Patent ID: 7113934

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for managing telecommunication network elements, comprising: receiving configuration information identifying an element type of a first network element and a version of the first network element; selecting, from a list of one or more fully-qualified versions for the element type of the first network element, a managed version by: determining whether any of the fully-qualified versions are earlier than the version of the first network element; in response to determining that one or more of the fully-qualified versions are earlier than the version of the first network element, selecting a latest fully-qualified version that is earlier than the version of the first network element; and in response to determining that none of the fully-qualified versions are earlier than the version of the first network element, selecting a default version associated with a manufacturer of the first network element; storing information identifying the managed version in a memory; and communicating, in a manner determined based on the managed version, information to the first network element through an interface associated with the first network element.