Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-09
2001-07-10
Coulter, Kenneth R. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260062
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to element management systems for telecommunications networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to element management systems designed to monitor, control and configure a number of diverse network elements, such as microwave radios and telecommunications multiplexers, regardless of the communications protocol, type of interface or manufacturer of the individual network elements.
BACKGROUND ART
Driven by government deregulation of telecommunications services and the rapid introduction of new telecommunications networking technologies, the telecommunications industry has experienced unprecedented growth and change in recent years. The increasing demand for distributed computing systems and instant availability of online services and information has made access to reliable high-speed telecommunications networks essential to the daily activities of corporate enterprises and individuals alike. To meet the demand for the latest technology and additional capacity, literally hundreds of telecommunications vendors now compete with each other in the marketplace for telecommunications solutions, offering a large variety of services and technologies, some offered as propriety, some offered as “standard,” and some offered as “quasi-standard.”
As competition among telecommunications vendors has grown, so has the size, complexity and heterogeneity of modern telecommunications networks. These complex heterogeneous telecommunications networks, which may span thousands of miles of territory, can—and frequently do—contain thousands of different network elements of various types, made by different manufacturers, and using different communications protocols.
Managing these large, complex and heterogeneous telecommunications networks presents substantial challenges. For each network element, a network manager needs to know whether the elements are operating properly and what are the nature and severity of any problems. For most networks, it is highly desirable to obtain this information at a network management facility without having to dispatch personnel to the physical location of the network element. Systems that provide this information from a network element to a network management center, usually by telecommunications links, are known as element management systems (“EMSs”). Once management information regarding a network element is transmitted to the network management center, the network manager can analyze the information and direct corrective or other appropriate action. Once again, it is desirable for at least certain actions—such as shutting down an overheating radio before it burns itself out, or rerouting traffic away from a malfunctioning multiplexer—that the action be taken at the network element site as the result of a command transmitted from a remote network management center. Similarly, it is desirable, to the extent possible, to control and configure network elements remotely from the physical location of the individual elements. EMSs are used for these purposes, as well.
Network elements of different types, such as radios and multiplexers, typically require separate EMSs, even if they are manufactured by the same company. Historically, an EMS for a particular network element could only be obtained from the element's vendor, usually at a substantial price. If, for example, a telecommunications network contains four different models of digital radios, the network administrator typically has to purchase and support four different EMSs, even if all the radios are from the same manufacturer. Thus, managing a telecommunications network containing network elements of different types, different protocols and different manufacturers is almost always costly.
In addition, different manufacturers frequently use different protocols and commands for managing their network elements. Often, the same manufacturer uses different protocols and commands for different types of equipment that it manufactures. Indeed, even when a manufacturer claims to use a “standard” protocol for managing network elements (such as Q3, TL-1 or SNMP), it is not uncommon for that manufacturer to implement that protocol differently from other manufacturers. Moreover, documentation for a specific EMS and a specific network element may be unavailable, incomplete, out-of-date or incorrect. Hardware and software have bugs and limitations which also must be addressed.
As a consequence of these and other problems, the expertise required to program, manage and troubleshoot a particular EMS for a particular type of network element made by one manufacturer is ordinarily of limited use when it comes to programming, managing and troubleshooting a different EMS for a different type of network element or even the same type of network element made by a different manufacturer. Thus, people who become experts at supporting particular EMSs and network elements ordinarily cannot efficiently apply those skills to supporting other EMSs or other types of network elements.
It is therefore not uncommon for a single operator to maintain separate teams of experts for each type of network element in its telecommunications network. Network administrators who have already invested substantial sums of money in purchasing separate EMS systems for a variety of network elements, potentially made by different manufacturers, may also have to invest substantial sums of money and resources to develop and maintain the expertise required to support each type of network element made by each manufacturer.
Network administrators trying to reduce the costs associated with employing separate teams of expert programmers for each type of network element have attempted to purchase and use commercial off-the-shelf telecommunications network management solutions to manage their network elements. These management solutions, however, can be extremely expensive, frequently support only certain network elements, and can require extensive system integration and customization efforts. Consequently, a network administrator using a commercial off-the-shelf network management application often still has to purchase separate commercial off-the-shelf applications for each type of network element, or for each manufacturer of network elements used in the telecommunications network.
Moreover, most commercial off-the-shelf network management solutions are geared towards the “legacy” architectures of older telecommunications network management solutions. These legacy-based solutions frequently do not support the more recent protocols, such as CORBA and Q3, or do not support a particular manufacturer's implementation of the more recent protocols, without expensive modifications. Indeed, some legacy-based solutions may require the network administrator to change the methodology of managing the entire telecommunications network.
In addition, due in large part to the problems discussed above, many commercial element management systems available today lack scalability. Each time an organization or network administrator wants to add a new type of network element to the telecommunications network, or to start using a new manufacturer, a new team of experts or a new network management application, or both, must also be added. This also usually means that the organization or network administrator must be prepared to take on a large and expensive integration effort, adding further to the costs and complexity of upgrading the network.
Another problem faced by telecommunications network administrators today is that commercial or third-party EMSs may not provide the level of flexibility required for certain telecommunications network applications. For example, if a telecommunication network requires new or custom user interfaces, new functionality or new reporting capabilities, many commercial EMSs lack the flexibility to deploy such new or customized applications easily and inexpensively.
Accordingly, today's telecommunications network administrators are frequently captive to the type and manufacturers of netw
Davis Kenton T.
Dudley William H.
Gallagher Derek
Gee Ken
McCabe Pauric
Coulter Kenneth R.
Covington & Burling
Pathnet, Inc.
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