Direct Binary File Transfer Based Network Management System Free of Messaging, Commands and Data Format Conversions

Abstract

Telecommunication network management operations are performed based on accessing network management data (NMD) files via GUIs and general purpose computers including a network management system (NMS) server, and automatic routines for transferring binary NMD files between the general purpose computers and remote network elements (NEs) being managed. A system user produces configuration files at the NMS server for NEs using a network management GUI, and the hardware of NEs automatically complete the network management operations indicated by the NMD files transferred to them from the NMS server and produce their status files to the NMS server. The network management GUI displays network status based on the latest NE status files at the NMS server. This provides direct, binary file transfer based NMS communication that avoids the complexity and restrictions of intermediate messaging protocols or transaction languages and conversions thereof.

1 . A method for managing network elements (NEs), the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of NE configuration files in a plurality of directories on a network management systems (NMS) server, each directory associated with a particular NE and containing a NE configuration file, where each NE configuration file represents a set of intended binary contents of segments in memory spaces of the associated NE;   transferring, via a repeating routine, one or more of the NE configuration files from the NMS server to the associated NEs; and   generating a NE status file at one or more of the NEs, where each NE status file represents a set of actual binary contents of segments in memory spaces of the associated NE; and   transferring, via a repeating routine, the NE status files from the NEs to the directories in the NMS server associated with each NE.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transferring the NE configuration files and transferring the NE status files occur independently of each other. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the NE configuration files is a NE program file. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the NE configuration files is a NE control file that represents intended contents of a NE control register segment within the memory space of the NE associated with the NE configuration file. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the NE status files represent contents of a set of NE status register segments within the memory spaces of the NEs associated with the NE status files. 
   
   
       6 . A system for configuring and monitoring network elements (NEs), the system comprising:
 a file server for storing binary network management data (NMD) files so that each NMD file is associated with a particular NE, where the file server is configured to transfer the NMD files to the NEs associated therewith;   a plurality of NEs in communication with the file server, each NE configured to store, via a repeating routine, NMD files received from the file server in a local memory so that intended actions associated with the NMD files occur automatically as a consequence of storing the NMD files in the local memory of the NE, each NE further configured to copy, via a repeating routine, their status register contents via an NMD file to the file server; and   a user interface coupled to the file server for providing user access to the NMD files at the file server, wherein the user interface is configured to present a current network status based on the NMD files copied from the NEs to the file server.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the file server provides a dedicated directory for storing the (NMD) files associated with each NE configured and monitored by the system. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the NMD files represent contents of segments in the local memories of the NEs associated therewith. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the NMD files comprise a NE control file that represents intended contents of a NE control register segment within the local memories of the NE associated with the NMD file. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the NMD files comprise a NE status file that represents contents of a NE status register segment within the local memories of the associated NE. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the NMD files comprise a file that represents contents of NE device registers at the associated NE. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the NMD files comprise a NE program file for the associated NE. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the NE program files is a binary file for configuring NE hardware logic. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the NE program files comprise binary files for configuring NE hardware logic and binary executable programs for microprocessors of the NEs associated therewith. 
   
   
       15 . A network management process comprising a set of sub-processes including:
 transferring, via a set of repeating automatic file transfer routines, binary network management data (NMD) files between a network management system (NMS) server and network elements (NEs), wherein each NMD file represents contents of segments within memory spaces of the NE associated therewith;   performing, by each NE, a set of NE-side actions for network management operations associated with the NMD files transferred from the NMS server to the NE, at least some of the NE-side actions performed automatically by hardware without software involvement; and   performing, by the NMS server and via a related user interface, additional network management operations associated with the NMD files.   
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein transferring the binary NMD files comprises:
 copying, by each NE, NE configuration files associated with the NE from a directory at the NMS server designated for configuration files for the NE to local memories of the NE,   copying, by each NE, contents of a status register segment within local memories of the NE as a NE status file to a directory at the NMS server designated for status files from the NE.   
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein each NE status file represents contents of device registers of the associated NE. 
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein each NE status file represents contents of status registers of the associated NE. 
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the NE configuration files associated with a NE comprises at least one NE program file and one NE control file. 
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the NE control file represents contents of control registers of the associated NE.