Nova Patents
EP1530847A1

Method and system for configuration control in telecommunications networks

Abstract

The configuration of telecommunications-network elements is controlled by first generating a model configuration of the elements comprising, for at least one function of each element subjected to control, a respective model of implementation of the function itself. For each element subjected to control, at least one respective set of configuration data of the element itself is collected and, again for each element subjected to control and in the absence of interaction with the element itself, correspondence is verified between the one function as implemented on the basis of the at least one respective set of configuration data of the element and the model of implementation of the function itself included in the model configuration. These steps of generating, collecting and verifying are done relative to an interfacing element between two nodes of the plurality or a plurality of respective sets of configuration data of the element.

Term

Term ended

Projected expiry passed 6 August 2023, 3.1 years ago.

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20 claims: 10 independent, 10 dependent

  1. 1
    Claims of equivalent WO 2004019556 A1 CLAIMS 1. Method for controlling the configuration of elements of a telecommunications network (N) comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:- generating a model configuration (Ml) of said elements, said model configuration comprising, for at least one function of each element subjected to control, a respective model of implementation of the function itself, - collecting, for each element subjected to control, at least one respective set of configuration data (..., CF k _i, CF k , CF k+ i, ...) of the element itself, and - verifying (C) , for each element subjected to control and in the absence of interaction with the element itself, the correspondence between said at least one function, as implemented on the basis of said at least one respective set of configuration data of the element, and said model of implementation of the function itself included in said model configuration (Ml) , characterised in that said steps of generating a model configuration (Ml) , collecting said at least one respective set of configuration data of the element and verifying said correspondence are performed in relation with at least one among: - an interfacing element between two nodes (k, k+1) of said plurality, and - a plurality of respective sets of configuration data (CF, CM) of said element, said plurality of respective sets of configuration data expressing respective different configuration states of the element .
  2. 4
    Method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 3 , characterised in that it comprises the step of modifying the configuration data included in said at least one respective set of configuration data (..., CF k _ ! , CF k , CFk + if ••-) of each element subjected to control in order to obtain the correspondence between the actual configuration of the element and said model configuration (Ml) .
  3. 5
    Method as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises the step of selecting said model configuration (Ml) as representative of at least one among:a set of configuration data meant to be identical on all homologous elements of the network in the cases of configuration control;a set of expected behaviours for an element in the case of functional analysis;and a set of exhaustive behaviours of all elements able to be traversed' in the case of simulation of a determined service throughout the network.
  4. 6
    Method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it comprises the step of providing a control management station (Wl) for the generation of said model configuration (Ml) .
  5. 7
    Method as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises the step of providing a plurality of control stations (Ul, ..., Un) able to start the execution of said verifying step (C) .
  6. 8
    Method as claimed in any of the claims 1 through 7, characterised in that at least one, and preferably all, of said steps of generating, collecting, simulating, verifying and modifying are configured to be performed in centralised position with respect to said elements subjected to control.
  7. 11
    System for controlling the configuration of elements of a telecommunications network (N) comprising a plurality of nodes, the system comprising:- a database (DB) containing a model configuration (Ml) of the elements of said network (N) , said model configuration comprising for at least one function of each element subjected to control, a respective model of implementation of the function itself;said database (DB) further comprising, for each element subjected to control, at least one respective set of configuration data (..., CF k _ ! , CF k , CF k+1 , ...) of the element itself, and a verification module (C) to verify, for each element subjected to control and in the absence of interaction with the element itself, the correspondence between said at least one function, as implemented on the basis of said at least one respective set of configuration data, and said model of implementation of the function itself included in said model configuration (Ml) , characterised in that said database (DB) contains a model configuration as well as a set of configuration data to allow the aforesaid verification by said verification module (C) in relation with at least one among: - an interfacing element between two nodes (k, k+1) of said plurality, and - a plurality of respective sets of configuration data (CF, CM) of said element, said plurality of respective sets of configuration data expressing respective different configuration states of the element.
  8. 14
    System as claimed in any of the claims 11 through 13, characterised in that the system itself is configured to modify the data included in said at least one respective set of configuration data (..., CF k -ι, CF k , CF k+ i,...) of each element subjected to control in order to obtain the correspondence between the actual configuration of the element and said model configuration (Ml) .
  9. 15
    System as claimed in any of the claims 11 through 14, characterised in that said database (DB) contains a model configuration (Ml) representative of at least one among :a set of configuration data that it is required be identical on all the homologous elements of the network in the cases of configuration controls;a set of expected behaviours for an element in the case of functional analyses;and - a set of exhaustive behaviours of all elements that can be traversed in the case of simulation of a determined service throughout the network.
  10. 16
    System as claimed in any of the claims 11 through 15, characterised in that it comprises a control management station (Wl) for generating said model configuration (Ml) .
  11. 17
    System as claimed in any of the previous claims 11 to 16, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of control stations (Ul, ..., Un) able to drive said verification module (C) .
  12. 18
    System as claimed in any of the claims 11 a 17, characterised in that at least' one, and preferably both, of said database (DB) and said verification module (C) are located in centralised position relative to said elements (..., k-1, k, k+1, ...) subjected to control.
Independent claims12