WO2006070127A1 - Dynamic system for configuring a telecommunication device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns providing a network management system for communication devices for processing network packets. It uses a specific software component (28) adapted to create dynamically within a main management environment (18) of the system, one or more secondary management environments (29) adapted to create dynamically respectively one or more new channels.

Description

DYNAMIC SYSTEM FOR CONFIGURING A TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE

The present invention relates to a dynamic system for configuring a telecommunication device.

It applies in particular but not exclusively to the realization of a network management system for telecommunication devices responsible for processing network packets ("network management"). In this case, it is more particularly intended to provide in a completely dynamic manner different management views (that is to say subsets, which may or may not be disjoint, of the global management system) to allow different types of users to configure the same infrastructure.

In general, we know that computer networks are now part of everyday life. They are no longer just the preserve of professionals since high-speed ADSL networks allow individuals to print their photos, buy music online or download their movies with their new services.

The standards in network management and supervision were originally designed for the management of highly static elements and infrastructures. Today needs change and involve more complex and adaptive management. Indeed, the networks have changed significantly over the past five years, not only in terms of geographical coverage but also in terms of diversity of services. Operators are now offering new services such as Multimedia (music, movies), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Quality of Service (QoS), Voice over IP (Internet Protocol), etc. Combined with the recent advent of wireless communication infrastructures or service models based on overlay networks, these major developments imply the growing support for strong dynamicity at all levels of communications and communications systems. their infrastructure networks. This dynamic aspect has a huge impact on management which must adapt to new constraints.

In addition, multiple stakeholders must be able to configure network resources. For example wireless networks of "hot-spot" type are managed by different operators but access the same infrastructure network. Similarly, many applications are now proposed in outsourcing via the Internet, each is likely to be managed by a different service provider. In this context, different types of users can be involved in the management of network services at different levels of the architecture:

• The Internet Service Provider (ISP) manages the network infrastructure and its equipment; it configures in a global way the services of the user, that is to say open channels, a

VPN, a bandwidth, a Qos in a global way.

• ASP application service provider (ASP) provides turnkey application services to an end customer, such as a remote data backup service, an IP telephony service, and therefore needs to configure more finely the parameters of a particular service. • The end customer, for example an enterprise network administrator, who configures a particular service such as tunnels within a secure VPN Virtual Private Network.

The management system has become an essential component in network infrastructures that are increasingly numerous, complex, interdependent and managed by different stakeholders. As a result, network management also needs to evolve and become more and more efficient and adaptive to enable operators to continue effectively performing their role. The invention therefore more particularly aims to meet this need.

To this end, it proposes a network management system for a telecommunication device responsible for processing network packets, this system presenting a so-called main management framework. This system is characterized in that it comprises a specific software component capable of dynamically creating, within the main management environment, one or more secondary management environments capable of dynamically creating respectively one or more new ones. management channels.

The invention thus makes it possible to provide, in a completely dynamic manner, different management views that can notably relate to management, configuration and / or parameterization operations performed on the equipment of a network infrastructure, to enable different types of users to configure the same infrastructure. These management views consist of subsets, disjoint or not, of the main management system.

An embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an architecture model of a network equipment,

FIG. 2 is a representation of the architecture of the management layer,

FIG. 3 illustrates the principle of an extensible management system according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a multi-operator wireless network ("hot spot" type).

Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a management system based on policy configuration methods.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the network equipment 1 is represented according to a standard model. In this network equipment, IP packets are processed at different levels of the network equipment architecture:

a "data plane" level 2 in which the simple and fast processes are executed,

a "Control plane" level 3 that supports more complex treatments,

a "Management plane" management level 4 constituting the software layer that deals with the configuration of the equipment.

The management of the network uses different standards, namely: a Command Line Interface (CLI) 5, a Web interface 6 and a remote administration interface of the "SNMP" network 7. As previously mentioned, the object of the invention is to provide, according to a totally dynamic process, subsets of the main management system, allowing different types of user to configure the same management infrastructure, these subsets possibly being or not disjointed from the main management system.

To this end, it proposes to use an "object-oriented" development technique in which each component is autonomous, performs a specific task and has clearly defined Application Program Interface APIs.

Using this technique, the invention proposes to produce an architecture capable of creating new management channels each represented by a particular object.

The properties associated with the management channels are as follows:

• The primary management channel remains under the control of the network infrastructure provider, for example the Internet Service Provider (ISP). The provider thus has a view of all network administration parameters.

• One or more secondary administration channels allow other types of providers to have a reduced view of management settings. For example, a wireless access operator of the Wi-Fi type uses a specific channel to manage its secure mobile access service.

As represented in FIG. 2, the architecture of the system including the management layer involves: - an extensible management environment dynamically 8 communicating via a management channel 9 with a user interface 10 (e.g. ₅ Web CLI, SNMP) ₅

a configuration data manager 11.

The management environment communicates with the "data plane" and "control plane" data and control levels of the system (block 12) for each service by dedicated service modules such as IP address 13, routing 14, migration 15, quality of service QoS 16, virtual private network VPN 17, etc. These modules are independent objects called "plug-in". The result of the implementation of the invention for the development of the management system is a dynamically expandable management environment. This management environment provides the overall configuration of the equipment. It is the central component of the management layer architecture.

A management system according to the invention as previously described, developed in a modular manner, offers the following numerous technical and financial advantages:

. The characteristics of the network manager and its different views are dynamic whereas for existing implementations they are static.

. It is particularly suitable for new mobility-related services as well as for wireless networks that by their nature require dynamic configurations.

. The development of new management modules for configuring complementary features in the telecommunication device is very simple and fast.

. Network services can be configured with high-level settings, which reduces management costs. These results are mainly due to the fact that:

- the implementation of the management service is based on a modular and object-oriented development, - a specific software component (an object) makes it possible to create a secondary management environment within the main management environment,

- the creation of a secondary management environment takes place dynamically, - the secondary management environments can interlock with each other, it being understood that a secondary environment can create another secondary environment included in it. same (box trundle),

- The secondary management channels may or may not configure the equipment in the same way as the main channel. In particular, secondary management channels can work on high-level views to simplify or restrict the actions of secondary administrators,

- the secondary management channels may or may not work on disjoint configurations to avoid errors or inconsistencies that would be introduced by the actions of secondary administrators, - the means for creating a secondary management environment include a component that may or may not introduce restrictions on the scope of this secondary management environment.

Figure 3 shows an example of an XMS extensible management environment developed in accordance with the invention.

In a manner analogous to that illustrated in FIG. 2, this management environment XMS 18 ("Extensible Management System"), which corresponds to the environment 8, is connected to a first user interface 19 by a main management channel 20 and uses for each service a dedicated module "plug-in", here an IP address module 21, a routing module 22, a module migration 23, a QoS module 24, an IPsecVPN module 25. These dedicated modules communicate with data and control levels of the system (not shown in this drawing).

In this example, the administrator of the main channel 20 transmits a configuration request to a request server object 26, for the purpose of configuring certain service modules, here the IP address modules 21, routing 22, QoS 24 (see arrows) and create one or more new objects of type secondary management environment.

The object "request server" 26 transmits the configuration data to a main configuration data management object 27. The latter then transmits to each service module 21, 22, 24 the part of the configuration data which concerns it.

At the same time, the main configuration data manager object 27 transmits to an object creation service 28 an order for the creation of a new object of the secondary management environment type 29 having a structure similar to the XMS management system 18.

This secondary management environment 29 similarly comprises a request server 30, connected to a user interface 31 by a secondary channel 33, and a configuration data manager 35. As soon as this new object is created, it opens a secondary channel to receive queries from a secondary administrator.

The administrator can then transmit his configuration for the purpose of configuring certain service modules, here the routing modules 22 and IPsecVPN 25. This secondary management system further comprises an object creation service of the new secondary management environment type included in itself.

As previously mentioned, the invention can be very useful in the context of large-scale movements and configurations of wireless multi-operator network manager services ("hot-spot"), for example of the type illustrated in FIG. 4 in which there is shown an IP Internet network 37 to which are connected:

a management center 38 Internet service provider,

a plurality of "hot spot" hot spots each comprising an access router 39 associated with one or more access points 40 to terminals 41, such as laptops or handheld computers.

The previously described system is then implemented in the network equipment and in particular in the routers.

It allows owners of hot spots 39, 40 and owners of infrastructure (all equipment and lines of the network) to make their wireless network more profitable, for example, by optimizing the sharing of the band. for example, by dynamically managing access to services, which makes it possible to respond quickly to customer demand and thus to be more reactive in gaining market share.

The invention can also be applied to management systems based on policy configuration methods, the principle of management systems based on the fact that the administrator sets up his services. configuring its equipment with high-level services, such as for example "opening a video service for a mobile station in the hot spot x ". This rule is automatically translated by the policy management system into a large number of configurations distributed to the different routers concerned.

The management system shown in Figure 5 involves a policy administrator using a policy database 51 and a primary management environment 71.

In this example, the policy administrator 50 who has a policy database 51 sets up his services using his CLI 52, XML / HTTP 53, WEB 54 management interfaces, configuring his equipments through environments 55, 56 which each comprise means for implementing a policy 57, 58, a rule base of this policy 59, 60 and control means 61, 62 of this implementation. These secondary management environments 55, 56 use a user database 63 and are connected to an event manager 64 and a routing rule base 65 associated with the users.

In addition, each of the management environments accesses, via an API application interface of a routing service 66 to QoS service modules 67, AAA client 68, filtering 69, DHCP server dynamic addressing configuration protocol. 70.

Each secondary management environment 55, 56 corresponds to a hot spot 39, 40 of the network illustrated in FIG. 4.

Claims

claims A dynamic configuration system for a telecommunication device responsible for processing network packets in a main management environment (18), which system comprises a specific software component (28) capable of dynamically creating on the inside of said main management environment (18) one or more secondary management environments (29) able to dynamically create respectively one or more new management channels and to provide, in a completely dynamic manner, different management views, in particular concerning operations management, configuration and / or parameterization performed on the equipment of a network infrastructure, to allow different types of users to configure the same infrastructure, characterized in that it comprises a dynamic extensible management environment communicating through a management channel with a user interface, and a data manager configuration, the management environment communicating with the data (2) and control (3) levels of the system for each service by independent dedicated modules. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforesaid management views consist of disjoint subsets or not of the main management environment (18). 3. System according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it implements an "object-oriented" development technique in which each component is autonomous, performs a specific task and has programming interfaces d clearly defined, in order to achieve an environment capable of creating new management channels each represented by a particular object. 4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the management channels comprise: a main administration channel remaining under the control of a network infrastructure provider, which has a view of all network management parameters, one or more secondary management channels for other types of providers to have a reduced view of management settings. 5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each secondary management environment (29) comprises means for creating (36) another environment said secondary included in itself. 6. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the secondary management channels configure or not the equipment in the same way as the main channel and work on high-level views to simplify or restrict the actions of secondary administrators. 7. System according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the secondary management channels work or not on disjoint configurations to avoid errors or inconsistencies that would be introduced by the actions of secondary administrators. 8. System according to claim 5, characterized in that the aforementioned means for creating a secondary management environment comprise a component that may or may not introduce restrictions on the scope of this secondary management environment.