Patent ID: 8073819

Claim:
A method of storing network element information, the method comprising: receiving metric information of at least two metrics for a network element of a communication network from the network element at a centralized network-based repository of metric information, the repository operable in a service bureau mode to provide element management services for different types of communication network elements of a plurality of communication networks, the element management services including obtaining and maintaining metric information from each of the plurality of communication networks, wherein the metric information is accessible via a graphical user interface; generating a structured text object including the metric information for the network element, the structured text object containing multiple pieces of information associated with the network element, wherein the structured text object includes an extensible markup language object; automatically compressing the structured text object into a binary element; storing the binary element in a memory device; associating an identification key with the binary element to enable retrieving of the binary element, wherein the identification key includes a customer identifier associated with a particular customer; receiving a request from an access device for the metric information, wherein the request includes a portion of the customer identifier; determining an access device type of the access device; retrieving the binary element based on the portion of the customer identifier; translating at least a portion of the metric information from the binary element into a signal based on the access device type; and sending the signal to the access device.