WO2010010586A1

WO2010010586A1 - Real-time telecommunication network analysis by comparison of status data with benchmark values

Info

Publication number: WO2010010586A1
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000503
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Saltari
Original assignee: Vertis Solutions S.R.L.
Priority date: 2008-07-25
Filing date: 2008-07-25
Publication date: 2010-01-28

Abstract

In a telecommunications network there is a need to monitor the status and health of various elements in real time. The techniques disclosed herein use a real time connection to directly or indirectly interact with a network element's operating system to obtain a real time data stream of messages for processing. The streaming messages are parsed and entered into a main database as they are produced, providing a real time capture of the streaming data into a database format. Data processing and analysis based on pre-defined algorithms are then performed in real time on the content stored within the main database, resulting in the generation of condition data. The condition data is then used to detect faults, generate reports, alarms and notifications. Moreover, processing the condition data against a resolution database, the system is able to provide recommendations that are most likely to resolve the fault or potential fault situation should it exist.

Description

REAL-TIME TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK ANALYSIS BY COMPARISON OF STATUS DATA WITH BENCHMARK VALUES

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a real time telecommunication network 5 analysis system and method responsible for monitoring and depicting the status and health of various network elements, providing recommendations and notifications if warranted.

Background of the Invention

Since the Telecommunications Industry deals with very 10 complex, competitive, operational, and financial pressures, Operators are seeking for new business and operational models in order to efficiently reduce and optimize their costs (OPEX and CAPEX), maximize their network availability and retain their final end users satisfied while they grow their business.

15 Moreover, Telecommunications Operators are facing a huge need to reduce their losses due to network performance issues (which impacts directly their CHURN and revenue income), lack of revenue assurance, frauds and human errors.

The techniques disclosed herein use a preventive and proactive

20 systematic method that provides: a faster and automatic way to test, isolate and solve technical problems, leading to a reduction in the difference between problem occurrence and resolution times, increasing network availability; a better utilization of their network assets; a more efficient utilization of human resources; the reduction of technical support

25 dependency from vendors; a detailed visibility of network element system resources utilization in real time; a revenue assurance of CDR (Call Detail

Record) generation and content; a software and hardware quality assurance; the recommendations based on the analysis.

Contrarily from other system analysis methodologies where the 30 information is only obtained from the automatic generation of measurement or event logs from the related network elements, the techniques disclosed herein use some data obtained from operating system itself and internal system message data that are exchanged between processes or units within the element. 35 Summary of the Invention

It is specific subject matter of this invention a real time telecommunication network analysis method comprising the following steps: A. automatically collecting parameter data which comprises of Utilization data, performance data, charging data, lawful interception data, configuration data, operational data, testing data and Internal System Message Data relating to one or more elements within a telecommunications network (which is preferably collected from multiple sources), wherein

Utilization Data includes data selected from the group comprising Utilization of CPU, Utilization of operating system resources (such as memory usage, thread usage, process usage), Internal and External Interface utilization, and utilization of communication paths (such as bandwidth and message flow),

Performance Data details the processing performance of the element under consideration by comparing successful requests against request failures (in particular, this measurement may be applied to several components/objects within the element, including: the Operating system, the internal and external Service provides, internal and external communication mediums, hardware components),

Internal System Message Data includes data selected from the group comprising the element unit operating system logs and internal system message data that is exchanged between processes or units within the element,

Charging Data includes data selected from the group comprising the charging detailed records and statistics relating to the generation of the charging detailed records, Lawful Interception Data includes data selected from the group comprising the surveillance data relating to specific subscribers and/or devices which are served by the element under consideration,

Configuration Data includes data selected from the group comprising Hardware configurations (such as unit firmware versions, physical unit locations, unit serial numbers and unit specific data), Software configurations (such as feature settings and activations, feature licensing, and the operating system parameters), Processing configurations, Interface configurations, Connectivity configurations, and Administration configurations, Testing Data includes data selected from the group comprising the resulting outputs of verification routines within the element (in particular, verification routines may include checking the element hardware and software integrity, the element connectivity integrity and the element configuration data integrity),

B. parsing said parameter data that has been collected in step A, by analyzing, locating and extracting (preferably only) useful information,

C. storing said useful information as extracted by the parsing into fields within a database (this means that the data that was determined to be useful as extracted should be saved to a database, storing the extracted information in the appropriate fields within the appropriate records),

D. generating condition data by performing one or more analysis tasks using data contained within said database (in particular, once the useful data has been saved to the database, analysis of the database fields may be performed automatically or manually as desired, and the results of this analysis is said condition data, which quantify the status of the element/network; it should also be noted that the analysis for the said element may include data fields in the database pertaining to other elements within the same network), and

F. producing health status data, which is generated by comparing said condition data against a set of benchmark values in order to quantify an health status of said one or more elements and/or said network (components of the condition data itself may be also included in the health status data).

According to an aspect of the present invention, step A may be carried out by communicating with one or more sources selected from the group comprising: at least one network element, through the use of a man- machine interface thereof (in particular, using this interface, man-machine- language is preferably used to communicate with the element operating system; by communicating with the element operating system, the element parameter data can then be collected), a device (or system) that is connected to at least one network element, either directly or indirectly, and that receives streamed messages from said at least one element in real time (in particular, the information that these messages may include, but are not limited to: alarms of the element, event related information, charging related information, service usage information such as performance monitoring equipment), a device (or system) that is connected to at least one network element, either directly or indirectly, and that requests information from said at least one element (in particular, the requested information may include, but is not limited to: alarms of the element, event related information, charging related information, service usage information such as mediation systems, and operation and support systems), a device (or system) that is capable to control at least one network element and/or one or more interfaces thereof either operationally or by data configuration (such as traffic generators and signalling generators), a device (or system) that is connected to at least one network element, either directly or indirectly, and that provides services to said at least one element (e.g. value added systems, such as Voicemail, short message platforms). According to another aspect of the present invention, said man- machine interface may be used to invoke man-machine language commands on said at least one element operating system, resulting in the output of at least one portion of said parameter data.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, said man-machine language commands may invoke executable code on said at least one element operating system, the resulting outputs from the executable code being said at least one portion of said parameter data. In particular, communication with the element operating system can be achieved either directly (as defined in claim 3) or indirectly (as defined in claim 4), wherein the term "indirectly" includes the possibility of executing code on top of the elements operating system (input parameters may or may not be required by the executable code). This executable code when invoked then interacts with the element operating system, taking the associated outputs of the operating system, parsing them back to the invoker of the executable code. The said parsing may include filtering, structuring and consolidating the associated outputs of the operating system before returning it back to the invoker of the executable code.

According to another aspect of the present invention, collection of said parameter data from a device either receiving streamed messages from said at least one element, or requesting information from said at least one element, or capable to control said at least one network element and/or one or more interfaces thereof, or providing services to said at least one element, may be achieved by interacting directly or indirectly with one or more databases or file systems under the control of the said device (or system).

According to a further aspect of the present invention, in step A, a collection of said parameter data may include the possibility of executing code within said device that is capable to interact with said device (or system) databases or files systems, taking the associated interrogation outputs from the database or file system and parsing them back to the invoker of the executed code. In particular, said parsing may include filtering, structuring and consolidating the associated interrogation outputs from the database before returning it back to the invoker of the executed code.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in step D said one or more analysis tasks may entail applying one or more mathematical functions on one or more data (or fields) from said database.

It should be noted that the database fields used in the mathematical functions may or may not be associated to the element under analysis.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, said one or more mathematical functions may include one or more function selected from the group comprising elementary functions, algebraic functions, transcendental functions, probability functions, and combinations thereof. According to another aspect of the present invention, step F may include performing one or more comparison logic functions between one or more of said condition data and said benchmark values, whereby the condition data are further analyzed to determine their status by comparing them to said benchmark values. According to a further aspect of the present invention, said comparison logic functions may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the functions selected from the group comprising threshold tests, difference tests, moving average tests, control limit tests, similarity tests, and combinations thereof. According to another aspect of the present invention, said benchmark values may be created and maintained through at least one graphical user interface. In particular, the benchmark values should be adjustable; this includes the possibility to either define static benchmark values or select pre-defined algorithms which automatically define the benchmark values through the use of mathematical functions on the fields within database that may or may not be associated to the element under analysis. In other words, said benchmark values may be defined through the use of one or more further mathematical functions on data within said database, preferably associated to said one or more elements; said one or more further mathematical functions may include one or more function selected from the group comprising elementary functions, algebraic functions, transcendental functions, probability functions, and combinations thereof.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, said benchmark values may be provided on an individual network element basis by means of a network object decision table. It should be possible to have benchmark values pertaining to each element within the network.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the method may further comprise, after step D, the following step:

E. producing suggestion data, which is generated by comparing said condition data against a knowledge database in order to determine if a known situation has occurred or is occurring, wherein said knowledge database stores one or more known situation descriptions associated to corresponding specific condition data.

Furthermore, the situation description may also contain recommendations or actions that could be taken to improve or remedy the given situation. Should any of the condition data entries as contained in the knowledge database match the condition data of the element/network, the situation descriptions associated to said condition data in the knowledge database become the suggestion data. Should there be multiple matches, all situation descriptions relating to the matches will be the suggestion data.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, said knowledge database may be created and maintained through at least one graphical user interface. This may enable the relationships in the knowledge database between the said condition data/said health status data and the said situation descriptions to be maintained.

According to another aspect of the present invention, said suggestion data may be produced by using a network object decision table that provides said knowledge database for individual network elements. It should be possible to have a knowledge database pertaining to each element within the network.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the method may further comprise, after step F, the following step:

G. providing, preferably real-time, notification data based on said health status data and, possibly, said suggestion data.

According to another aspect of the present invention, said notification data may be provided according to one or more notification settings which define which components of the health status data and, possibly, which components of the suggestion data make up said notification data, as well as the triggering circumstances which cause the notification data to be forwarded to another device or system. In particular, should said health status data or said suggestion data warrant notification, as determined by notification settings, said health status data and said suggestion data can be forward onto pre-defined notification destinations.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, said one or more notification settings may be created and maintained through at least one graphical user interface. In particular, the notification settings should be adjustable; this includes the possibility to freely define what components of the health status data and suggestion data will make up the notification data, as well as the triggering circumstances that will cause the notification data to be forwarded to another device or system.

According to another aspect of the present invention, said notification data may be used to initiate collection of further parameter data from specific elements within the network.

H. providing one or more reports based on specific database values and/or said health status data and/or said suggestion data.

In particular, these reports may consolidate the condition data, health status data, and suggestion data of the element/network into a clear hierarchical categorized format combining the most useful information as obtained from different sources. According to another aspect of the present invention, said one or more reports may be interactive or non-interactive, wherein an interactive report is a web based report which provides a consolidated and categorized view of one or more reported objects and their status, with the status of higher layer objects logically representing the status of one or more of its sub-objects, whereby unusual or problematic situations are capable to be identified through the status of higher level objects, which are capable to be then further explored by navigating through object layers to the affected object(s) by using the object status (furthermore the object status may be represented by colour - e.g. red, yellow, green -, shape - e.g. square, triangle, circle -, size - e.g. large, medium, small -, icon - e.g. cross, exclamation mark, tick - or combinations thereof; it should also be noted that each object may have its own associated data, such as text, tables and/or graphs and/or pictures), and a non-interactive report is a report that is static in nature and is not interlinked with other report objects, whereby it provides a consolidated and categorized view of individual objects and their status (in particular, the object status may also be represented by colour - e.g. red, yellow, green -, shape - e.g. square, triangle, circle -, size - e.g. large, medium, small-, icon - e.g. cross, exclamation mark, tick - or combinations thereof, allowing easy identification of unusual or problematic situations; it is also possible that a non-interactive report contains multiple objects and their status).

It is also specific subject matter of this invention a computer program product comprising code means adapted to execute, when running on one or more computers, at least one step of the previously described real time telecommunication network analysis method.

It is further specific subject matter of this invention a memory medium, readable by one or more computers, storing a program product, characterised in that the program product is the aforementioned computer program product.

It is still specific subject matter of this invention a real time telecommunication network analysis system comprising: communication means for establishing a communication session with at least one network element man-machine interface, and for interfacing with one or more remote databases and/or one or more file systems that are outside the system; database means for storing data; message parsing means for processing received messages to extract parameter data from each message for use in populating fields of records in said database means; data processing and analysis means for applying mathematical functions on one or more data stored in the database means so as to obtain condition data, and for comparing said condition data to benchmark values so as to determine a health status of said one or more elements and/or said network, function control means for interfacing with and controlling said communication means, for interfacing with at least one graphical user interface and with said data processing and analysis means, and for handling and retrieving data from said database means, and graphical user interface means for allowing a user to manage said database means, to manage the execution of data processing and analysis on a per element basis, and to manage collection of parameter data from one or more sources on a per element basis.

According to another aspect of the present invention, said benchmark values and said mathematical functions with associated input parameters may be defined by benchmark settings, said graphical user interface means allowing a user to manage said benchmark settings (i.e. benchmark values and used algorithms).

According to a further aspect of the present invention, data processing and analysis means may be capable to retrieve suggestion data from said database means by using said condition data and/or health status data.

According to another aspect of the present invention, said database means may comprise a main database and a knowledge database, wherein said main database is populated by using said extracted parameter data and said knowledge database stores said suggestion data.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, said communication means may operate according to notification settings which include notification destination settings with associated triggering and content framework parameters, said graphical user interface means allowing a user to manage said notification settings.

According to another aspect of the present invention, said graphical user interface means may allow a user to manage report generation and/or report displaying and/or environmental connection settings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the following, the invention will be described in more details by means of embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, which depict one or more implementations according to the present invention, by way of example only, not by way of limitations.

FIG. 1 is a block and flow diagram of a preferred embodiment of the telecommunication network analysis method. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram/flow diagram useful in explaining the data collection, analysis and reporting routine that is the preferred implementation of the telecommunication network analysis method.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram/flow diagram providing more details on how the data retrieval from the telecommunication nodes may be achieved.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram/flow diagram detailing the data processing and analysis function.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram/flow diagram detailing the notification function.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram/flow diagram detailing the components that make up the user interface function.

Detailed Disclosure of the Preferred Embodiments In a telecommunications network there is a need to monitor the status and health of various network elements in real time. The techniques disclosed herein detail how information from the network elements and/or peripheral systems within a telecommunications network are obtained and returned back for processing by the system. The system then processes the returned messages and parses them into a main database as they are received, providing a real time capture of the returned data into a database format.

Data processing and analysis based on pre-defined algorithms and mathematical formulas are then applied in real time on the content stored within the main database, resulting in the generation of condition data. The condition data is then used to detect faults and generate reports, alarms and notifications. Moreover, by processing the condition data against a knowledge database, the system is able to provide recommendations that are most likely to resolve the situation or warn of a potential fault situation should it exist.

Reference is now made in detail to the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings and discussed below. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram useful in explaining the overall key components in the telecommunication network analysis method. The first component of the method is the data collection 1a from the network elements within the telecommunication network. Data may either be sourced from the monitored network elements themselves or from other network devices or systems that are logically connected to the monitored network element. Initiation of the data collection can be manually or automatically made, whereby automatic initiation may be timer based or triggered by a past telecommunication network analysis method output. Once data pertaining to the monitored network elements has been collected, it is then parsed and only the useful information is extract 1b. The useful information as found in 1b is then stored into a database 1c. The exact database format use in the system is not of relevance, however it is likely to support SQL. Once the useful information has been stored into the database, data analysis 1d may then perform multiple independent analysis on the data within the database. The results of the analysis will then be compared to a set of benchmarks 1e to determine the status of the monitored network element. Said benchmarks to which the analysis results will be compared can be static or dynamic in nature, whereby the dynamic benchmarks are derived from functions which use values from the database. After the status of the network element has been determined, further analysis against a knowledge database 1f is performed. Should the found status of the network element or analysis results match entries as stored within the knowledge database, the associated entry(ies) can be flagged for reporting or instigate a new instance of the telecommunication network analysis method. The last component of the telecommunication network analysis method 1g is reporting the analysis outputs, benchmarking results and found knowledge data to an end user or another system / device.

The real-time functionality of the telecommunication network analysis method may be embodied in the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1 as seen in FIG. 2, that determines the condition of one or more network elements 2. Whereby said network element 2 could be a wireless base station, radio network controller, a wireless or landline telephone switch, a wireless or landline switching server, home location register, multi-media gateway, router, packet switch, signaling transfer point, signaling routing register, charging gateway, serving GPRS support node, gateway GPRS support node, value added service platform, an optical multiplexer or cross-connect or the like. Obtaining the data relating to the network element 2 is achieved by communicating with one or more devices or systems within the telecommunications network. There are three types of information sources which the collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1 could use; they are: the monitored telecommunication network elements themselves 2, peripheral devices 8 that are logically connected to the telecommunication network elements 2, and a system or device that is able to control the interfaces of the network element 2, such as traffic generators 8a. Using said information sources, parameter data which comprises utilization data, performance data, charging data, lawful interception data, configuration data, operational data, testing data and Internal System Message Data of the element can be obtained.

Utilization Data includes utilization associated measurements. These include Utilization of hardware resources ; Utilization of operating system resources (memory usage, thread usage, process usage) , Internal and External Interface utilization , and utilization of communication paths such as bandwidth and message flows.

Performance Data includes information relating to the processing performance of the element which is measured by comparing the successful events against event failures. This measurement definition may be applied to several components/objects which are logically or physically within the element. These include but are not limited to the Operating system; the internal and external service providers; the internal and external communication mediums; the hardware components.

Internal System Message Data includes the element unit operating system logs and the internal system message data that is exchanged between processes with the unit operating system as well as between the unit operating systems within the element. Charging Data includes charging detailed records that relate to services provided by the element. Charging data also includes statistics relating to the generation of charging detailed records by the element. Lawful Interception Data includes surveillance data relating to specific service requestors (e.g. subscribers) and/or devices which are served by the element. The format of the surveillance data includes activity reports, charging reports and a copy of all communication content. Configuration Data details the element internal changeable data. This data includes but is not limited to: Hardware configurations - unit firmware versions, physical unit locations, unit specific data; Software configurations - feature settings, feature activations, feature licensing, and the operating system parameters; Processing configurations - detailing how the requests and events are handled by the element; Interface configurations; Connectivity configurations - communication paths and inter-connections; Administration configurations - element access profiles, element access logs.

Operational Data details the operational status and condition of element and it's sub-components as well as the element interconnections and communication pathways. A source for the operational data are the alarms, notifications and disturbances which are generated by the element.

Testing Data is the resulting outputs of the Elements internal verification routines. The verification routines include checking the element hardware and software integrity, the element connectivity integrity and the elements configuration data integrity.

One method to obtain said parameter data is through a direct or indirect communication session to the monitored network element itself as depicted in FIG. 3. Said direct communication session is achieved by establishing a communication session with the network element 2 man- machine interface 3, where man-machine language 4 is used to interface with the system elements operating system 5. In communicating with the network element operating system 5, said parameter data pertaining to the network element 2 can be obtained.

Said indirect communication session includes the possibility for the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1 of communicating with and invoking executable code 6, that resides within the network element 2, via the man-machine interface 3. The executable code 6, then interacts with the elements operating system 5, taking the associated outputs as returned by the operating system, parsing them back to the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1, via the man-machine interface 3. This parsing includes filtering to include only the useful information, structuring and consolidation of the filtered outputs before returning it back to the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1.

The communication protocol used to connect to the man- machine interface 3, may be achieved through the use of session protocols 7, the actual session protocol used will depend on what the network element 2 supports. Examples of session protocols include but are not limited to TELNET, SSH, SHELL and variants thereof. Once a session to the man-machine interface 3 has been established, man- machine language 4 can then be used to communicate with the elements operating system 5.

Another source that may be used to obtain said parameter data pertaining to the monitored network element 2 is a peripheral system 8. A peripheral system 8 collects or receives streamed or non-streamed information from the monitored network element. As the processes and methods used by the peripheral system 8 to collect or receive information from the monitored network element 2 are outside the scope of the present invention, they will not be detailed further.

Retrieval of information from the peripheral system 8 pertaining to the monitored network element 2 by the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1 is achieved by directly or indirectly interfacing with one or more databases or file systems 9 which are under the control of the peripheral system 8. The actual communication protocol 10 used to interface with the peripheral system databases or file systems 9 include: SQL or LDAP and the like for databases and FTP, SFTP, FTAM and the like for file systems.

The indirect method to access the peripheral system database or file systems 9 includes the possibility for the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1, to communicate with and invoke executable code 11, that resides within the peripheral system 8, that returns data pertaining to the monitored network element 2 in parsed format back to the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1 via peripheral system man machine interface 13. In this case the executable code 11 has the responsibility to interface with the peripheral system databases and file systems 9, which may require interaction with the peripheral system operating system 14. The parsing includes filtering to include only the useful information, structuring and consolidation of the filtered outputs before returning it back to the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1.

The communication protocol 12 used to communicate between said executable code 11 within the peripheral system 8 and the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1 will depend on the peripheral system 8. The communication method 12 may be a proprietary communication protocol or a published communication protocol such as TELNET, SSH, SHELL or variants thereof.

Examples of peripheral systems include but are not limited to: Mediation Systems which perform charging analysis which enables the generation of billing information; Performance monitoring systems which oversee the network element operational performance in near real time, such systems usually receive streamed messages from the network elements whether they be alarms, events or notifications as they happen; Operation Support Systems (OSS), which oversee the condition and health of the network element, collect and store raw measurements from the network elements, generate key performance indexes and statistical information using the raw measurements.

The communication protocols 7, 10 and 12, which are used to communicate with the Telecommunications Network Elements 2 and the peripheral systems 8 are under the control of the Communication function 15. The responsibility of the Communication function 15 is to establish and maintain the real-time communication sessions with the monitored Telecommunications Network Elements 2 and the peripheral systems 8 when the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1 is required to communicate with them. To this end, the communication function 15 is able to implement proprietary communication protocols or published communication protocols such as TELNET, SSH, SHELL, SQL, FTP or variants thereof. The communication function 15, also has the responsibility to invoke a set of man machine language commands 4, to invoke executable code 6, and to retrieve file and database information 10 in the required Telecommunications Network Elements 2 or peripheral systems 8, as instructed by the Control Function 16. The associated outputs 15b as returned back from the Telecommunications Network Elements 2 or peripheral systems 8 are then sent to the Message Parser 17 for further processing. Upon receiving the outputs from man machine language commands 4, executable code 6, file and database information retrieval 10 , as forwarded by the communication function 15, the message Parser 17 locates and extracts only the useful information as contained in outputs and parses this information into the appropriate fields within a main database 18, in real time as it is received, through the use of SQL command sets 18a.

The control function 16 is the main controlling entity within the data collection, analysis, and reporting routine 1, its function is to process and execute requests from other system- modules such as the User Interface Function 21, the notification Function 20, as well as being able to originate and execute its own requests which have been pre-programmed and are periodic in nature. The control function 16 will then interact with the communication Function 15 using pre-defined instruction sets 16a, should communication with the Telecommunications Network Elements 2 or peripheral systems 8 be required. The control function 16 may also directly interact with the Main database 18 through the use of SQL command sets 18a to retrieve data or manipulate data as requested by the User Interface Function 21. The main database 18 should also be available for program controlled processing in real time by an appropriate data processing and analysis function 19, which is further detailed in FIG. 4. The data processing and analysis function 19 comprises four main components: the Data Analysis Function 22, the comparison logic function 23, knowledge database 24, and the benchmark settings 26. The Data Analysis Function 22 has the responsibility of performing sets of plural analysis tasks using data contained within the main database 18, whereby the data is exctracted from the main database through the use of SQL command sets 18a, wherein said analysis tasks include but are not limited to mathematical functions, elementary functions, algebraic functions, transcendental functions and probability functions or combinations thereof. The results of said analysis tasks can be called as the condition data 25 of the network element. The condition data 25 quantify the status of the element in question and possibly the network as a whole. It should be noted that the analysis tasks for the element in question may include data fields from the main database 18, which pertain to another network element. The comparison logic function 23 then uses said condition data 25 and processes it utilizing the benchmark settings 26, which define the tests that should be performed. Retrieval of the benchmark settings 26a may either be read from file or retrieved using SQL command sets if stored in a database. The information retrieved from the benchmark settings will define which tests should be applied to said condition data 25. Said tests that can be applied to said condition data 25 are normally one of five different types: threshold tests, difference tests, moving average tests, control limit tests, and similarity tests as well as combinations thereof. The benchmark settings also contain any additional input parameters which are required by the tests, and these are known as the benchmark values. Furthermore, benchmark settings should be settable on a per element basis and be adjustable, this includes the possibility to modify the used tests as well as to be able to define said benchmark values, or select pre- defined algorithms that automatically define said benchmark values through the use of mathematical functions on the fields within the main database 18. The results of this processing quantify the element health status 27, which is then sent to the Notification Handler 20, as well as being saved back to the main database 18 through the use of SQL command sets 18a. In addition to this, the comparison logic function 23 may also produce suggestion data 28 which is generated by comparing the condition data 25 and the health status 27 of the element against information in a knowledge database 24 for the purpose of determining if a known situation has or is currently persisting. The knowledge database 24 associates specific condition data 25 and the health status 27 to a situation description. Furthermore, the situation description may include recommendations or actions that could be taken to improve or rectify the given situation. Should specific condition data 25 and the health status 27 match entries as contained in the knowledge database 24, the situation descriptions associated to the matches becomes the suggestion data 28 which is forwarded onto the notification function 20, as well as being saved back to the main database 18 through the use of SQL command sets 18a. Interfacing with the knowledge database 24 may be achieved through the use of SQL command sets 24a. The notification handler 30, as shown in FIG. 5 which outlines the notification function 20, uses the health status data 27 and the suggestion data 28 as sent by the processing and analysis function 19, and should notification be required as dictated by the notification settings 29, the health status data 27 and the suggestion data 28 will then be forwarded to the required notification destinations 31 as defined in the notification settings 29. The forwarding protocol 30a is implemented using published protocols as recognized by existing bodies as well as proprietary protocols which may not be recognized by existing bodies. Examples of these notification destinations 31 include, but are not limited to, Email POP server, SMS delivery platform, Operational and Support Systems (OSS), and Report Builder Software. Retrieval of the notification settings 29a may either be read from file or retrieved using SQL command sets if stored in a database. Furthermore, depending on the notification settings 29, the notification handler 30 also has the possibility to invoke further data collection from an element, based on the health status data 27 and the suggestion data 28 by instructing the control function 16 appropriately using pre-defined instruction sets 16a.

The User Interface Function 21 implements a user interface for the system. At the heart of the User Interface Function 21, as shown in FIG 6, is the web server 33. In using a web server, it then enables a user

32 to interface with the system using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) or the like 33a to retrieve and display specific data relating to an element or multiple elements as contained in the main database 18. The web server

33 is able to retrieve the data from the main database 18 by instructing the control function 16 appropriately using pre-defined instruction sets 16a. Such retrieved data includes the current and historical data of the element or network which are: health status data 27; suggestion data 28; and the extracted parameter data as committed by the message Parser 17. The reporting component 35 within the web server 33 then forms a consolidated and categorized representation of the reported objects and their status with the status of the higher layer objects logically representing the status of one or more of its sub-layer objects. Unusual or problematic situations can then be identified through the status of the higher level objects, which can then be further explored by navigating through the objects layers to the affected objects by using the object status. Furthermore the object status may be represented by colour, shape, object size, icon or combinations thereof. It should also be noted that each object may have its own associated data such as text, tables, graphs, pictures or combinations thereof. The web server 33 also provides a user with a database management interface 34, allowing the creation and maintenance of the components within the main database, knowledge database, benchmark settings, and notification settings. Furthermore, the web server 33 also provides an environmental settings interface 36, which allows the administration of configuration and connection data pertaining to the monitored network elements / peripheral system as well as general system and reporting settings.

The present invention has been described, by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, according to its preferred embodiments, but it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make variations and/or changes, without so departing from the related scope of protection, as defined by the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. Real time telecommunication network analysis method comprising the following steps:

A. automatically collecting parameter data which comprises of Utilization data, performance data, charging data, lawful interception data, configuration data, operational data, testing data and Internal System

Message Data relating to one or more elements within a telecommunications network, wherein

Utilization Data includes data selected from the group comprising Utilization of CPU, Utilization of operating system resources,

Internal and External Interface utilization, and utilization of communication paths,

Performance Data details the processing performance of the element under consideration by comparing successful requests against request failures,

Internal System Message Data includes data selected from the group comprising the element unit operating system logs and internal system message data that is exchanged between processes or units within the element, Charging Data includes data selected from the group comprising the charging detailed records and statistics relating to the generation of the charging detailed records,

Lawful Interception Data includes data selected from the group comprising the surveillance data relating to specific subscribers and/or devices which are served by the element under consideration,

Configuration Data includes data selected from the group comprising Hardware configurations, Software configurations, Processing configurations, Interface configurations, Connectivity configurations, and

Administration configurations, Testing Data includes data selected from the group comprising the resulting outputs of verification routines within the element,

B. parsing said parameter data that has been collected in step A, by analyzing, locating and extracting useful information,

C. storing said useful information as extracted by the parsing into a database,

D. generating condition data by performing one or more analysis tasks using data contained within said database, and F. producing health status data, which is generated by comparing said condition data against a set of benchmark values in order to quantify an health status of said one or more elements and/or said network.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein step A is carried out by communicating with one or more sources selected from the group comprising: at least one network element, through the use of a man- machine interface thereof, a device that is connected to at least one network element, either directly or indirectly, and that receives streamed messages from said at least one element in real time, a device that is connected to at least one network element, either directly or indirectly, and that requests information from said at least one element, a device that is capable to control at least one network element and/or one or more interfaces thereof either operationally or by data configuration, a device that is connected to at least one network element, either directly or indirectly, and that provides services to said at least one element.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said man-machine interface is used to invoke man-machine language commands on said at least one element operating system, resulting in the output of at least one portion of said parameter data.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein said man-machine language commands invoke executable code on said at least one element operating system, the resulting outputs from the executable code being said at least one portion of said parameter data.

5. Method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein collection of said parameter data from a device either receiving streamed messages from said at least one element, or requesting information from said at least one element, or capable to control said at least one network element and/or one or more interfaces thereof, or providing services to said at least one element, is achieved by interacting directly or indirectly with one or more databases or file systems under the control of the said device.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein, in step A, a collection of said parameter data includes the possibility of executing code within said device that is capable to interact with said device databases or files systems, taking the associated interrogation outputs from the database or file system and parsing them back to the invoker of the executed code.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in step D said one or more analysis tasks entail applying one or more mathematical functions on one or more data from said database.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein said one or more mathematical functions include one or more function selected from the group comprising elementary functions, algebraic functions, transcendental functions, probability functions, and combinations thereof.

9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein step F includes performing one or more comparison logic functions between one or more of said condition data and said benchmark values, whereby the condition data are further analyzed to determine their status by comparing them to said benchmark values.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein said comparison logic functions includes one or more of the functions selected from the group comprising threshold tests, difference tests, moving average tests, control limit tests, similarity tests, and combinations thereof.

11. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said benchmark values are created and maintained through at least one graphical user interface.

12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said benchmark values are provided on an individual network element basis by means of a network object decision table.

13. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said benchmark values are defined through the use of one or more further mathematical functions on data within said database, preferably associated to said one or more elements.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein said one or more further mathematical functions include one or more function selected from the group comprising elementary functions, algebraic functions, transcendental functions, probability functions, and combinations thereof.

15. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein it further comprises, after step D, the following step:

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein said knowledge database is created and maintained through at least one graphical user interface.

17. Method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein said suggestion data are produced by using a network object decision table that provides said knowledge database for individual network elements.

18. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein it further comprises, after step F, the following step:

G. providing, preferably real-time, notification data based on said health status data.

19. Method according to claim 18, when depending on claim 15, wherein said notification data are also based on said suggestion data.

20. Method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein said notification data are provided according to one or more notification settings which define which components of the health status data, and when depending on claim 19, which components of the suggestion data make up said notification data, as well as the triggering circumstances which cause the notification data to be forwarded to another device or system.

21. Method according to claim 20, wherein said one or more notification settings are created and maintained through at least one graphical user interface.

22. Method according to any one of preceding claims 18 to 21 , wherein said notification data are used to initiate collection of further parameter data from specific elements within the network.

23. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein it further comprises, after step F, the following step:

H. providing one or more reports based on specific database values and/or said health status data and/or, when depending on claim 19, said suggestion data.

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein said one or more reports are interactive or non-interactive, wherein an interactive report is a web based report which provides a consolidated and categorized view of one or more reported objects and their status, with the status of higher layer objects logically representing the status of one or more of its sub-objects, whereby unusual or problematic situations are capable to be identified through the status of higher level objects, which are capable to be then further explored by navigating through object layers to the affected object(s) by using the object status, and a non-interactive report is a report that is static in nature and is not interlinked with other report objects, whereby it provides a consolidated and categorized view of individual objects and their status.

25. Computer program product comprising code means adapted to execute, when running on one or more computers, at least one step of the real time telecommunication network analysis method according to any one of the claims 1 to 24.

26. Memory medium, readable by one or more computers, storing a program product, characterised in that the program product is the computer program product according to claim 25.

27. Real time telecommunication network analysis system comprising: communication means for establishing a communication session with at least one network element man-machine interface, and for interfacing with one or more remote databases and/or one or more file systems that are outside the system; database means for storing data; message parsing means for processing received messages to extract parameter data from each message for use in populating said database means; data processing and analysis means for applying mathematical functions on one or more data stored in the database means so as to obtain condition data, and for comparing said condition data to benchmark values so as to determine a health status of said one or more elements and/or said network, function control means for interfacing with and controlling said communication means, for interfacing with at least one graphical user interface and with said data processing and analysis means, and for handling and retrieving data from said database means, and graphical user interface means for allowing a user to manage said database means, to manage the execution of data processing and analysis on a per element basis, and to manage collection of parameter data from one or more sources on a per element basis.

28. System according to claim 27, wherein said benchmark values and said mathematical functions with associated input parameters are defined by benchmark settings, said graphical user interface means allowing a user to manage said benchmark settings.

29. System according to claim 27 or 28, wherein said data processing and analysis means is capable to retrieve suggestion data from said database means by using said condition data and/or health status data.

30. System according to claim 29, wherein said database means comprises a main database and a knowledge database, wherein said main database is populated by using said extracted parameter data and said knowledge database stores said suggestion data.

31. System according to any one of claims 27 to 30, wherein said communication means operates according to notification settings which include notification destination settings with associated triggering and content framework parameters, said graphical user interface means allowing a user to manage said notification settings.

32. System according to any one of claims 27 to 31 , wherein said graphical user interface means allows a user to manage report generation and/or report displaying and/or environmental connection settings.