Patent ID: 7277882

Claim:
A method for loading network element data from a first database resident in a first computing device to a second database resident in a second computing device, comprising: receiving network element data from the first database identifying network elements in a communications network, the network elements being individual pieces of equipment; creating from the network element data grouping data identifying logical groupings of network elements that exist in the communications network; creating from the network element data target data identifying the network elements; reformatting the network element data and the target data for loading into the second database; and loading the reformatted network element data and target data into the second database for use by the second computing device for provisioning network elements, wherein creating grouping data comprises creating data identifying network elements that are members of a SONET ring by specifying at least a SONET ring carrier ID (SCID) among the members of the SONET ring as a name for the logical grouping.