at least one of the one or more network management resources comprises an authentication server for downloading a logon object to be launched within said web-based GUI, the logon object accepting logon transactions from the customer and communicating with said authentication server for authentication of said customer,

wherein upon successful authentication of said customer, the logon object is configured to send a command to the authentication server to initiate a download of said one or more client applications,

wherein said downloaded web-based GUI comprises a backplane object downloaded with, and launched by said web-based GUI, said backplane object launching said one or more client applications upon initiation by said customer, the backplane object further enabling inter-application communications among the client applications and also with said backplane object, wherein said backplane object and the client applications interoperate with one another to provide said integrated customer interface to a plurality of communications network management products and services subscribed by the customer,

wherein upon successful authentication of said customer, the logon object is further configured to send a command to the authentication server to download said web-based GUI having the backplane object;

a user object for representing a current customer, the user object communicating with said authentication server to determine the customer'"'"'s entitlements to the web enabled communications network management services,

wherein the backplane uses the entitlements to display via said integrated interface only those web enabled services and products to which the user has privilege,

wherein the backplane object maintains session information received from a network management resource in static memory for the duration of a session, and enables the one or more client applications to access the static memory,

wherein at least one of the one or more network management resources comprises a server for providing a customer data report management function comprising and a database for maintaining an inventory of reports associated with a customer, at least one of said one or more client applications including,

a report requestor application enabling creation and scheduling of customer specific reports pertaining to usage of their switched communications networks and initiating generation of report request messages for said one or more network management resources via said integrated interface, and

a report viewer application enabling display of reports in accordance with customer-entitled reporting options,

wherein said report manager server accesses report items from said database according to a received report request message, and generates a response message including a metadata description of reporting items to be included in said report,

wherein customer-specific data from at least one of said one or more network management resources and said metadata description of customer-selected reporting items are utilized to generate a completed report for presentation to said customer via said integrated interface,

wherein at least one of the one or more network management resources further comprises a report scheduler system for initiating periodic generation of reports from other network management resources at a customer-specified frequency,

wherein at least one of the one or more network management resources includes a database for storing and maintaining customer specific report data to be reported to said customer, and, a centralized inbox server for receiving a report availability response from said report management server including a metadata description for generating said report,

said inbox server uploading said stored customer specific report data and the metadata description associated with the report data to said client workstation via the one or more secure web servers for generation and presentation of a customer report via said integrated interface.

2. The integrated system as claimed in claim 1, at least one of said one or more client applications comprises an inbox client application launched by the backplane for storing a notification alert received from said inbox server, said inbox client application receiving and presenting the notification alert to the customer via said integrated interface.

3. The integrated system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inbox client application further includes a polling thread for detecting an incoming connection, the polling thread further starting a new thread upon detection of the incoming message, wherein the new starts and listens on a second secure connection for detecting new messages, while the polling thread received the incoming message on a first secure connection, and

wherein multiple messages are downloaded simultaneously as detected.

4. The integrated system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the database for storing and maintaining said customer specific reporting data further comprises a pre-defined directory associated with each of the one or more network management resources, wherein each of the one or more network management resources stores the report data and the notification alert data to its respective pre-defined directory in the inbox server.

5. The integrated system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources provides a priced call detail data reporting function for providing customer specific data pertaining to usage of a customer'"'"'s switched communications network.

6. The integrated system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a at least one of said one or more network management resources providing a priced call detail data reporting function comprises:

a system for extracting call detail data records from billing systems generating priced call detail records specific to a customer'"'"'s communications network,

a system for harvesting said extracted priced call detail records for storage in an database storage device; and

a decision support server for receiving customer request messages for said priced call detail data, said decision support server accessing said customer-specific priced call detail data from said database storage device and transmitting said customer-specific priced call detail data to said inbox server in accordance with said customer request.

7. The integrated system as claimed in claim 6, wherein a reporting option includes running a pre-defined report at a pre-determined frequency, said report scheduler system communicating a message to said decision support server to run said pre-defined report at said pre-determined frequency, each said pre-defined report being updated with recent customer-specific priced call detail data available at a run time.

8. The integrated system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources provides a near real-time unpriced call detail data reporting function for providing customer specific data pertaining to usage of a customer'"'"'s switched communications network, said unpriced call detail data reporting service receiving customer request messages for customer-specific unpriced call detail data and transmitting said customer-specific unpriced call detail data to said inbox server in accordance with said customer request.

9. The integrated system as claimed in claim 8, wherein a reporting option includes running a customer-defined unpriced call detail data report at a pre-determined frequency, said report scheduler system communicating a message to an unpriced call detail data reporting server for obtaining recent customer-specific unpriced call detail data.

10. The integrated system as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources comprises:

a system for generating statistical data based on real-time call data obtained from a circuit-switched communications network, said statistical data being generated according to said customer entitlements; and

,

a client application for integrating retrieved statistical data within a Web-based GUI for presentation to said customer via said integrated interface, said Web-based GUI being updated to contain statistical data at customer-specified time intervals.

11. The integrated system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said customer entitlement includes specification of one or more toll free numbers associated with a customer'"'"'s communications network for which statistical data are to be generated.

12. The integrated system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said system for generating statistical data includes script mechanism for initiating update of said web-based GUI with most recent statistical data.

13. The integrated system as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources comprises:

a communications network configuration device for maintaining an inventory of customer'"'"'s network call routing plans and associated call routing plan details, and interfacing with a plurality of network control elements for configuring a customer'"'"'s communications network according to a desired call routing plan; and

,

a network management server for receiving customer request messages for accessing said call routing plan details from said communications network configuration device, retrieving said call routing plan details according to customer entitlements, and downloading said call routing plan details for customers via said integrated interface.

14. The integrated system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said report requestor application enables generation of messages specifying customer modification of said call-routing plan, said network management server receiving said messages via said integrated interface and translating said received modification request into commands for input to said network configuration device, wherein said commands are forwarded to said network control elements for configuring said customer'"'"'s network according to said request.

15. The integrated system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said modification request messages includes a unique customer identifier enabling downloading of specific call routing plan details associated with said customer identifier.

16. The integrated system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a customer request message, said customer request message including an order for modifying and existing customer network call routing plan for a predetermined period of time, said network management server enabling said customer network to automatically revert to a corresponding call routing plan configured prior to invocation of said order at a customer-specified revert time.

17. The integrated system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said customer request message includes an order for modifying a percent allocation of call traffic routed to a network number used in a particular call routing plan for a predetermined period of time, said network management server enabling said allocation of call traffic routed to a number to automatically revert to a corresponding percent allocation specified prior to invocation of said order at a customer-specified revert time.

18. The integrated system as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources comprises:

a customer'"'"'s switched data circuit network; and

,

a device for periodically polling network switches of said switched data circuit network to obtain network performance data relating thereto and temporarily storing said network performance data;

said integrated system further comprising;

a broadband network server for receiving customer request messages for reporting network performance data, retrieving said network performance data according to customer entitlements, and downloading said network performance data to said customer for presentation via said integrated interface.

19. The integrated system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said report viewer application enables display of broadband network reports in accordance with selected customer reporting options, said customer reporting options including specification of graphical, tabular, and map views of said network performance data.

20. The integrated system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said report viewer application includes support for simultaneous multiple graph reporting views of specific broadband network performance data.

21. The integrated system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said customer'"'"'s switched data network generates alarm status indications, said broadband network server receiving said alarm status indications pertaining to said customer'"'"'s network and communicating alarm status data to said client workstation via said integrated interface.

22. The integrated system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said report requester application enables generation of messages specifying network performance thresholds for enabling reporting of specific data network behavior via said integrated interface.

23. The integrated system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said report viewer supports display of a graphical view comprising an area map view having indicators depicting locations of a customer'"'"'s data network, said report viewer application enabling said customer to select said indicators on said graphical representation and provide a textual view of network performance characteristics relating to physical circuits supported at said selected network location.

24. The integrated system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said physical circuits supported at said selected network location includes permanent virtual circuits.

25. The integrated system as claimed claim 18, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources includes a system for providing an alarm management function including a device for deriving performance alarms based on performances stastics collected on the performance of a customer'"'"'s data network;

said integrated system further comprising;

an event monitor server for receiving and storing the network performances stastistic and the derived alarms from the deriving device, and communicating said network performances stastistics and the derived alarms for presentation to said customer via said integrated interface.

26. The integrated system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said report requestor application further enables customers to define and submit network performance thresholds specifying reporting of specific network behavior via said integrated interface, said event monitor server enabling filtering of said network alarms and performance statistics according to the customer-defined threshold for presentation to the customer at the client workstation.

27. The integrated system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said report requestor application further enables customers to define and enter troubleshooting procedures for specific alarms or circuits pertaining to the data network via the integrated interface.

28. The integrated system as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least one of said one or more client applications that is associated with said event monitor server enables customers to acknowledge receipt of a network alarm, via said integrated interface, said event monitor server comprising a process for automatically launching the trouble shooting procedure upon acknowledgment of the alarm associated with the trouble shooting procedure.

29. The integrated system as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one of the one or more network management resources further comprises a system for providing a circuit switched call center management function, said integrated system further comprising:

a client application downloaded from the one or more secure web servers for enabling a customer to monitor, define, and manipulate call routing parameters, the client application further formatting customer defined parameters into client message transactions and communicating the client message transactions to the secure server over the secure connection; and

,

a routing engine device for maintaining call routing rules and interfacing with said plurality of network control elements for directing call routing and receiving data statistics, the routing engine device further using the rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined parameters in determining where to route calls, whereby customer control of call routing via said integrated interface is enabled.

30. The integrated system as claimed in claim 29, further comprising a proxy server for processing a plurality of transaction requests received from the client application via the one or more secure servers by opening a connection to the routing engine device and retrieving information relating to the transaction requests and forwarding back the information to the client application via the one or more secure servers, and wherein the client application presents the information to the customer at the client workstation.

31. The integrated system as claimed in claim 30, further comprising one or more databases for storing the data statistics generated by the routing engine device and the plurality of network control elements, said one or more databases residing with the proxy server, the proxy server further processing predetermined transaction requests locally by retrieving information related to the transaction requests from said one or more database(s), and forwarding the information to the one or more client applications.

32. The integrated system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a client application downloaded from the secure web server for enabling a customer to generate trouble tickets to be processed by a trouble ticket resolution entity; and

,

a service inquiry application server for receiving request for a customer'"'"'s trouble ticket information, translating said request into commands for retrieving trouble ticket information from said communications network configuration device, and downloading response messages including said requested trouble ticket information to said customer via said integrated interface.

33. The integrated system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a client application downloaded from said secure web server for enabling customers to manage and track outbound network management features associated with that customer'"'"'s communications network; and

, an outbound network management server for receiving requests for outbound network management features associated with a customer network including calling party numbers, dialing plans, calling card number and customer identification code sets, or, combinations thereof, translating said received requests into commands for retrieving said outbound network management feature information from said communications network configuration device, and downloading response messages including said requested outbound network management feature information to said customer via said integrated interface.

63. The integrated system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said one or more network management resources includes a system for generating invoice documents relating to communications management services provided by a communications service enterprise, said integrated system further comprising:

a client application downloaded from the one or more secure web servers for enabling selection and presentation of invoice documents in accordance with customer entitlements, said client application further generating an invoice request message in response to customer selection of a specific invoice option and forwarding the invoice request message via the secure web server; and

an invoice application server for maintaining a database of image files associated with invoice documents from the application service and receiving the invoice request messages, said invoice application assigning the database in response to a request message, generating a response message include a customer selected invoice document, and downloading said response message to said client workstation, whereby said customer selected invoice document is formatted in a manner suitable for display via said integrated client interface.

64. The integrated system as claimed in claim 63, wherein the database of image files further includes an object database, said invoice application server further comprising:

a means for imaging documents by defining key information necessary to retrieve documents from the communications application service and compress the documents for storing; and

a means for loading the compressed documents into the object database.

65. The integrated system as claimed in claim 64, wherein the database of image files further includes an index database, said invoice application server further including index load process for storing index pointers pointing to the compressed documents into the index database.

34. A method for enabling management of communications network assets, said method comprising:

enabling interactive communications with a customer over a data network with a protocol invoked from within a client web browser;

managing a plurality of customer sessions over the data network with a secure web server providing session encryption;

initiating a download of a web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) from said secure web server, said downloaded web-based GUI for launching one or more of a plurality of client applications available to a customer;

providing a customer interface integrated within said web-based GUI upon which to launch a selected client application, said customer interface enabling interactive communication of request messages with one or more of a plurality of communications network management resources capable of providing a selected communications network management function;

receiving, at a communications network management resource, said request messages, generating a response, and communicating said response to said secure web server for secure uploading to said client workstation for display via said integrated interface,

downloading a logon object to be launched by said web-based GUI for accepting logon transactions from the customer and communicating with said authentication server to provide said customer authentication and for sending a command to the authentication server to download said one or more client applications, upon successful authentication of the customer;

providing a dispatch server for communicating with said secure web server and each of said plurality of said network management resources, said dispatch server verifying system access and proxy generation for said system resources after said customer'"'"'s entitlements have been verified,

wherein said downloaded web-based GUI comprises a backplane object downloaded with, and launched by said web based GUI, said backplane object launching said client applications programs upon initiation by said customer, wherein said backplane object and the client applications interoperate with one another to provide said integrated customer interface to a plurality of communications network management products and services subscribed by the customer;

upon succesful authentication of the customer, sending a command to the authentication server to download said web-based GUI having the backplane object;

providing a customer object for representing a current customer, the customer object communicating with said authentication server to determine the customer'"'"'s entitlements to the web enabled communications network management services,

wherein the backplane uses the entitlements to display via said integrated interface only those web enabled services to which the customer has privilege;

executing one or more of said plurality of client applications directly by the backplane object when the customer selects one or more of said plurality of client applications associated with a desired communications network management service, the selected client application running in a frame independent from a web browser'"'"'s window;

maintaining session information received from at least one of said one or more network management resources in static memory for the duration of a session, and enabling the client applications to access the static memory,

wherein at lest one of said one or more network management resources comprises a report manager server for providing a customer data report management function and a database for maintaining an inventory of reports associated with a customer;

providing a report requestor client application enabling creation and scheduling of customer specific reports pertaining to usage of their switched communications networks and initiating generation of report request messages for said one or more network management resources via said integrated interface;

providing a report viewer application enabling display of reports in accordance with customer-entitled reporting options;

accessing report items from said database of inventory reports according to a received report request message;

generating a response message including a metadata description of reporting items to be included in said report,

wherein customer-specific data from a network management resource and said metadata description of customer-selected reporting items are utilized to generate a completed report for presentation to said customer via said integrated interface;

providing a report scheduler system for initiating periodic generation of reports from network management resources at a customer-specified frequency,

wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources includes a database for storing and maintaining customer specific report data to be reported to said customer, and, a centralized inbox server for receiving a report availability response from said report management server including a metadata description for displaying said report; and

uploading said stored customer specific report data and the metadata description associated with the report data from said inbox server to said client workstation via said secure web server for generation and presentation of a customer report via said integrated interface.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said inbox server stores a notification alert received from a network management resource that a generated report is available, said method including:

launching an inbox client application from the backplane for receiving and presenting the notification alert to the customer via said integrated interface.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising:

implementing a polling thread in said inbox client application for detecting an incoming message from the inbox server via a first secure connection; and

starting a new thread upon detection of the incoming message, wherein the new thread starts and listens on a second secure connection for detecting new messages, while the polling thread receives the incoming message on a first secure connection.

37. The method as claimed in claim 36, further including:

defining a pre-defined directory in said inbox server and customer specific reporting data storage database, a pre-defined directory being associated with each of the one or more network management resources,

each of the network management resources storing reporting data and the notification alert data to its respective pre-defined directory in the inbox server.

38. The method as claimed in claim 36, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources provides a priced call detail data reporting process for providing customer specific data pertaining to usage of a customer'"'"'s switched communications network, said priced call detail data reporting process comprising the steps of:

extracting call detail data records from billing systems generating priced call detail records specific to a customer'"'"'s communications network,

harvesting said extracted priced call detail records for storage in a database storage device; and

implementing decision support server for receiving customer request messages for said priced call detail data, accessing said customer-specific priced call detail data from said database storage device, and transmitting said customer-specific priced call detail data to said inbox server in accordance with said customer request.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38, further comprising:

running a pre-defined report at a pre-determined frequency, said report scheduler system communicating a message to said decision support server to run said pre-defined report at said pre-determined frequency, each said pre-defined report being updated with recent customer-specific priced call detail data available at a run time.

40. The method as claimed in claim 36, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources provides a near real-time unpriced call detail data reporting function for providing customer-specific unpriced call detail data pertaining to usage of a customer'"'"'s switched communications network, said method comprising:

providing an unpriced call detail data reporting server for receiving customer request messages for their unpriced call detail data;

obtaining said customer specific unpriced call detail data; and

,

transmitting said customer-specific unpriced call detail data to said inbox server in accordance with said customer request.

41. The method as claimed in claim 40, wherein a reporting option includes running a customer-defined unpriced call detail data report at a pre-determined frequency, said report scheduler system communicating a message to said unpriced call detail data reporting server for obtaining recent customer-specific unpriced call detail data.

42. The method as claimed in claim 40, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources comprises a system for generating statistical data based on real-time call data obtained from a circuit-switched communications network, said statistical data being generated according to said customer entitlements, said method comprising:

integrating retrieved statistical data within a Web-based GUI for presentation to said customer via said integrated interface, said Web-based GUI being updated to contain statistical data at customer-specified time intervals.

43. The method as claimed in claim 42, further including specifying one or more toll free numbers associated with a customer'"'"'s communications network for which statistical data are to be generated.

44. The method as claimed in claim 42, further comprising:

implementing a script mechanism for initiating update of said web-based GUI with most recent statistical data.

45. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein at least one of said one or more network management resources comprises a communications network configuration device for maintaining an inventory of customer'"'"'s network call routing plans and associated call routing plan details, and interfacing with a plurality of network control elements for configuring a customer'"'"'s communications network according to a desired call routing plan;

said method further comprising;

providing a network management server for receiving customer request messages for accessing said call routing plan details from said communications network configuration device;

retrieving said call routing plan details according to customer entitlements; and

,

downloading said call routing plan details for presentation to customers via said integrated interface.

46. The method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising:

generating a customer request message specifying customer modification of said call-routing plan, said network management server receiving said request messages via said integrated interface and translating said received modification request into commands for input to said network configuration device; and

,

forwarding said commands to said network control elements for configuring said customer'"'"'s network according to said request.

47. The method as claimed in claim 46, wherein said customer request message includes a unique customer identifier enabling downloading of specific call routing plan details associated with said customer identifier.

48. The method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising:

generating a customer request message including an order for modifying an existing customer network call routing plan for a predetermined period of time, said network management server enabling said customer network to automatically revert to a corresponding call routing plan configured prior to invocation of said order at a customer-specified revert time.

49. The method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising:

generating a customer request message including an order for modifying a percent allocation of call traffic routed to a network number used in a particular call routing plan for a predetermined period of time, said network management server enabling said allocation of call traffic routed to a number to automatically revert to a corresponding percent allocation specified prior to invocation of said order at a customer-specified revert time.

50. The method as claimed in claim 45, at least one of said one or more network management resources comprises:

a customer'"'"'s switched data circuit network; and

, a device for periodically polling network switches of said switched data circuit network to obtain network performance data relating thereto and temporarily storing said network performance data, said method further comprising;

providing a broadband network server for receiving customer request messages for reporting network performance data;

retrieving said network performance data from temporary storage according to customer entitlements; and

,

downloading said network performance data to said customer for presentation via said integrated interface.

51. The method as claimed in claim 50, further comprising:

enabling display of broadband network reports in accordance with selected customer reporting options, said customer reporting options including specification of graphical, tabular, and map views of said network performance data.

52. The method as claimed in claim 50, wherein said report viewer application includes supporting simultaneous multiple graph reporting views of specific broadband network performance data.

53. The method as claimed in claim 50, wherein said customer'"'"'s switched data network generates alarm status indications, said broadband network server receiving said alarm status indications pertaining to said customer'"'"'s network and communicating alarm status data to said client workstation via said integrated interface.

54. The method as claimed in claim 53, further comprising the step of generating customer request messages specifying network performance thresholds for enabling reporting of specific data network behavior via said integrated interface.

55. The method as claimed in claim 54, wherein said report viewer supports display of a graphical view comprising an area map view having indicators depicting locations of a customer'"'"'s data network, said method including enabling said customer to select said indicators on said graphical representation and providing a textual view of network performance characteristics relating to physical circuits supported at said selected network location.

56. The method as claimed in claim 50, wherein said network management resource includes a system for providing an alarm management function including a device for deriving performance alarms based on performance statistics collected on the performance of a customer'"'"'s data network;

said method further comprising;

providing an event monitor server for receiving and storing the network performance statistics and the derived alarms from the deriving device, and communicating said network performance statistics and the derived alarms for presentation to said customer via said integrated interface.

57. The method as claimed in claim 56, further enabling customers to define and submit network performance thresholds specifying reporting of specific network behavior via said integrated interface, said event monitor server filtering said network alarms and performance statistics according to the customer-defined threshold for presentation to the customer at the client workstation.

58. The method as claimed in claim 57, further comprising define and entering troubleshooting procedures for specific alarms or circuits pertaining to the data network via the integrated interface.

59. The method as claimed in claim 58, providing a client application for enabling customers to acknowledge receipt of a network alarm, via said integrated interface, said event monitor server automatically launching a trouble shooting procedure upon acknowledgment of the alarm associated with the trouble shooting procedure.

60. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said network management resource further comprises a system for providing a circuit switched call center management function, said method further comprising:

downloading a client application from the secure web server for enabling a customer to monitor, define, and manipulate call routing parameters, the client application further formatting customer defined parameters into client message transactions and communicating the client message transactions to the secure server over the secure connection; and

,

providing a routing engine device for maintaining call routing rules and interfacing with said plurality of network control elements for directing call routing and receiving data statistics, the routing engine device further using the rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined parameters in determining where to route calls, whereby customer control of call routing via said integrated interface is enabled.

61. The method as claimed in claim 60, further comprising:

processing a plurality of transaction requests received from the client application via the secure server by opening a connection to the routing engine device; and

, retrieving information relating to the transaction requests and forwarding back the information to the client application via the secure server;

said client application presenting the information to the customer at the client workstation via said integrated interface.

62. The method as claimed in claim 61, further comprising:

providing one or more database(s) for storing the data statistics generated by the routing engine device and the plurality of network control elements, said one or more databases operating in conjunction with a proxy server for processing predetermined transaction requests locally by retrieving information related to the transaction requests from said one or more database(s), and forwarding the information to the client application.

66. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said one or more network management resources include a system for generating invoice documents relating to communications network manage services provided by said communications service enterprise, said method further comprising:

downloading a client application from the secure web server for enabling selection and presentation of invoice documents in accordance with customer entitlements;

generating customer request messages including customer selection of a specific invoice option;

providing an invoice application server for maintaining a database of image files associated with invoice documents from the application service, said invoice application server receiving the invoice request message from said customer;

accessing the database in response to a request message;

generating a response message including a customer selected invoice document;

downloading said response message to said client workstation; and

,

formatting said customer selected invoice document in a manner suitable for display via said integrated client interface.

67. The method as claimed in claim 66 wherein the database of image files further includes an object database, said invoice application server further:

converting invoice documents to images;

defining key information necessary to retrieve documents from the communications network management resource application service and compressing the documents for storing; and

loading the compressed documents into the object database.

68. The method as claimed in claim 67, wherein the database of image files further includes an index database, said method further including storing index pointers for pointing to the compressed documents in the index database.