Patent ID: 7099942
Filing Date: 2006-08-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for determining service requirements for network elements comprising the steps of: collecting performance data from at least one component of one or more switch elements of a network for which service requirements are desirable by an entity, wherein performance data comprises a component score for each component, wherein further a component score comprises a ratio with a component failure rate as the numerator and a component base count as the denominator, the performance data for each switch comprising out of service data, software error data, processor and peripheral performance data, network fault data, code 5s central office equipment data, SS7 subsystem unavailable data, and AIN Measures data; processing the performance data to calculate a network health indicator for each of the one or more elements wherein the component scores for each component of an element are weighted by a factor and totaled, wherein further the maximum network health indicator for an element is the total of all the maximum theoretical component scores; saving the performance data to a database; comparing the network health indicator for each of the one or more elements to a graduated service schedule to determine the service requirement for each of the one or more elements, wherein the graduated service schedule comprises a plurality of ranges of network heath scores each range associated with a health category and a service requirement, the plurality of ranges comprising a first range indicative of no service being required, a second range indicative of service needed within the next week, a third range indicative of service needed within the next three days, a fourth range indicative of service needed within the next day, and a fifth range indicative of service needed immediately; and generating one or more trouble tickets and exception reports, wherein the trouble tickets and reports are determined by the resulting service requirement and prioritized according to the network healthy indicator of the associated element.