Proactive analysis of communication network problems

• US 7,974,387 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atlassian US, Inc. (Atlassian Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nall, Nicole LaTrese, Spain, Daniel, Lutz, Charles, Sexton, Olyn Ray Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/552,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1.01, 379/9, 379/9.02, 379/9.03, 379/9.04, 379/10.01, 379/29.01, 379/29.09, 379/32.01, 379/14.01, 379/15.01
• US Class Current: 379/29.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level

Abstract

Customer problem reports are collected and analyzed in order to monitor, analyze, and proactively prevent the same or similar problems from reoccurring in the future. A selection of customer problem reports are received and may be prioritized for analysis. Associated network elements may be scheduled for monitoring and/or testing at a greater frequency. Network elements may be the subject of new problem reports which may be dispatched to technicians for proactive analysis and repair.

Claims

1. A method for handling affected network elements in a communications network, the method comprising:

accessing a database of trouble tickets, wherein the trouble tickets comprise resolved trouble tickets and unresolved trouble tickets;

selecting, from the database of the trouble tickets, a portion of the trouble tickets to be further analyzed based on a first criteria, the portion of the trouble tickets associated with the affected network elements;

ranking the portion of the trouble tickets based on a second criteria to determine an order for applying further analysis to the affected network elements;

based on the portion of the trouble tickets as ranked, identifying an affected network element associated with a trouble ticket of the portion of the trouble tickets for further analysis; and

providing instructions that a frequency of monitoring the affected network element be increased.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criteria comprises a particular problem such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are associated with the particular problem.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criteria comprises a previously reported problem such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are associated with a problem similar to a previously reported problem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the instructions that the frequency of monitoring the affected network element be increased comprises creating a new trouble ticket for the affected network element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the new trouble ticket is delivered for manual analysis by a technician.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criteria comprises a specified period of time reported such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are reported within the specified period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criteria comprises a common trait such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are associated with the common trait.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second criteria comprises a number of the trouble tickets associated with each affected network element such that the affected network element associated with a highest number of the trouble tickets is ranked above other affected network elements.

9. A system for handling affected network elements in a communications network, the system comprising:

memory for storing a program containing code for handling the affected network elements in the communications network; and

a processor functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and configured at least to;

access a database of trouble tickets, wherein the trouble tickets comprise resolved trouble tickets and unresolved trouble tickets,

select, from the database of the trouble tickets, a portion of the trouble tickets to be further analyzed based on a first criteria, the portion of the trouble tickets associated with the affected network elements,

rank the portion of the trouble tickets based on a second criteria to determine an order for applying further analysis to the affected network elements,

based on the portion of the trouble tickets as ranked, identify an affected network element associated with a trouble ticket of the portion of the trouble tickets for further analysis, and

provide instructions that a frequency of monitoring the affected network element be increased.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first criteria comprises a particular problem such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are associated with the particular problem.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein providing the instructions that the frequency of monitoring the affected network element be increased comprises creating a new trouble ticket associated with the affected network element.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured at least to deliver the new trouble ticket to a technician for manual analysis.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first criteria comprises a previously reported problem such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are associated with a problem similar to a previously reported problem.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first criteria comprises a specified period of time reported such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are reported within the specified period of time.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first criteria comprises a common trait such that the portion of the trouble tickets selected are associated with the common trait.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the second criteria comprises a number of the trouble tickets associated with each affected network element such that the affected network element associated with a highest number of the trouble tickets is ranked above other affected network elements.

17. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer at least to:

access a database of trouble tickets, wherein the trouble tickets comprise resolved trouble tickets and unresolved trouble tickets;

select, from the database of the trouble tickets, a portion of the trouble tickets to be further analyzed based on a first criteria, the portion of the trouble tickets associated with affected network elements;

rank the portion of the trouble tickets based on a second criteria to determine an order for applying further analysis to the affected network elements;

based on the portion of the trouble tickets as ranked, identify an affected network element associated with a trouble ticket of the portion of the trouble tickets for further analysis; and

provide instructions that a frequency of monitoring the affected network element be increased.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein providing instructions that a frequency of monitoring the affected network element be increased comprises creating a new trouble ticket for the affected network element.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the new trouble ticket is delivered for manual analysis by a technician.