Patent Publication Number: US-2020287810-A1

Title: Broadband access management systems and methods

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/365,486, entitled “Broadband Access Management Systems and Methods”, naming inventors as Kenneth J. Kerpez, John Cioffi, and Marc Goldburg, and filed on Mar. 26, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/891,320, entitled, “DSL NEIGHBORHOOD DIAGNOSTICS,” naming as inventors Kenneth J. Kerpez, John Cioffi, and Marc Goldburg, and filed on Nov. 13, 2015, which is the US national phase of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2013/041016, filed on May 14, 2013, which applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A. Technical Field 
     The subject matter described herein relates generally to the field of computing, and more particularly, to Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP) systems and methods for implementing and operating Device Abstraction Proxies. 
     B. Background 
     The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to embodiments of the claimed subject matter. 
     Many end-user consumers including residential consumers and business consumers connect to the Internet by way of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technologies. With DSL technologies, a service provider provides its end-users with Internet bandwidth, at least a portion of which is carried over copper twisted pair telephone lines. The use of twisted pair telephone lines to deliver Internet bandwidth to an end-user is beneficial because such lines are commonly pre-existing in a potential end-user&#39;s location, and thus, activating service does not require expensive retrofitting of a potential end-user&#39;s location with a communication medium to connect the end-user&#39;s location to a service provider. 
     The present state of the art may benefit from the Device Abstraction Proxy systems and methods which are described herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       References will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments. Items in the figures may be not to scale. 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates an exemplary architecture in which embodiments may operate; 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture in which embodiments may operate; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture in which embodiments may operate; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture in which embodiments may operate; 
         FIG. 4  shows a diagrammatic representation of a system in which embodiments may operate, be installed, integrated, or configured; 
         FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C  are flow diagrams illustrating methods for implementing and operating Device Abstraction Proxies accordance with described embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exemplary form of a computer system, in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an environment in which an embodiment of the invention operates; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an environment in which an embodiment of the invention operates; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an environment in which an embodiment of the invention operates; 
         FIG. 10  is flow diagram illustrating a method in accordance with described embodiments; 
         FIG. 11  is flow diagram illustrating a method in accordance with described embodiments; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary architecture in which embodiments may operate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without these details. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention, described below, may be implemented in a variety of ways, such as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device, or a method on a tangible computer-readable medium. 
     Components, or modules, shown in diagrams are illustrative of exemplary embodiments of the invention and are meant to avoid obscuring the invention. It shall also be understood that throughout this discussion that components may be described as separate functional units, which may comprise sub-units, but those skilled in the art will recognize that various components, or portions thereof, may be divided into separate components or may be integrated together, including integrated within a single system or component. It should be noted that functions or operations discussed herein might be implemented as components. Components may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. 
     Furthermore, connections between components or systems within the figures are not intended to be limited to direct connections. Rather, data between these components may be modified, re-formatted, or otherwise changed by intermediary components. Also, additional or fewer connections may be used. It shall also be noted that the terms “coupled,” “connected,” or “communicatively coupled” shall be understood to include direct connections, indirect connections through one or more intermediary devices, and wireless connections. 
     Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “preferred embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, or function described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention and may be in more than one embodiment. Also, the appearances of the above-noted phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or embodiments. 
     The use of certain terms in various places in the specification is for illustration and should not be construed as limiting. A service, function, or resource is not limited to a single service, function, or resource; usage of these terms may refer to a grouping of related services, functions, or resources, which may be distributed or aggregated. Furthermore, the use of memory, database, information base, data store, tables, hardware, and the like may be used herein to refer to system component or components into which information may be entered or otherwise recorded. 
     Further, it shall be noted that: (1) certain steps may optionally be performed; (2) steps may not be limited to the specific order set forth herein; (3) certain steps may be performed in different orders; and (4) certain steps may be done concurrently. 
     Described herein are Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP) systems and methods for implementing and operating Device Abstraction Proxies. In one embodiment, such a Device Abstraction Proxy includes a communications interface to connect the Device Abstraction Proxy to one or more access aggregation devices, each having a plurality of physical ports to provide Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) communication services, or simply, DSL services, to a plurality of remote DSL terminals. In such an embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy further includes a memory and processor to generate, create, instantiate and/or execute a virtual access aggregation device, in which all or a subset of the plurality of physical ports are allocated to the virtual access aggregation device and linked to corresponding logical ports within the virtual access aggregation device. Such a Device Abstraction Proxy further includes a global rule-set module to define operational constraints for the DSL communication services, and a management interface to allow at least one broadband access management system to manage the physical ports allocated to the virtual access aggregation device subject to the operational constraints. 
     In some locations, a DSL services wholesaler provides DSL communication equipment to form an infrastructure for such services, and DSL services resellers sell DSL services (e.g., “Internet access”) delivered over that infrastructure to individual consumers or end-users. The wholesaler is also known as the “infrastructure provider.” There may be multiple wholesalers, including one or more cabling providers and one or more DSLAM providers. Because the DSL services wholesaler controls the equipment forming the DSL infrastructure and the DSL services reseller maintains a services relationship with the end-users, conflicts may exist between a DSL services wholesaler&#39;s interest in protecting the integrity of the infrastructure and a DSL services reseller&#39;s desire to access and control the equipment in the interest of ensuring optimum service quality to the end-users with which the reseller has a services relationship. 
     These conflicts may be exacerbated when multiple DSL services resellers operate and compete for end-users in the same geographical area, and in turn, must co-exist using the DSL services wholesaler&#39;s common infrastructure equipment because each of the competing DSL services resellers have an interest in optimizing the quality of service provided to their own end-users, even if doing so may be to the detriment of end-users associated with a competing DSL services reseller. Practicing the systems and methods described herein may permit and promote competition among DSL services resellers, including DSL services wholesalers who also act as DSL services resellers, without degrading the underlying infrastructure upon which DSL communication services are offered to consumers. 
     Broadband communications services providers are increasingly utilizing network architectures in which the so-called “last-mile” connection is a copper, fiber or cable connection with one endpoint at a services subscriber&#39;s premises and another endpoint at an access aggregation device located in a street cabinet or vault in the general vicinity of the subscriber&#39;s premises. The access aggregation device may be, for example, a DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM), a cable head-end, or a fiber optic splitter. The access aggregation device is in turn connected to a broadband core network via a second broadband link, for example a fiber optic link. 
     Some broadband DSL services providers operate their own access aggregation devices such as DSLAMs connected to the copper loop that extends to a subscriber&#39;s premises. However, other broadband DSL services providers do not own the copper loop, such as when the broadband DSL services provider is a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) in the United States. Such broadband DSL services providers may instead pay a rental fee to the owner of the copper loops that extend to each of the broadband DSL services provider&#39;s customers. For several reasons, including space constraints in street cabinets and vaults, it may be impractical for the access aggregation devices of multiple broadband services providers to be installed in the street cabinets and vaults that are increasingly becoming the standard location for access aggregation devices. 
     Accordingly, a business model for the delivery of broadband services is now evolving in which a “wholesaler” deploys and operates the equipment, such as access aggregation devices in the street cabinets and vaults, and then resells “ports” to “resellers,” who deliver broadband services to subscribers via physical ports on the wholesaler&#39;s access aggregation devices. With this model, multiple broadband DSL services providers can compete for subscribers over a common infrastructure owned and operated by a single wholesaler responsible for the underlying equipment that makes up the broadband communication infrastructure. 
     Using the systems and methodologies described herein, administrative authority for controlling certain events and controlling a portion of the functionality of an access aggregation device may be retained by, for example, a DSL services wholesaler having responsibility for the equipment constituting the DSL communication infrastructure, while administrative authority for controlling other events and controlling other functions of an access aggregation device may be delegated to a DSL services reseller that is responsible for a portion of the end-users that are provided Internet bandwidth over the DSL services wholesaler&#39;s equipment. Moreover, the physical ports at multiple access aggregation devices can be abstracted and then represented to a DSL services reseller as one virtual access aggregation device within a Device Abstraction Proxy, thus providing a more convenient and intuitive representation for the DSL services reseller. 
     In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific systems, languages, components, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that these specific details need not be employed to practice the disclosed embodiments. In other instances, well known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosed embodiments. 
     In addition to various hardware components depicted in the figures and described herein, embodiments further include various operations that are described below. The operations described in accordance with such embodiments may be performed by hardware components or may be embodied in machine-executable instructions, which may be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor programmed with the instructions to perform the operations. Alternatively, the operations may be performed by a combination of hardware and software, including software instructions that perform the operations described herein via memory and one or more processors of a computing platform. 
     Embodiments also relate to a system or apparatus for performing the operations herein. The disclosed system or apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing non-transitory electronic instructions, each coupled to a computer system bus. In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, causes one or more processors within a Device Abstraction Proxy to perform the methods and operations that are described herein. In another embodiment, the instructions to perform such methods and operations are stored upon a non-transitory computer readable medium for later execution. 
     The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus nor are embodiments described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the embodiments as described herein. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates an exemplary architecture  100  in which embodiments may operate in compliance with the G.997.1 standard (also known as G.ploam). Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) systems (one form of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) systems), which may or may not include splitters, operate in compliance with the various applicable standards such as ADSL1 (G.992.1), ADSL-Lite (G.992.2), ADSL2 (G.992.3), ADSL2-Lite G.992.4, ADSL2+(G.992.5) and the G.993.x emerging Very-high-speed Digital Subscriber Line or Very-high-bitrate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) standards, as well as the G.991.1 and G.991.2 Single-Pair High-speed Digital Subscriber Line (SHDSL) standards, all with and without bonding. 
     The G.997.1 standard specifies the physical layer management for ADSL transmission systems based on the clear, Embedded Operation Channel (EOC) defined in G.997.1 and use of indicator bits and EOC messages defined in G.992.x standards. Moreover, G.997.1 specifies network management elements content for configuration, fault and performance management. In performing these functions, the system utilizes a variety of operational data (which includes performance data) that is available at an Access Node (AN). 
     In  FIG. 1A , users terminal equipment  102  (e.g., a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device or a remote terminal device) is coupled to a home network  104 , which in turn is coupled to a Network Termination (NT) Unit  108 . The ADSL Transceiver Units (ATU) are further depicted (e.g., a device that provides ADSL modulation of a DSL loop or line). In one embodiment, NT unit  108  includes an ATU-R (ATU Remote)  122  (for example, a transceiver defined by one of the ADSL standards) or any other suitable network termination modem, transceiver or other communication unit. NT unit  108  also includes a Management Entity (ME)  124 . Management Entity  124  can be any suitable hardware device, such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, or circuit state machine in firmware or hardware, capable of performing as required by any applicable standards and/or other criteria. Management Entity  124  collects and stores, among other things, operational data in its Management Information Base (MIB), which is a database of information maintained by each ME capable of being accessed via network management protocols such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), an administration protocol used to gather information from a network device to provide to an administrator console/program or via Transaction Language 1 (TL1) commands, TL1 being a long-established command language used to program responses and commands between telecommunication network elements. 
     Each ATU-R  122  in a system may be coupled with an ATU-C (ATU Central) in a Central Office (CO) or other central location. ATU-C  142  is located at an Access Node (AN)  114  in Central Office  146 . A Management Entity  144  likewise maintains an MIB of operational data pertaining to ATU-C  142 . The Access Node  114  may be coupled to a broadband network  106  or other network, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. ATU-R  122  and ATU-C  142  are coupled together by a loop  112 , which in the case of ADSL may be a twisted pair line, such as a telephone line, which may carry other communication services besides DSL-based communications. 
     Several of the interfaces shown in  FIG. 1  are used for determining and collecting operational data. The Q interface  126  provides the interface between the Network Management System (NMS)  116  of the operator and ME  144  in Access Node  114 . Parameters specified in the G.997.1 standard apply at the Q interface  126 . The near-end parameters supported in Management Entity  144  may be derived from ATU C  142 , while far-end parameters from ATU R  122  may be derived by either of two interfaces over the UA interface. Indicator bits and EOC messages may be sent using embedded channel  132  and provided at the Physical Medium Dependent (PMD) layer, and may be used to generate the required ATU-R  122  parameters in ME  144 . Alternately, the operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) channel and a suitable protocol may be used to retrieve the parameters from ATU R  122  when requested by Management Entity  144 . Similarly, the far-end parameters from ATU C  142  may be derived by either of two interfaces over the U-interface. Indicator bits and EOC message provided at the PMD layer may be used to generate the required ATU-C  142  parameters in Management Entity  124  of NT unit  108 . Alternately, the OAM channel and a suitable protocol can be used to retrieve the parameters from ATU C  142  when requested by Management Entity  124 . 
     At the U interface (also referred to as loop  112 ), there are two management interfaces, one at ATU-C  142  (the U-C interface  157 ) and one at ATU-R  122  (the U-R interface  158 ). Interface  157  provides ATU-C near-end parameters for ATU-R  122  to retrieve over the U interface/loop  112 . Similarly, U-R interface  158  provides ATU-R near-end parameters for ATU-C  142  to retrieve over the U interface/loop  112 . The parameters that apply may be dependent upon the transceiver standard being used (for example, G.992.1 or G.992.2). The G.997.1 standard specifies an optional Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) communication channel across the U interface. If this channel is implemented, ATU-C and ATU-R pairs may use it for transporting physical layer OAM messages. Thus, the ATU transceivers  122  and  142  of such a system share various operational data maintained in their respective MIB s. 
     As used herein, the terms “user,” “end-user,” “subscriber,” “consumers,” and/or “customer” refer to a person, business and/or organization to which communication services and/or equipment are and/or may potentially be provided by any of a variety of service provider(s). Further, the term “customer premises” refers to the location to which communication services are being provided by a service provider. For an example Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) used to provide DSL services, customer premises are located at, near and/or are associated with, the network termination (NT) side of the telephone lines. Example customer premises include a residence or an office building. 
     As used herein, the term “service provider” refers to any of a variety of entities that provide, sell, provision, troubleshoot and/or maintain communication services and/or communication equipment. Example service providers include a telephone operating company, a cable operating company, a wireless communications operating company, an internet service provider, or any service that may independently or in conjunction with a broadband communications services provider offer services that diagnose or improve broadband communications services (DSL, DSL services, cable, etc.). A DSL services wholesaler and a DSL services reseller are described in more detail with respect to the figures that follow. 
     Additionally, as used herein, the term “DSL” refers to any of a variety and/or variant of DSL technology such as, for example, Asymmetric DSL (ADSL), ADSL2, ADSL2plus, High-speed DSL (HDSL), HDSL2, Symmetric DSL (SDSL), SHDSL, Very high-speed/Very high-bit-rate DSL (VDSL), VDSL2, vectored VDSL2, and/or G.fast. Such DSL technologies are commonly implemented in accordance with an applicable standard such as, for example, the International Telecommunications Union (I.T.U.) standard G.992.1 (a.k.a. G.dmt) for ADSL modems, the I.T.U. standard G.992.3 (a.k.a. G.dmt.bis, or G.adsl2) for ADSL2 modems, I.T.U. standard G.992.5 (a.k.a. G.adsl2plus) for ADSL2+ modems, I.T.U. standard G.993.1 (a.k.a. G.vdsl) for VDSL modems, I.T.U. standard G.993.2 for VDSL2 modems, I.T.U. standard G.994.1 (G.hs) for modems implementing handshake, and/or the I.T.U. G.997.1 (a.k.a. G.ploam) standard for management of DSL modems. 
     References to connecting a DSL modem and/or a DSL communications service to a customer are made with respect to exemplary Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) equipment, DSL services, DSL systems and/or the use of ordinary twisted-pair copper telephone lines for distribution of DSL services. It should be understood that the methods and apparatus to characterize and/or test a transmission medium for communication systems disclosed herein might be applied to many other types and/or variety of communications equipment, services, technologies and/or systems. For example, other types of systems include wireless distribution systems, wired or cable distribution systems, coaxial cable distribution systems, Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/Very High Frequency (VHF) radio frequency systems, satellite or other extra-terrestrial systems, cellular distribution systems, power-line broadcast systems and/or fiber optic networks. Additionally, combinations of these devices, systems and/or networks may also be used. For example, a combination of twisted-pair and coaxial cable interfaced via a balun connector, or any other physical-channel-continuing combination such as an analog fiber to copper connection with a linear optical-to-electrical connection at an Optical Network Unit (ONU) may be used. 
     The phrases “coupled to,” “coupled with,” connected to,” “connected with” and the like are used herein to describe a connection between two elements and/or components and are intended to mean coupled/connected either directly together, or indirectly, for example via one or more intervening elements or via a wired/wireless connection. References to a “communication system” are intended, where applicable, to include reference to any other type of data transmission system. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture  101  in which embodiments may operate. Architecture  101  depicts multiple remote DSL terminals  105 A,  105 B,  105 C,  105 D,  105 E,  105 F, and  105 G, each of which may correspond to an end-user location such as a customer&#39;s residence or business. In one embodiment, the remote DSL terminals  105 A-G are DSL modems located within a customer&#39;s home or business, through which the customer&#39;s networked computing devices may access Internet bandwidth. 
     Each remote DSL terminal  105 A-G is connected to an access aggregation device  125 A or  125 B via one or more twisted pair lines  110  (e.g., POTS telephone lines, pre-existing telephone lines connecting the customer&#39;s physical service location to the access aggregation devices  125 A-B, DSL loops, DSL lines, etc.). Multiple twisted pair lines  110  associated with different customer&#39;s remote DSL terminals may travel through or be co-located within a common binder  115 , through which multiple twisted pair lines  110  traverse in close proximity to one another.  FIG. 1B  depicts the twisted pair lines  110  connecting remote DSL terminals  105 A,  105 B, and  105 C as all traversing the common binder  115 . 
     Each access aggregation device  125 A and  125 B has multiple physical ports  120 A-C and  120 D-G, respectively, to which the twisted pair lines  110  from remote DSL terminals  105 A-G are connected. For example, as depicted, remote DSL terminal  105 A connects with physical port  120 A of access aggregation device  125 A, remote DSL terminal  105 B connects with physical port  120 B, and remote DSL terminal  105 C connects with physical port  120 C. With respect to access aggregation device  125 B, remote DSL terminal  105 D connects with physical port  120 D, remote DSL terminal  105 E connects with physical port  120 E, remote DSL terminal  105 F connects with physical port  120 F, and remote DSL terminal  105 G connects with physical port  120 G. 
     In one embodiment, each of the plurality of access aggregation devices  125 A-B are Digital Subscriber Line Access Multipliers (DSLAMs), each having a respective plurality of physical ports (e.g., physical ports  120 A-C correspond to DSLAM  125 A and physical ports  120 D-G correspond to DSLAM  125 B). In such an embodiment, each DSLAM  125 A-B further includes a back-haul communications interface  135  to communicatively link each respective DSLAM  125 A-B to a DSL services wholesaler  130 . The wholesaler  130  may be co-located with one or more of the connected access aggregation devices  125 A-B, remotely located from each of the respective access aggregation devices  125 A-B, or co-located with some of the connected access aggregation devices  125 A-B and remotely located from other connected access aggregation devices  125 A-B. In one embodiment, one or more access aggregation devices  125 A-B are co-located at a physical central office (CO) location that also contains other equipment operated by the wholesaler  130 . Each access aggregation device  125 A-B connected to the DSL services wholesaler  130  via the broadband link or a back-haul  135  is provided with Internet connectivity from the DSL services wholesaler  130 , which is then in turn distributed to the various remote DSL terminals  105 A-G. 
     In one embodiment, a Device Abstraction Proxy server  140 , or simply, Device Abstraction Proxy  140 , includes a communications interface  145  to connect the Device Abstraction Proxy to a plurality of remotely located access aggregation devices (e.g.,  125 A and  125 B) and other various network elements making up a DSL services wholesaler&#39;s infrastructure equipment. In one embodiment, the communications interface  145  connects with and communicates with the access aggregation devices (e.g.,  125 A and  125 B) and other network elements via network cloud  195 . For example, network cloud  195  may provide Internet connectivity or Internet access over, for example, a publicly accessible network. Such communications may transmitted in a secure manner, or communicated within a Virtual Private Network (VPN) over a publicly accessible network. In one embodiment, each access aggregation device  125 A-B has a plurality of physical ports  120 A-C and  120 D-G to provide Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) communication services to a plurality of remote DSL terminals  105 A-G. The DSL communication services may be administered and configured via the communications interface  145  over network cloud  195 . 
     In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  includes a memory and processor to execute a virtual access aggregation device  155  within the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . In such an embodiment, all or a subset of the plurality of physical ports  120 A-G are allocated to the virtual access aggregation device  155  and linked to corresponding logical ports, within the virtual access aggregation device  155 . For example,  FIG. 1  depicts physical ports  120 F and  120 G as having been allocated and linked to corresponding logical ports  121 F and  121 G within the virtual access aggregation device executing within the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 , as indicated by the curved broken lines from access aggregation device  125 B to the virtual access aggregation device  155 . 
     Other variants are also feasible. For example, with reference to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, physical ports of a single physical access aggregation device  125  are allocated to a single virtual access aggregation device  210  and linked accordingly to logical ports, thus presenting a single physical access aggregation device  125  in a virtualized or abstracted manner via the virtual access aggregation device due to the 1:1 correspondence between the physical and logical ports. Using such an approach, a DSL services reseller may have administrative authority over multiple virtual access aggregation devices, each having a  1 : 1  correspondence to a physical access aggregation device. Such a presentation may be employed to present each virtual access aggregation device so that it “appears” as though it is a “real” or physical DSLAM, including the number of ports available via the virtualized access aggregation device. Multiple such virtual access aggregation devices may correspond to multiple distinct DSL services resellers, each having responsibility for a subset of the total number of virtual access aggregation devices within the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . Alternatively, ports from multiple access aggregation devices may also be allocated to a single virtual access aggregation device. For example, a DSL services reseller may have complete or exclusive control of multiple access aggregation devices and assign them to a single virtual access aggregation device. Many such permutations are permitted in accordance with the systems and methods described. 
     In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  further includes a global rule-set module  160  to define operational constraints for the DSL communication services. For example, DSL communication services (e.g., access to Internet bandwidth) provided to the various end-users via remote DSL terminals  105 A-G may be restricted to conform with operational constraints defined by the global rule-set module  160 . 
     In a particular embodiment, a DSL services wholesaler  130  has administrative authority over the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  and controls the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  via a control interface  170 . In one embodiment, control interface  170  connects with and communicates with DSL services wholesaler  130  over network cloud  195 . In such a way, the DSL services wholesaler  130  may control, configure, administer, and otherwise interact with the Device Abstraction Proxy in accordance with the systems and methods described herein. In some embodiments, the DSL services wholesaler  130  may be co-located with the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  and communicate with the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  via control interface  170  over network cloud  195  (e.g., via an intranet, Local Area Network (LAN) or other communication network). In other embodiments, the DSL services wholesaler  130  is remotely located (e.g., in a distinct physical location, such as a different data center) from the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  and communicates with the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  via control interface  170  over network cloud  195 , for example, via the Internet or via a Wide Area Network (WAN), etc. 
     In a particular embodiment, a DSL services wholesaler  130  has administrative authority over the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  and controls the operational constraints defined by the global rule-set module  160  via control interface  170 . In one embodiment, the operational constraints defined by the global rule-set module  160  for the DSL communication services provided to end-users include one or more operational constraints selected from a group of operational constraints including: allowed spectrum masks; total power limits; one or more allowed ranges of transmit power; allowed minimum transmit power levels; allowed Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) policy (e.g., whether DSM must be activated or is optionally activated and whether DSM is utilized across physical ports associated with end-users of only one DSL services reseller or utilized across physical ports associated with end-users from multiple DSL services resellers), an allowed number of distinct profiles provisioned on a per virtual access aggregation device basis (e.g., how many discrete service levels are permissible for any given DSL services reseller having administrative authority over a particular virtual access aggregation device), in which each profile defines operational characteristics for a respective logical port including at least transmit power, data rate, and error protection; maximum allowed upstream aggregate bandwidth utilization on a per virtual access aggregation device basis; and maximum allowed downstream aggregate bandwidth utilization on a per virtual access aggregation device basis. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture  200  in which embodiments may operate. In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  includes a management interface  295  to allow at least one broadband access management system to manage the physical ports (e.g., physical ports  120 F and  120 G) allocated to a virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A or  210 B) subject to the operational constraints imposed by a global rule-set module  160 . In one embodiment, management interface  295  connects with and communicates with the DSL services resellers  205 A-B via network cloud  195 , for example, via the Internet. 
     In one embodiment, the management interface  295  of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  provides access capabilities to one or more broadband access management systems  215 A or  215 B of remotely located DSL services resellers  205 A or  205 B. In one embodiment, the broadband access management system  215 A or  215 B is a remotely located client device operated by a DSL services reseller  205 A or  205 B. In such an embodiment, the DSL services reseller  205 A or  205 B has administrative authority to manage a virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A or  210 B respectively) within the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . For example,  FIG. 2  depicts an embodiment in which physical ports  120 F and  120 G are allocated to virtual access aggregation device  210 A and correspond to logical ports  121 F and  121 G of virtual access aggregation device  210 A.  FIG. 2  further depicts physical ports  120 C and  120 E as being allocated to virtual access aggregation device  210 B and thus linked to corresponding logical ports  121 C and  121 E of virtual access aggregation device  210 B via a provisioning module  225  of DAP  140 . In such an embodiment, DSL services reseller  205 A may be delegated administrative authority over virtual access aggregation device  210 A, and thus, DSL services reseller  205 A manages the subset of physical ports ( 120 F and  120 G) associated with virtual access aggregation device  210 A via its administrative authority to manage the corresponding logical ports ( 121 F and  121 G) within the virtual access aggregation device  210 A. DSL services reseller  205 B may similarly be delegated administrative authority over virtual access aggregation device  210 B so that it may manage its respective physical and logical ports in a similar manner. 
     In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  further includes a memory and processor to execute the second virtual access aggregation device  210 B. In one embodiment, a second subset of the plurality of physical ports (e.g.,  120 C and  120 E), non-overlapping with a first subset of the plurality of physical ports (e.g.,  120 F and  120 G), are allocated to the second virtual access aggregation device  210 B and linked to corresponding logical ports  121 C and  121 E within the second virtual access aggregation device  210 B via provisioning module  225  of Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . 
     In one embodiment, administrative control of each respective access aggregation device  125 A and  125 B is allocated to a DSL services wholesaler  130  having management responsibility for the respective access aggregation devices  125 A and  125 B and further having management responsibility for a corresponding back-haul communications link  135  providing each respective access aggregation device  125 A and  125 B with access to Internet bandwidth. 
     In such an embodiment, administrative control of a first virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A) is allocated to a first DSL services reseller  205 A having access to a first portion of the Internet bandwidth accessible via the plurality of access aggregation devices  125 A and  125 B for re-sale to end-users. Administrative control of a second virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 B) is allocated to a second DSL services reseller  205 B having access to a second portion of the Internet bandwidth accessible via the plurality of access aggregation devices  125 A and  125 B for re-sale to end-users. In such an embodiment, the first DSL services reseller  205 A and the second DSL services reseller  205 B may be separate and distinct business entities. For example, each may be a business competitor of the other, and each may compete for its share of available end-users on the basis of price, service, reliability, speed, etc. Although each DSL services reseller  205 A and  205 B may utilize the same underlying communication infrastructure equipment provided by the DSL services wholesaler  130 , each may seek to differentiate themselves in the marketplace by effecting varying configuration schemes within their respective virtual access aggregation device  210 A-B for which they have administrative authority. Such configurations may however be subject to operational constraints implemented by the DSL services wholesaler  130  as defined by the global rule-set module  160 . 
     In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  further includes a control interface  170  to allow a DSL services wholesaler  130  having administrative authority over the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  to manage an operational configuration of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . For example, the control interface  170  may allow the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  to receive control messages and/or instructions  235  relating to the configuration of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . Such control messages and/or instructions  235  may instruct the Device Abstraction Proxy to generate or instantiate a new virtual access aggregation device for execution within the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  to support, for example, a new DSL services reseller. Such control messages and/or instructions  235  may instruct the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  to allocate any of physical ports  120 A-G to an executing virtual access aggregation device  210  or de-allocate any of physical ports  120 A-G from an executing virtual access aggregation device  210 . The control messages and/or instructions  235  may instruct the global rule-set module  160  to alter or re-define the operational constraints placed upon DSL communication services rendered via the plurality of access aggregation devices  125 A-B connected with the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . 
     In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  further includes a provisioning module  225  to allocate the physical ports (e.g., subset  120 F and  120 G) to the virtual access aggregation device  210 A and to further link the physical ports (e.g., subset  120 F and  120 G) to the corresponding logical ports (e.g.,  121 F and  121 G) within the virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A) responsive to control messages and/or instructions  235  from the DSL services wholesaler  130  received at the control interface  170 . 
     In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  further includes an authorization module  230  to enforce the operational configuration of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . Enforcing the operational configuration may include one or more operations selected from the group of: enforcing management traffic rules; enforcing service definition rules; enforcing limits on data viewable by any DSL services reseller  205 A-B on a per virtual access aggregation device  210 A-B basis; enforcing limits on logical port operations available to any DSL services reseller  205 A-B on a per virtual access aggregation device  210 A-B basis; enforcing limits on available configuration options for the DSL communication services available to any DSL services reseller  205 A-B; and enforcing limits on access to diagnostic information by any DSL services reseller  205 A-B on a per virtual access aggregation device  210 A-B basis, responsive to control messages and/or instructions  235  from the DSL services wholesaler  130  received at the control interface  170 . 
     In one embodiment, the management interface  295  receives a request  240  for operational data relating to DSL communication services provided to one or more of the remote DSL terminals  105 A-G. In such an embodiment, the authorization module  230  of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  may limit access to the operational data relating to the DSL communication services based on whether the one or more remote DSL terminals  105 A-G are associated with logical ports (e.g.,  121 C,  121 E,  121 F, or  121 G) allocated to a virtual access aggregation device  210 A or  210 B for which a requestor has administrative authority. For example, in accordance with the embodiment set forth in  FIG. 2 , if DSL services reseller  205 A having administrative control over virtual access aggregation device  210 A were to request information or operational data relating to physical ports  121 C or  121 E which are allocated to a different virtual access aggregation device, such a request would be blocked, denied, restricted, etc. 
     The authorization module  230  of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  makes it possible for DSL services resellers  205  to access diagnostic information over the management interface for equipment that is owned by a DSL services wholesaler  130 . Such capabilities were not previously feasible because DSL services wholesalers are naturally reluctant to grant such access rights to another party. Problems arise due to such a lack of access in which a DSL services reseller  205  who is responsible for diagnosing faults within a customer&#39;s home lacks the necessary information with which to diagnosis the problems. Commonly, a DSL services reseller  205  mistakenly concludes that a fault is within the DSL communication infrastructure, and thus, the responsibility of the DSL services wholesaler  130 . This creates unnecessary cost and delay, and inevitably, the DSL services wholesaler  130 , who traditionally has access to more extensive diagnostic information, properly diagnoses the fault to be within a customer&#39;s home, a diagnosis that a DSL services reseller  205  may have correctly made had the DSL services reseller had access to the appropriate diagnostic information from the DSL services wholesaler&#39;s equipment. 
     Because the authorization module  230  is able to limit the view to only that information associated with physical ports, logical ports, and DSL loops/lines associated with a particular DSL services reseller  205  (e.g., via a virtual access aggregation device  210 ) the DSL services wholesaler  130  can grant access or delegate authority to retrieve pertinent diagnostic information without concern of a particular DSL services reseller  205  having unfettered access or too great of access or control to the DSL services wholesaler&#39;s equipment. 
     An additional benefit of delegating some control to the virtual access aggregation devices, yet subjecting such control to the operational constraints enforced by the authorization module  230 , is that DSL services resellers  205  can differentiate themselves on more than simply price. For example, a particular DSL services provider may be able to offer distinct configurations in accordance with the operational constraints set by a DSL services wholesaler  130  that allow, for example, higher data rates, higher data reliability, lower latency, lower access speeds for lower costs, and so forth. This is distinguished from a traditional model in which a DSL services wholesaler  130  may specify only two or three permitted configurations, which are identical to all DSL services resellers  205  renting/leasing/buying bandwidth access from the DSL services wholesaler  130 . In such a way, an improved competitive market place may be enabled. 
     The authorization module  230  in conjunction with delegating certain administrative control to a virtual access aggregation device  210  enables the DSL services resellers  205  to 1) properly monitor their services so that they may ensure the service provided is in accordance with the level of service promised, 2) diagnose faults more accurately and more quickly leading to reduced waste, reduced operational costs, and improved customer satisfaction, 3) differentiate services and service quality from other competitors, and 4) initiate provisioning of services to new customers through the resellers&#39; management interface  295  which in turn relays such requests  240  to the provisioning module  225  under the control of a DSL services wholesaler  130 . 
     In accordance with one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  further includes a Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) module  250  to apply cooperative DSM optimization techniques against at least one logical port (e.g.,  121 F or  121 G) of the first virtual access aggregation device  210 A associated with the first reseller service provider  205 A and against at least one logical port (e.g.,  121 C or  121 E) of the second virtual access aggregation device  210 B associated with the second reseller service provider  205 B. In some embodiments, DSM module  250  applies cooperative DSM optimization techniques against only those lines belonging to a single virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A), such as logical ports  121 F and  121 G. In such an embodiment, both logical ports are associated with physical ports (e.g.,  120 F and  120 G) corresponding to a single access aggregation device  125 G. Alternatively, DSM module  250  may apply cooperative DSM optimization techniques against only those lines belonging to a single virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A) where the logical ports within a single virtual access aggregation device (e.g., logical ports  121 C and  121 E within virtual access aggregation device  210 B) correspond to physical ports on multiple access aggregation devices (e.g., physical ports  120 C and  120 E on access aggregation devices  125 A and  125 B respectively). 
     Administrative authority to control the DSM module  250  may be allocated to a DSL services wholesaler  130  or allocated to one or more DSL services resellers  205 A-B, or allocated to both the DSL services wholesaler  130  and contemporaneously to one or more DSL services resellers  205 A-B. In an embodiment where administrative authority is allocated to both the DSL services wholesaler  130  and to one or more DSL services resellers  205 A-B, instructions, commands, and configurations of the DSL services wholesaler  130  may take precedence over conflicting instructions, commands, and configurations issued by any DSL services reseller  205 A-B. For example, an authorization module may enforce such precedence. 
     The DSM module  250  provides DSL communications services optimization across multiple lines by adjusting various operational parameters applied to such lines. Such optimizations may, for example, reduce cross-talk among lines traversing a common binder by reducing transmit power or assigning communication spectrums to the lines that are less likely to create interference noise, which degrades service quality. These techniques may be considered to be applied to the twisted pair lines  110 , against the physical ports  120 A-G corresponding to a particular line, or against the logical ports (e.g.,  121 C,  121 E,  121 F, or  121 G) associated with particular lines, but in any event, the DSM optimizations affect the underlying DSL communication services provided to DSL customers and end-users via the remote DSL terminals  105 A-G. Changes to operational parameters to effect the DSM cooperative optimization techniques may be communicated to the global rule-set module  160  which defines operational constraints for the various DSL communication services and may further be enforced by the authorization module  230  for any particular physical port, logical port, twisted pair line, or combination of logical ports, physical ports, or twisted pair lines. 
     In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  and the DSM module  250  both operate under the administrative control of the DSL services wholesaler  130 . In such an embodiment, DSM optimizations may be applied across DSL communications services provided to DSL end-users belonging to separate and distinct DSL services resellers  205 A-B. In an alternative embodiment, the DSM module  250  applies cooperative DSM optimization techniques against two or more logical ports within the same virtual access aggregation device  210 A-B. In such an embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  may operate under the administrative control of a DSL services wholesaler  130  while administrative control of the virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A or  210 B) and the DSM module  250  is delegated to a DSL services reseller  205 A or  205 B, enabling a DSL services reseller  205 A or  205 B to specify the services to be delivered to its customers subject to the infrastructure operations rules and/or operational constraints specified by DSL service wholesaler  130 . Although administrative control of the DSM module  250  may be delegated to a DSL services reseller  205 A or  205 B, such administrative control may be restricted by authorization module  230  so that any particular DSL services reseller  205 A or  205 B may only affect DSM optimization techniques for those logical ports  121  that are allocated to a virtual access aggregation device  210 A or  120 B for which the DSL services reseller  205 A or  205 B also has complimentary administrative control. 
     In an alternative embodiment, at least one of the DSL services resellers  205 A or  205 B further include a Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) module, such as DSM module  275  depicted within DSL services reseller  205 A. Other DSL services resellers may also have similar DSM modules, each of which may be communicatively interfaced with the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . In accordance with on embodiment, a Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) module  275  operates within a DSL services reseller  205 A communicatively interfaced with the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  and the DSM module  275  performs one of the following cooperative DSM optimization techniques: 1) the DSM module  275  to apply DSM optimizations against at least one logical port (e.g.,  121 F) of the first virtual access aggregation device  210 A associated with the DSL services reseller  205 A and against at least one logical port (e.g.,  121 C) of a second virtual access aggregation device  210 B associated with a second DSL services reseller  205 B, wherein the DSM module  275  operates under the administrative control of a DSL services wholesaler  130 ; 2) the DSM module to apply the DSM optimizations against at least two or more logical ports (e.g.,  121 F and  121 G) each associated exclusively with the first virtual access aggregation ( 210 A), wherein the DSM module  275  operates under the administrative control of the DSL services wholesaler  130 ; and 3) the DSM module  275  to apply the DSM optimizations against the at least two or more logical ports (e.g.,  121 F and  121 G) each associated exclusively with the first virtual access aggregation device  210 A, wherein the DSM module  275  operates under the administrative control of the DSL services reseller  205 A having administrative authority for the first virtual access aggregation device  210 A. 
     Regardless of whether a DSL services reseller or a DSL services wholesaler has administrative authority over a DSM module ( 250  or  275 ), and regardless of whether a DSM module operates within a DSL services reseller (e.g., DSM module  275  of DSL services reseller  205 A) or within a Device Abstraction Proxy (e.g., DSM module  250  of Device Abstraction Proxy  140 ), the DSM optimization techniques may be applied to those lines corresponding to the customers of multiple DSL services resellers, or in alternative embodiments, DSM optimization techniques may be applied via a DSM module ( 250  or  275 ) against those lines corresponding to the customers of only one DSL services reseller, so that any optimizations or changes to DSL communication services provided by the DSL services reseller affect only those customers of the one DSL services reseller. In some embodiments, multiple DSM modules ( 250  or  275 ) operate to provide DSM optimization capabilities, and each DSM module ( 250  or  275 ) operates on a per DSL services reseller basis, so that each DSM module ( 250  or  275 ) provides DSM optimizations for, at most, one DSL services reseller. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture  300  in which embodiments may operate. In particular, an alternative view of the various interfaces and functional modules of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  is depicted in accordance with certain embodiments. 
     In accordance with one embodiment, the management interface  295  implements an Application Programming Interface (API) in which the management interface  295  presents each virtual access aggregation device (e.g.,  210 A and  210 B) as an individual physical DSLAM device to DSLAM configuration tools via the API. The DSLAM configuration tools operated by a DSL services reseller  205 A-B may thus be utilized to access and interface with the virtual access aggregation devices (e.g.,  210 A and  210 B) as though they were physical DSLAMs. In such a way, DSL services reseller  205 A-B may continue to use existing interface tools and software to communicate with the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  without having to develop or acquire new or different interfacing tools. 
     In one embodiment, the API implemented by the management interface  295  provides access to diagnostic information on behalf of the DSL services resellers on a per virtual access aggregation device basis. For example, although physical ports associated with a particular DSL services reseller  205  may be spread across multiple separate and physical distinct access aggregation devices or DSLAMs, diagnostic information may nevertheless be presented for one virtual access aggregation device  210  as though all of the logical ports  121  of the virtual access aggregation device  210  were physical ports  120  within one physical DSLAM. As noted above, multiple virtual access aggregation devices  210  per DSL services reseller is also provided for, and thus, in accordance with one embodiment, the management interface  295  provides access to diagnostic information on behalf of the DSL services resellers  205  on a per DSL services reseller basis, in which all virtual access aggregation devices associated with a particular DSL services reseller are provided to the appropriate DSL services reseller via the management interface  295 . 
     In one embodiment, diagnostic information is provided via the API of the management interface  295  to a diagnostic system of a DSL services reseller  205 , to a DSL services wholesaler  130 , or to a vendor that provides one or more of the DSLAM devices (e.g., access aggregation devices  125 ). 
     In one embodiment, management interface  295  communicates provisioning requests  240  from DSL services resellers  205  to a provisioning module  225  of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . Such provisioning requests  240  may request that a physical port  120  on one of the remotely located access aggregation  125  devices to be allocated to a virtual access aggregation device  210  associated with a requesting DSL services reseller  205 . 
     In one embodiment, management interface  295  provides access to operational data and port status information subject to restrictions enforced by an authorization module  230  of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 , which operates under the administrative control of a DSL services wholesaler  130 . 
     In one embodiment, management interface  295  implements a remote application programming interface (R-API or RAPI), implements standard Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) interface using a similar SNMP schema as for physical access aggregation devices, and further implements secure communication capabilities (e.g., provided via, for example, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)). DSL services resellers are accustomed to managing access aggregation devices using SNMP interfaces; the availability of an SNMP interface for managing virtual access aggregation devices enables DSL services resellers to use the same management tools for managing virtual access aggregation devices as for managing physical access aggregation devices 
     In one embodiment, control interface  170  performs one or more of the following DSL services wholesaler operations including: providing a management data interface to a wholesaler&#39;s management system, including but not limited to at least one of the following: interfacing to a Provisioning System, Network Elements (NEs), interfacing to an Operations Support System (OSS), interfacing to an Element Management System (EMS), interfacing to a Network Management System (NMS); implementing aggregate traffic management operations against multiple virtual access aggregation devices  210  operating within the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 ; implementing traffic management operations on a per DSLAM basis or on a per access aggregation device  125  basis in which the traffic management operations are effected against one of the plurality of remotely located physical access aggregation devices  125 ; implementing vendor support operations that are applied against any of the remotely located physical access aggregation devices (e.g., vendor support operations may be applied against one or more DSLAMs manufactured or supported by a particular DSLAM vendor); implementing profile provisioning and selection operations on behalf of a DSL services wholesaler  130  responsive to logical port configuration requests received from a DSL services reseller  205  via the management interface  295 ; and implementing wholesaler notification operations responsive to profile changes affecting one or more logical ports  121  within any virtual access aggregation device  210  executing within the Device Abstraction proxy  140 ; and backing up and/or restoring configuration information for physical DSLAMs communicatively interfaced via control interface  170 . The preceding list is exemplary of the various operations permissible and should not be considered exhaustive. 
     Additionally depicted by  FIG. 3  is Database  310 . In one embodiment, database  310  provides data support and storage for the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 . For example, database  310  may provide physical port to reseller mapping and/or physical port to virtual access aggregation device mapping, store rule definitions on behalf of the global rule-set module  160 , store loop inventory information describing the available loops communicatively interfaced to the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  through the plurality of remotely located access aggregation devices  125 , etc. 
     In some embodiments, DSL services resellers may have a local replica of database  310  having the corresponding Device Abstraction Proxy  140  information stored therein. In such an embodiment, the local replica may be limited or restricted to include only information associated with physical ports or logical ports to which a DSL services reseller has administrative control via a virtual access aggregation device  210 . 
     In one embodiment, the communications interface  145  may include a “southbound” interface, providing connectivity to the various network elements, DSLAMs, EMSs, access aggregation devices, and other such equipment that makes up the DSL services wholesaler&#39;s communications infrastructure. Control interface  170  may sometimes be referred to as an operator facing “northbound” interface connecting an operator/DSL services wholesaler  130  to the Device Abstraction Proxy  140  over which such an operator/wholesaler may issue provisioning instructions, alter a configuration of the Device Abstraction Proxy  140 , alter the rules and operational constraints defined by a global rule-set module  160 , and so forth. Management interface  295  may sometimes be referred to as a reseller facing “northbound” interface connecting the reseller service providers  205  to the Device Abstraction Proxy. 
     The commands, requests, instructions, and data communicated over communications Interface  145 , control interface  170 , and management interface  295  as described herein may be received, acknowledged and/or transmitted using any of a variety of format(s), communication protocol(s) and/or technique(s), including but not limited to, Internet, TCP/IP, UDP, RTP, Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS), Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (HTTP), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Remote Procedure Call (RPC) methods, TR-069 (Broadband Forum Technical Report TR-069, and its variants), etc. It is appreciated that other communication methods, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), cellular data communications, electronic mail communications, USB, and flash memory, could also be used for the communications. 
       FIG. 4  shows a diagrammatic representation of a system  400  in which embodiments may operate, be installed, integrated, or configured. 
     In one embodiment, system  400  includes a memory  495  and a processor or processors  490 . For example, memory  495  may store instructions to be executed and processor(s)  490  may execute such instructions. Processor(s)  490  may also implement or execute implementing logic  460  having logic to implement the methodologies discussed herein. System  400  includes communication bus(es)  415  to transfer transactions, instructions, requests, and data within system  400  among a plurality of peripheral devices communicably interfaced with one or more communication buses  415 . In one embodiment, system  400  includes a communication means  415  to interface, transfer, transact, relay, and and/or communicate information, transactions, instructions, requests, and data within system  400 , and among plurality of peripheral devices. System  400  further includes management interface  425 , for example, to receive requests, return responses, and otherwise interface with remote clients, such as broadband access management systems  215 A or  215 B associated with DSL services resellers  205 . System  400  further includes control interface  430  to communicate with and receive control messages and/or instructions  235  from a DSL services wholesaler  130  responsive to which operational configurations or changes may be effected upon system  400 . System  400  further includes communications interface  435 , which provides connectivity between system  400  and the various network elements, DSLAMs, access aggregation devices, and other DSL communication infrastructure equipment operated by a DSL services wholesaler  130 . 
     System  400  further includes multiple stored profiles and rules  450  that may be implemented or applied to various logical ports  455  of system  400  to provide DSL communication services to remotely located DSL terminals via remote access aggregation devices communicatively interfaced with system  400 . The stored profiles and rules  450  may be stored upon a hard drive, persistent data store, a database, or other storage location within system  400 . 
     Distinct within system  400  is Device Abstraction Proxy  401 , which includes global rule-set module  470 , authorization module  475 , provisioning module  480 , and DSM module  485 . Device Abstraction Proxy  401  may be installed and configured in a compatible system  400  as is depicted by  FIG. 4 , or provided separately so as to operate in conjunction with appropriate implementing logic  460  or other software. 
     In accordance with one embodiment, global rule-set module  470  defines rules or operational constraints as established by a DSL services wholesaler to be applied to one or more logical ports  455  of system  400 . Authorization module  475  coordinates with global rule-set module  470  to ensure that defined operational constraints are enforced. Provisioning module  480  effects configuration changes responsive to requests from DSL services wholesalers or from DSL services resellers subject to defined operational constraints. DSM module  485  implements cooperative DSM optimization techniques under the administrative authority of either DSL services wholesalers, DSL services resellers, or both. 
       FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C  are flow diagrams illustrating methods for implementing and operating Device Abstraction Proxies accordance with described embodiments. Methods  500 A,  500 B, and/or  500 C may be performed by processing logic that may include hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions run on a processing device to perform various operations such as provisioning, allocating, configuring, and accessing a virtual access aggregation device/DSLAM, etc., or some a combination thereof. In one embodiment, methods  500 A,  500 B, and  500 C are performed by a Device Abstraction Proxy such as that depicted at element  140  of  FIGS. 1B, 2 and 3  or via a Device Abstraction Proxy such as that depicted at element  401  of  FIG. 4 . Some of the blocks and/or operations listed below are optional in accordance with certain embodiments. The numbering of the blocks presented is for the sake of clarity and is not intended to prescribe an order of operations in which the various blocks must occur. 
     Method  500 A begins with processing logic for communicably interfacing a Device Abstraction Proxy with one or more access aggregation devices, each having a plurality of physical ports thereon (block  505 ). In some embodiments, one or more of the connected access aggregation devices are remotely located from a Device Abstraction Proxy and in other embodiments, one or more of the access aggregation devices are co-located with a Device Abstraction Proxy, such as, within the same data center. In one embodiment, only one access aggregation device is communicably interfaced with a Device Abstraction Proxy. For example, in such an embodiment, a Device Abstraction Proxy and a physical access aggregation device, such as a DSLAM, may operate within the same physical computing device, thus enabling the DSLAM/access aggregation device to provide virtualized abstraction of its own physical ports, so that aspects of administrative authority for the DSLAM/access aggregation device may be delegated to, for example, a DSL services reseller. In other embodiments, multiple access aggregation devices are communicably interfaced with a single Device Abstraction Proxy and one or more physical ports of each access aggregation device are represented via virtual abstraction devices of the Device Abstraction Proxy. 
     At block  510 , processing logic allocates all or a subset of the plurality of physical ports to the virtual access aggregation device executing within the Device Abstraction Proxy. In some embodiments the physical ports allocated to the virtual access aggregation device includes one or more physical ports on a first remotely located access aggregation device and one or more physical ports on a second remotely located access aggregation device, so that the subset of physical ports includes physical ports distributed amongst multiple access aggregation devices. At block  515 , processing logic links the allocated physical ports to corresponding logical ports within the virtual access aggregation device. 
     At block  520 , processing logic provides a management interface to allow at least one broadband access management system of the DSL services reseller to manage the physical ports allocated and linked to the virtual access aggregation device. 
     Method  500 B begins with processing logic at a DSL services reseller for accessing a Device Abstraction Proxy via a management interface API (block  530 ). 
     At block  535 , processing logic sends a request via the management interface API from the DSL services reseller to the Device Abstraction Proxy to manage a logical port within a virtual access aggregation device of the Device Abstraction Proxy. The Device Abstraction Proxy correspondingly receives the request. The selected management function/operation requested may include at least one of the following functions: modifying and updating configuration, resetting, updating settings, reading information, sending commands, sending and receiving diagnostics information and commands, changing profiles. These management functions may be applied to the logical ports within the virtual access aggregation device, through which they are in turn applied to correspondingly linked physical ports on the access aggregation devices associated with the DSL services reseller. 
     At block  540 , processing logic at the DSL services reseller receives notification via the management interface from the Device Abstraction Proxy that the management selection specified by the request complies with operational constraints. For example, the Device Abstraction Proxy processes the request via an authorization module, which determines that the management specified by the request complies with the plurality of operational constraints, such as those defined by a global rule-set module and enforced via an authorization module. If the requested management function/operation selected does not comply, it may be rejected completely, or altered so that it is brought in-line with an acceptable configuration in accordance with the plurality of operational constraints. 
     At block  545 , processing logic manages the logical port in accordance with the request. Management of the logical port within the virtual access aggregation device is reflected by a corresponding physical port linked to the logical port, thus effecting the configuration onto the DSL communication services provided to a remote DSL terminal via the particular physical port linked to the logical port that was configured. For example, managing the logical port may include receiving a request to reset a physical port on one of the plurality of access aggregation devices or DSLAMs and processing the request accordingly. For example, processing logic may reset a physical port requested to be reset when the physical port is determined to be allocated to a virtual access aggregation device for which a requestor has administrative control. In one embodiment, if the requestor lacks administrative control over a virtual access aggregation device to which the physical port is allocated, or if the physical port is in an unallocated state, the request to reset the physical port is rejected by the Device Abstraction Proxy. In one embodiment, a requestor may issue a “reset all ports” command or “reset DSLAM” command that would be implemented upon a virtual access aggregation device as a request to reset all the physical ports that are allocated to the particular virtual access aggregation device for which the requestor has administrative control. Similar determinations are made (e.g., whether to execute a requested command or reject the request) for port operations such as requests to enable a port, disable a port, solicit status of a port, request diagnostic information for a specified port, etc. 
     At block  550 , processing logic sends a request for diagnostic information to the Device Abstraction Proxy via the management interface and at block  555 , the DSL services reseller receives the requested diagnostic information from the Device Abstraction Proxy via the management interface. In such an embodiment, the diagnostic information received may be limited by an authorization module of the Device Abstraction Proxy to a restricted, filtered, or limited view of all available diagnostic information, for example, diagnostic information may be limited to only information pertaining to virtual access aggregation devices over which the requesting DSL services reseller has administrative authority. 
     At block  560 , processing logic at a DSL services reseller applies Dynamic Spectrum Management optimization techniques. For example such techniques may be applied via a DSM module located within the DSL services reseller and operate under the administrative authority of the DSL services reseller or under the administrative authority of a DSL services wholesaler. Alternatively, the DSM optimization techniques may be applied via a DSM module located within the Device Abstraction Proxy and operate under the administrative authority of the DSL services reseller or under the administrative authority of a DSL services wholesaler. 
     Method  500 C begins with processing logic at a DSL services wholesaler for receiving a request from a DSL services reseller to provision a virtual access aggregation device/DSLAM (block  565 ). Alternatively, a DSL services wholesaler may initiate provisioning absent a request from a DSL services reseller. 
     At block  570 , processing logic sends provisioning instructions from the DSL services wholesaler to the Device Abstraction Proxy via the control interface to provision the virtual access aggregation device/DSLAM. The Device Abstraction Proxy correspondingly receives the provisioning instructions from the DSL services wholesaler to provision the virtual access aggregation device. 
     At block  575 , processing logic instantiates and executes or instructs the Device Abstraction Proxy to instantiate and execute the virtual access aggregation device via the control interface. The Device Abstraction Proxy correspondingly instantiates and executes the virtual access aggregation device as instructed by the DSL services wholesaler. 
     At block  580 , processing logic allocates administrative control of the virtual access aggregation device to a DSL services reseller via the control interface. In some embodiments, administrative control of a DSM module for performing cooperative DSM optimization techniques may also be allocated to the DSL services reseller. In other embodiments, administrative control of such a DSM module is retained within the exclusive control of a DSL services wholesaler having administrative authority for the Device Abstraction Proxy. In some embodiments, a DSM module is located at a DSL services reseller yet operates under the control of the DSL services wholesaler or in alternative embodiments, a DSM module at a DSL services reseller operates under the administrative authority of the DSL services reseller. 
     At block  585 , processing logic sends a request for diagnostic information to the Device Abstraction Proxy via the control interface and at block  590 , the DSL services wholesaler receives the requested diagnostic information from the Device Abstraction Proxy via the control interface. 
     At block  595 , processing logic at the DSL services wholesaler specifies, configures, or initiates Dynamic Spectrum Management optimization techniques to be applied to DSL communication services. For example, such techniques may be applied via a DSM module located within a DSL services reseller, which operates under the administrative authority of the DSL services reseller or under the administrative authority of the DSL services wholesaler, which the DSL services wholesaler may control via the Device Abstraction proxy. Alternatively, the DSM optimization techniques may be applied via a DSM module located within the Device Abstraction Proxy and operate under the administrative authority of the DSL services reseller or under the administrative authority of a DSL services wholesaler. 
     Neighborhood Diagnostics 
     Embodiments of the invention leverage the DAP  140  described herein to enable new operations paradigms. As previously discussed with reference to  FIG. 3 , database  310  provides data support and storage for DAP  140 . For example, database  310  may provide physical port to reseller mapping and/or physical port to virtual access aggregation device mapping, store rule definitions on behalf of the global rule-set module  160 , store loop inventory information describing the available loops communicatively interfaced to DAP  140  through the plurality of remotely located access aggregation devices  125 , etc. In some embodiments, DSL services resellers may have a local replica of database  310  having the corresponding DAP  140  information stored therein. In such an embodiment, the local replica may be limited or restricted to include only information associated with physical ports or logical ports to which a DSL services reseller has administrative control via a virtual access aggregation device  210 . In any case, the DAP  140  either logically or physically contains a database of information on the plurality of DSL lines that are managed by the plurality of DSL services resellers or communications providers (CPs) that access the DAP. Embodiments of the invention may additionally use the information in the DAP database for performing one or more of fault correlation, coordinating dispatches, identifying crosstalk problems, policing and resolving disputes, and performing enhanced loop qualification. 
     Identifying Neighborhoods 
     The DAP database  310  can be used to identify DSL lines that are in a common neighborhood. According to embodiments, the DSL lines may be grouped or clustered into discrete neighborhoods. This grouping can be arranged to efficiently pack end-users into a minimal number of different neighborhoods. Neighborhood boundaries can be drawn to efficiently enclose high populations of end-users. The database  310  may be accessed for such information in conjunction with accessing data external to the database. Such external data may be accessed from an Operational Support System (OSS) product that has information, or access to information, regarding the DSL terminals coupled to the DSL lines, a local loop database, a geographic information system (GIS), a database of street addresses of end-users respectively associated with the DSL terminals, one or more DSL Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) communicably interfaced with the DAP, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) devices, line enhancement devices, end-user input, Element Management Systems (EMS), and Network Management Systems (NMS). With reference to  FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 , a neighborhood may be defined by one or more of:
         A defined serving area  700 , which may include the DSL lines that are in a particular geographic area, or that emanate from a particular cable, DSLAM, DSLAM line card, crossbox, serving-area interface (SAI), feeder distribution interface (FDI), junction-wire interface (JWI), a sub-loop distribution frame (SDF), a DSL terminal, a DSL distribution terminal, a drop-wire terminal, or a deployment point (dP), all such emanating points collectively referred to as  710  in  FIG. 7 .   One or more cable sections  810 ,  820 , and  830 , such that the DSL lines that run through the same cable sections are in the same, or common, neighborhood.   The physical street address of each end-user respectively associated with a DSL terminal. For example, the two or more addresses depicted at  900 ,  910 ,  920  and  930 , on the same or nearby streets, or within a range of house numbers, may belong to one or more distinct neighborhoods.       

     The DSL lines managed by all the different DSL services resellers, and all the DSL lines operated by a DSL services wholesaler (if any), should all be identified in the DAP  140  database  310  as belonging to a particular neighborhood, so that data is available on every DSL line in the neighborhood via the DAP. However, it is appreciated that some DSL lines may not connect to the DAP, and some DSL services resellers may not provide data to the DAP  1450 . Nonetheless those DSL lines that are known to the DAP as belonging to a particular neighborhood may provide sufficient data to perform diagnostics according to embodiments of the invention. 
     Correlation 
     The DAP  140  can enable a DSL services reseller to access detailed DSL line diagnostics data to monitor and troubleshoot the DSL lines. For example, the diagnostics data may include fault monitoring parameters, performance monitoring parameters, test parameters, diagnostic parameters, status parameters, DSLAM port status, CPE status, and spectral data such as quiet-line noise (QLN), channel response (Hlog), signal to noise ratio (SNR), and crosstalk couplings (Xlin, if vectored). 
     Neighborhood data may be used in conjunction with DSL diagnostics data, for example, to automate fault isolation and dispute resolution. A DSL line experiencing a condition such as a fault generates a report such as a fault report, usually either from a customer trouble call or from an alarm from a monitoring system. Embodiments of the invention include a correlation engine  220 , depicted in  FIG. 3 , operating within the DSM module  250 . In one embodiment, correlation engine  220  uses multi-line diagnostic data to identify a condition such as a root cause of a set of fault reports that are manifested within a common neighborhood. The operation of the correlation engine is shown in  FIG. 10 . At block  1000 , the correlation engine is ready to receive input from provider. At block  1010 , an interface of DAP  140 , such as interface  295 , receives a request for operational data relating to Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) services provided to the DSL terminals  105 A-G by two or more providers. At block  1020 , the DAP provides the operational data. The operational data in one embodiment includes operational data for the DSL lines  110  coupled to the DSL terminals. The correlation engine  220 , at block  1030 , identifies at least two of the DSL lines as belonging to a common neighborhood, wherein the at least two DSL lines are respectively associated with at least two of the DSL terminals that are being provided DSL services by different providers. Finally, at block  1040 , the correlation engine correlates a condition and/or a performance of one of the at least two DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood with a condition and/or performance of another one of the at least two DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. The process ends at block  1050  according to one embodiment. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, and with reference to  FIG. 11 , conditions or performance measurements or characteristics, such as faults, that are reported within a certain time period (e.g., no more than several hours apart) are grouped into time periods as well as into neighborhoods. If the same neighborhood has multiple faults reported at or around the same time, then it is likely these faults are from the same root cause and the root cause may be isolated. The process begins at block  1100  with correlation engine  220  ready to identify a condition and/or a performance measure. At block  1110 , the correlation engine identifies a condition and/or a performance measure reported as occurring within a selected period of time in the DSL lines. The correlation engine checks at  1120  whether the reported condition and/or performance occurs in one of the DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood, as determined, for example, according to the embodiment described with reference to  FIG. 10 . If the correlation engine determines at  1120  that the conditioned reported and identified at  1100  occurred in a DSL line that belongs to a particular neighborhood, it correlates the condition and/or a performance of the DSL line. 
     According to one embodiment, identifying a condition reported as occurring within a selected period of time in the DSL lines at  1110  involves identifying a fault reported as occurring within a selected period of time in the DSL lines. Further, according to the embodiment, identifying the reported condition as occurring in the DSL line identified as belonging to a particular neighborhood involves identifying a reported fault as occurring in the DSL line identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. Correlating the condition and/or performance of the DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood, in such an embodiment, involves correlating the fault that occurs in the DSL line identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. 
     In one embodiment, the fault that occurs in the DSL line identified as belonging to the common neighborhood is estimated to share a root cause with another fault that occurs in another one of the DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. For example, the correlation engine can perform fault correlation analysis to determine if particular types or categories of faults reported have a common cause. For example, a WiFi outage should have nothing in common with a communications cable cut, but a feeder or distribution cable cut is likely to result in multiple correlated fault reports. Table 1 below lists an example of fault categories and identifies those that can possibly have the same root cause that can be correlated together to identify a common root cause. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Possible root causes of common categories of DSL faults 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Possible root cause 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Fault category 
                 Backhaul 
                 DSLAM 
                 Copper 
                 CPE* 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 IP/ISP, browser, DNS, IP address 
                 Y 
                 Y 
                   
                   
               
               
                 ATM or Ethernet aggregation 
                 Y 
                 Y 
                   
                   
               
               
                 DSL, copper 
                   
                 Y 
                 Y 
                   
               
               
                 DSLAM, DSLAM port(s) 
                   
                 Y 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Modem 
                   
                   
                   
                 Y 
               
               
                 Inside wire, microfilters 
                   
                   
                   
                 Y 
               
               
                 Customer computer 
                   
                   
                   
                 Y 
               
               
                 Wireless 
                   
                   
                   
                 Y 
               
               
                 No synch 
                   
                 Y 
                 Y 
                   
               
               
                 Slow speed 
                 Y 
                 Y 
                 Y 
                   
               
               
                 No Internet 
                 Y 
                 Y 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 *CPE faults are independent and do not correlate to a neighborhood-wide fault 
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Correlation engine  220  may perform clustering analysis to identify and group faults together, and/or to identify a group of faults, that has a single root cause. As an example, there may be a wet or damaged distribution cable that simultaneously impacts several DSL lines, but each DSL line is under management of a different service provider. With no common neighborhood analysis, each impacted end-user would lodge a separate trouble call and there would be a separate dispatch to fix each of them. However, by performing neighborhood analysis according to an embodiment, the simultaneous troubles can be correlated and the root cause (a single shared cable) automatically identified and fixed with a single dispatch. As another example, if there is high ingress noise on many DSL lines simultaneously, the root cause of this may be identified by the neighborhood analysis, so that a technician may be dispatched to bond and ground the shields of the cables of the lines sharing the fault. 
     Such uses of neighborhood analysis data rely on common data within, shared with, or accessible to, the DAP. Since trouble reports arrive at each DSL services reseller separately, they cannot be correlated unless there is a mechanism such as the embodiments described herein for exchanging the data among the lines. In this way, neighborhood analysis enables quicker root cause analysis of multiple outages that occur simultaneously or nearly simultaneously. 
     Coordinated Dispatch 
     The output of the correlation engine, in particular, output regarding faults or potential faults, can be used to coordinate repair actions such as dispatches or truck-rolls. Multiple DSL services resellers can receive multiple reports, such as fault reports, and if all or some subset of the reports are correlated to be from the same root cause, then they can be repaired by a single dispatch. This is more cost-effective than multiple separate dispatches by each DSL services reseller. 
     Another use of the neighborhood correlation analysis in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is fault sectionalization. A fault may be part of the infrastructure or service of only one of the multiple separate companies that are all using the same network. The correlation engine can determine from what part of the network, under what company&#39;s management, the faults originates. For example, for a “wires only” deployment, the wholesaler is responsible for the DSLAM and the twisted pair copper wires, while a DSL services reseller is responsible for the end-user CPE. The correlation engine, according to one embodiment, can determine if the root cause is in a given cable plant section, such as:
         A DSLAM failure, identified by multiple DSL lines terminating on a single DSLAM or DSLAM line card experiencing faults;   A cable fault, identified by multiple DSL lines transmitting through the same section of cable experiencing faults;   The CPE, identified by a single line experiencing a fault that can be traced back to the CPE; or in some cases a bad firmware upgrade can cause multiple simultaneous CPE faults;   The customer premises wiring, identified by a single line experiencing a fault that can be traced back to the premises wiring;   Backhaul or aggregation network, identified by multiple lines experiencing faults that all cross-connect through a DSLAM back to the same network connection; and   Congestion on a network segment, identified by multiple DSL lines experiencing delays that all traverse the same network interface.       

     Such fault sectionalization can be used for resolving disputes among DSL services resellers and DSL services wholesalers. 
     Crosstalk Identification 
     Crosstalk is electromagnetic coupling between DSL lines in the same cable. Crosstalk from one DSL line can impair or slow down operation of another DSL line. DSL is generally engineered to handle crosstalk, but crosstalk occasionally appears to cause a fault or slow service. This may be due to a wet or damaged cable, a DSL line transmitting high power or power spectral density (PSD) levels creating high crosstalk, or an impacted DSL line barely meeting its service target before the crosstalk appeared. 
     It is possible to estimate the level of crosstalk into each DSL line in a neighborhood, according to an embodiment of the invention. Also, crosstalk couplings are generally symmetric, with crosstalk coupling from one DSL line into a second, nearby, DSL line approximately equal to the crosstalk coupling from the second DSL line into the first DSL line. Thus, determining a level of crosstalk coupling into a DSL line also determines that there is substantially the same level of crosstalk coupling from the DSL line. 
     DAP  140  can record: a DSL line being turned on or off, a transmit power for a DSL line, a power spectral density (PSD) level for a DSL line, quiet-line noise on a DSL line, SNR margin for a DSL line, performance monitoring parameters for a DSL line, data from a data gathering buffer associated with a DSL line, and a time of an error event occurring on a DSL line, severely errored seconds (SES), cell violations (CVs), or other performance counters. 
     If one DSL line is turned on and a second DSL line simultaneously experiences significant errors then the errors may be caused by crosstalk from the first line into the second line. Several occurrences of such can lead to a determination that the errors are indeed caused by crosstalk. For such identification of crosstalk problems, it should be that:
         Data on the interacting DSL lines are available to a common correlation analysis system, such as correlation engine  220  in DAP  140 , or are enabled by querying the DAP. Conversely, such analysis cannot be performed if the data from multiple crosstalking lines managed by multiple providers is separately, not jointly, made available.   The neighborhood of possibly interacting lines is identified. It is preferable to identify shared cables or cable binders, but it can alternately be assumed that any neighborhood is likely to have crosstalk interactions.   Events such as line on/off events, re-synchronization events, error events, and increments in performance counters are stored in an identifiable time sequence or with time stamps.   The cause of the resynchronizations is recorded, such as LPR_INTRPT, HRI_INTRPT, and SPONT_INTRPT counters as defined in ITU-T G.997.1.       

     Knowledge of crosstalk interactions can be used further by DAP  140  to coordinate frequencies utilized on nearby DSL lines, and to enable spectral compatibility. For example, the DAP may identify the presence, absence, or level of crosstalk between:
         Exchange-based DSL lines and cabinet-based lines   Different vectored groups   A vectored group and a group of non-vectored DSL lines.   Upstream VDSL2 lines   Different types of DSL lines       

     This information can be used to jointly optimize transmit spectra or other line configuration parameters. The DAP diagnostic data and knowledge of crosstalk interactions can be used by dynamic spectrum management (DSM), or to configure line settings such as upstream power back-off (UPBO), downstream power back-off (DPBO), transmit power, and transmit PSD. This data is also useful for enabling spectral compatibility with a vectored VDSL group, or for determining spectral compatibility of VDSL from the exchange with VDSL from a cabinet. 
     Loop Qualification and Services Definition 
     DSL performance is strongly dependent on loop length. Two DSL lines that terminate at about the same location should have about the same level of performance. These cables may also be in the same cables and experience similar noise. In particular, two DSL lines that are both within a reasonably small neighborhood should be able to support the same data bit rates and service levels. 
     DSL lines that currently do not support DSL can be pre-qualified using loop records, narrowband automated test measurement data, or using single-ended loop tests (SELT). Loop records are often incorrect, narrowband measurements often only give a rough estimate of electrical line length, and neither includes high-frequency noise variations. DELT requires the connection of a DSLAM port to the prospective line, can determine loop length only if it is short, and does not include noise variations at end user location (that is, downstream). An operating DSL line, however, generally gives very good information on current performance and maximum attainable net data rate (MABR or ATTNDR). For example, line statistics on an ADSL line can be extrapolated to estimate bit rates achievable by VDSL. 
     The information in the DAP database  310  can be used for loop qualification, according to one embodiment of the invention. DSL lines in the same reasonably small neighborhood can be expected to all have about the same maximum attainable data rate. To determine the maximum attainable data rate of a first DSL line, the DAP  140  simply reads the maximum attainable data rate of other DSL lines in the same neighborhood of the same type, even if these are under the management of other providers, such as DSL services resellers. The maximum attainable bit rate of the first line is then extrapolated from these other DSL lines, either by a straight average or other function such as adjusting to a given level of conservatism such as engineering to the 1% or 10% worst-case. 
     Such loop qualification data may be used to define offered services, in one embodiment. The offered services can reflect the transmission environment of the neighborhood, including bit rates, error rates, required error correction or retransmission parameters, SNR margins, and line stability. Different service levels may be offered, with different bit rates, quality of service (QoS) levels, and delay profiles. 
     Improved loop qualification available through the neighborhood analysis according to one embodiment can enable a provider with an upsell to higher service levels, upsell to VDSL2 or vectored VDSL2, or can enable temporarily providing a speed increase on a given line, for example, a “turbo button” feature. 
     According to one embodiment, the current or maximum attainable data rates of multiple providers in a neighborhood can be pooled for diagnostics purposes. A DSL line in a neighborhood with data rate significantly below the other DSL lines in the neighborhood is identified as having some type of fault that can be subsequently repaired. 
     Policing 
     A provider, such as a communications provider (CP) or DSL services reseller, could conceivably deploy a type of DSL that transmits an inordinately high power or PSD level, generating crosstalk that unduly impacts other nearby DSL lines. Different regulatory jurisdictions and incumbent operators have different rules for enforcing a level of spectral compatibility among DSL systems. Examples of such rules are set forth in standards such as: ANSI T1.417 , Spectrum Management for Loop Transmission Systems,  2003; NICC ND1602 , Specification of the Access Network Frequency Plan v 5.1.1, September 2011; NICC ND1513 , Report on Dynamic Spectrum Management  ( DSM )  Methods in the UK Access Network , January 2010; ATIS Standard 0600009 , Dynamic Spectrum Management—Technical Report,  2007; and ATIS-0900007 , Dynamic Spectrum Management—Technical Report  ( Issue  2), November 2012. These rules range from rigidly defined sets of allowable DSL types and their operating ranges, defining various PSD masks that the transmitted PSDs must fall below, to more flexible computations-based, or dynamic spectrum management (DSM) rule set approaches. 
     According to one embodiment, DAP  140  can be used to determine compliance with these spectral compatibility rules. The data from all the various DSL lines of the providers and the wholesaler(s) can be checked for consistency and conformance with such rulesets. These rules can include system types, loop lengths, transmit power, transmit PSD, upstream power back-off (UPBO), dynamic UPBO (as defined in NICC ND1602), and downstream power back-off (DPBO). Verification of spectral compatibility compliance can be used to resolve crosstalk disputes and ensure a level of fairness among operators. The DAP can be used implement fair and consistent technical spectral balancing rules. Sharing this information from multiple providers in or via the DAP may also be useful for various other purposes, such as service-level monitoring, verifying contract compliance, joint performance analyses, joint optimizations, regulatory compliance, service comparisons and ratings, etc. 
     Joint Multi-Line Re-Profiling 
     The DAP  140  can further be used for joint multiple DSL line (“joint multi-line”) re-profiling, according to one embodiment of the invention. A joint multi-line state is defined as a vector, with each element in the vector containing the state of each DSL line. The state of each DSL line is defined by a profile, which is a set of transmission parameter settings. Re-profiling operates on the joint multi-line state, where the profiles of various DSL lines in the set under consideration are changed as an ensemble. If the re-profiling improves the ensemble of line performances, then re-profiling continues to make transmission parameter changes along the same direction or gradient. If the re-profiling degrades the performance, then re-profiling makes transmission parameter changes in the opposite direction or gradient or falls back to a previous joint multi-line state with known performance. DSL line performance may be defined, for example, by the number of retrains, error counts, noise margins, line speeds, etc. Joint multi-line re-profiling can simultaneously find the best DSL transceiver and DSL line settings of multiple DSL lines that cause crosstalk into each other. In this way, multi-line re-profiling can mitigate crosstalk between lines. 
     The joint multi-line state may also operate on a diagnostic that infers the statistics of various end-users mutual effect upon one another over time as “strong, moderate, weak, or nonexistent” or some equivalent scale. Then only the DSL lines that have substantial effect on each other need to be included in the joint multi-line re-profiling. Further, the effect of changing transmission parameters can be predicted and these predictions used to optimize future profile changes. DSL line lengths and loop topologies may also be included in determining the profile settings, according to an embodiment. 
     Joint multi-line re-profiling can be used for VDSL from the exchange, where all the DSL lines in a feeder that terminates at a cabinet, and all the DSL lines that originate at that cabinet would be included in the joint multi-line state. For DSL lines that all originate at a cabinet, all the DSL lines originating at the cabinet would be included in the joint multi-line state, and such a joint multi-line state can be used for managing vectored VDSL2 and non-vectored VDSL2. DSL lines originating at a deployment point or DSL terminal could similarly be identified as the DSL lines in a joint multi-line state. Or a joint multi-line state could be defined to include the DSL lines in a neighborhood, according to an embodiment. 
     In an unbundled environment, joint multi-line re-profiling according to an embodiment can benefit from sharing of data among or between operators as described herein. The DAP database may be implemented as a centralized database according to one embodiment. With such data sharing, centralized analysis may be conducted, either to perform the joint multi-line re-profiling, or to enable joint multi-line re-profiling in distributed database implementations by sharing performance data and identifying crosstalk impacts between DSL lines. 
     Architecture 
     With reference to  FIG. 12 , embodiments of the invention  1200  can be performed in a centralized manner within DAP  140  and in conjunction with access to DAP database  310 , with the neighborhood analysis function  1220 , fault correlation function  1230 , dispatch function  1240 , crosstalk identification function  1250 , loop qualification function  1260 , policing function  1270 , and re-profiling function  1280  all under the control of a single provider or a single third party. In an alternative embodiment, the functionality may be distributed, for example, to one or more providers, such as provider  205 A, enabled by an open OSS interface  1210 . With reference to  FIG. 12 , the DAP  140 , the common, shared database  310 , and other central functions such as depicted in  FIG. 3  add described above, are typically owned and executed by a DSL services wholesaler. In an alternative embodiment, a third party may host the system. Reseller  205 A allows a correlation engine perform the neighborhood analysis, fault correlation, dispatch, crosstalk identification, loop qualification, policing, and re-profiling functions. Reseller  205 B, on the other hand, uses the open OSS interface  1210  to access the DAP data on all the DSL lines to perform neighborhood analysis, fault correlation, dispatch, crosstalk identification, loop qualification, policing, and re-profiling functions. 
     In other embodiments, the invention may be performed in a distributed manner, where any of the neighborhood analysis, fault correlation, dispatch, crosstalk identification, loop qualification, policing, and re-profiling functions may be performed by the correlation engine, or any of these functions may be performed by DSL services reseller management systems. Any of these functions may also be partially implemented in the DAP  140 , and partially implemented in the DSL services reseller management systems. 
     Database  310  may also be distributed, with data residing at various operator or service provider locations, across multiple servers, across multiple databases, or in the cloud. Multiple operators can each maintain separate databases, and these data may be shared and updated by one operator sending data to another operator, or by one operator querying another operator. 
     In one embodiment, multiple operators may be involved, such that one operator sends data to a second operator, and then the second operator sends data a third operator. In this case, the second operator may filter or otherwise process the data received from the first operator before sending all or part of it to the third operator. In one embodiment, there may multiple DSL services wholesalers, with a cable provider and one or more DSLAM providers, in which case all or part of the data is shared among these wholesalers and the DSL services resellers. In such an embodiment, all or part of the DAP system may be hosted by a third party. Further, according to an embodiment, the above described analyses and functions can also be distributed, using shared data, with parts of the analyses performed by different operators or by a third party. 
     One embodiment of the invention comprises a method involving receiving, at an interface of a Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP), a request for operational data relating to Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) services provided to a plurality of DSL terminals in a DSL network by two or more providers; receiving, at the interface of the DAP, the operational data, including operational data for a plurality of DSL lines coupled to the plurality of DSL terminals; identifying, at the DAP, at least two of the plurality of DSL lines as belonging to a common neighborhood of DSL lines, each of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines respectively associated with at least two of the plurality of DSL terminals being provided the DSL services by different ones of the at least two or more providers; and correlating a condition and/or a performance of one of the at least two DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood with a condition and/or performance of another one of the at least two DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. In some embodiments, receiving the operational data comprises receiving the operational data from a database maintained by, and/or associated with, the DAP. In some embodiments, the operational data is received from one or more of: the plurality of DSL terminals, a local loop database, a geographic information system, a database of a plurality of street addresses of end-users respectively associated with the plurality of DSL terminals, one or more DSL Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) communicably interfaced with the DAP, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) devices, line enhancement devices, end-user input, and Network Management Systems (NMS). 
     According to one embodiment, the providers include one or more broadband DSL services providers, DSL services wholesalers, DSL services resellers, metallic path facility providers, copper network providers, communications providers, CPE providers, access node operators, DSLAM operators. 
     In some embodiment, each of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to a common neighborhood of DSL lines are coupled to one of: respective ports of one of a plurality of DSL line cards in a DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM), respective ports of different ones of the plurality of DSL line cards in the DSLAM, and respective ports of different ones of a plurality of DSL line cards in different ones of a plurality of DLSAMs. 
     In one embodiment, a correlation engine in the DAP identifies a condition reported as occurring within a selected period of time in the plurality of DSL lines; identifies the reported condition as occurring in one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood; and correlates the reported condition and/or performance that occurs in the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. In some embodiment, correlating the condition reported as occurring within a selected period of time in the plurality of DSL lines comprises identifying a fault reported as occurring within a selected period of time in the plurality of DSL lines; identifying the reported condition as occurring in one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood comprises identifying a reported fault as occurring in the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood; and correlating a condition and/or performance of one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood comprises correlating the fault that occurs in the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. 
     Some embodiments further determine that the fault that occurs in the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood is estimated to share a root cause with another fault that occurs in another one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, receiving, at the interface of the DAP, the operational data including operational data for a plurality of DSL lines coupled to the plurality of DSL terminals comprises receiving at the DAP interface data regarding events that occur on the plurality of DSL lines; and correlating a condition and/or a performance of one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood comprises estimating a level of crosstalk in the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood based on the data regarding events that occur on the plurality of DSL lines. In such embodiments, the events may include one or more of: a DSL line being turned on or off, a transmit power for a DSL line, a power spectral density (PSD) level for a DSL line, quiet-line noise on a DSL line, SNR margin for a DSL line, performance monitoring parameters for a DSL line, data from a data gathering buffer associated with a DSL line, and a time of an error event occurring on a DSL line. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, receiving, at the interface of the DAP, the operational data including operational data for a plurality of DSL lines coupled to the plurality of DSL terminals comprises receiving at the DAP interface an estimated maximum attainable net data rate for one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines belonging to a common neighborhood; and correlating a condition and/or a performance of the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood comprises extrapolating an estimated maximum attainable net data rate for another one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood based on the estimated maximum attainable net data rate for the one or more of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines belonging to a common neighborhood. 
     According to an embodiment, correlating a condition and/or a performance of one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood comprises checking the operational data for one or more of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines to determine compliance of the one or more of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines with a spectral compatibility rule. In such embodiments, the spectral compatibility rule compliance is determined using one or more of: a DSL system type associated with a DSL line, a loop length of a DSL line, a transmit power of a DSL line, a transmit power spectral density (PSD) of a DSL line, an upstream power back-off (UPBO) for a DSL line, a dynamic UPBO for the DSL line, and a downstream power back-off (DPBO) for a DSL line. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a profile of the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood is changed in conjunction with changing a profile of another one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. The profile of the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood may be defined in one or more of: a transmission parameter setting for the DSL line, a line state of the DSL line, and a transceiver state of a DSLAM or DSL terminal coupled to the DSL line. 
     The above embodiments may further be made available in the form of non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor in a Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP), cause the DAP to perform the above described operations. 
     A Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP), according to an embodiment comprises an interface communicatively coupled with a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service provider to receive a request for operational data relating to Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) services provided to a plurality of DSL terminals in a DSL network by two or more providers; the interface to receive the operational data, including operational data for a plurality of DSL lines coupled to the plurality of DSL terminals; the DAP to identify at least two of the plurality of DSL lines as belonging to a common neighborhood of DSL lines, each of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines respectively associated with at least two of the plurality of DSL terminals being provided the DSL services by different ones of the at least two or more providers; and a correlation engine to correlate a condition and/or a performance of one of the at least two DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood with a condition and/or performance of another one of the at least two DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. 
     In some embodiments, the DAP further comprises the correlation engine to identify a condition reported as occurring within a selected period of time in the plurality of DSL lines; the correlation engine to identify the reported condition as occurring in one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood; the correlation engine to correlate the reported condition and/or performance that occurs in the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood. 
     In some embodiments, the correlation engine checks the operational data for the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines to determine compliance of the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines with a spectral compatibility rule. 
     In some embodiments, the correlation engine modifies a profile of the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood in conjunction with modifying a profile of another one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood, wherein the profile of the one of the at least two of the plurality of DSL lines identified as belonging to the common neighborhood is defined in one or more of: a transmission parameter setting for the DSL line, a line state of the DSL line, and a transceiver state of a DSLAM or DSL terminal coupled to the DSL line. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a machine  600  in the exemplary form of a computer system, in accordance with one embodiment, within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine  600  to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a Local Area Network (LAN), an intranet, an extranet, or the Internet. The machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment or as a server or series of servers within an on-demand service environment, including an on-demand environment providing database storage services. Certain embodiments of the machine may be in the form of a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a server, a network router, switch or bridge, computing system, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines (e.g., computers) that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. 
     The exemplary computer system  600  includes a processor  602 , a main memory  604  (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), etc., static memory such as flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), volatile but high-data rate RAM, etc.), and a secondary memory  618  (e.g., a persistent storage device including hard disk drives and persistent data base implementations), which communicate with each other via a bus  630 . Main memory  604  includes information, instructions, and software program components necessary for performing and executing the functions with respect to the various embodiments of the Device Abstraction Proxy described herein. For example, stored rules and profiles  624  specify operational constraints as defined by a global rule-set module and enforced by an authorization module and stores profiles to be applied to physical/logical ports thus establishing DSL communication services). Main memory  604  further includes multiple logical ports  623  to which physical ports are linked once allocated to a virtual device abstraction proxy. Main memory  604  and its sub-elements (e.g.  623  and  624 ) are operable in conjunction with processing logic  626  and processor  602  to perform the methodologies discussed herein. 
     Processor  602  represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processor  602  may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, processor implementing other instruction sets, or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Processor  602  may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. Processor  602  is configured to execute the processing logic  626  for performing the operations and functionality, which is discussed herein. 
     The computer system  600  may further include a network interface card  608 . The computer system  600  also may include a user interface  610  (such as a video display unit, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device  612  (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device  614  (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device  616  (e.g., an integrated speaker). The computer system  600  may further include peripheral device  636  (e.g., wireless or wired communication devices, memory devices, storage devices, audio processing devices, video processing devices, etc.). The computer system  600  may perform the functions of a Device Abstraction Proxy  634  capable of provisioning virtual access aggregation devices, configuring such virtual access aggregation devices, and authorizing requested changes, access to, or configurations of virtual access aggregation devices including logical ports therein, and defining/enforcing operational constraints upon logical ports within the virtual access aggregation devices, as well as the various other functions and operations described herein. 
     The secondary memory  618  may include a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium (or more specifically a non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium)  631  on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software  622 ) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. Software  622  may also reside, or alternatively reside within main memory  604 , and may further reside completely or at least partially within the processor  602  during execution thereof by the computer system  600 , the main memory  604  and the processor  602  also constituting machine-readable storage media. The software  622  may further be transmitted or received over a network  620  via the network interface card  608 . 
     While the subject matter disclosed herein has been described by way of example and in terms of the specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the claimed embodiments are not limited to the explicitly enumerated embodiments disclosed. To the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. The scope of the disclosed subject matter is therefore to be determined in reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.