Patent ID: 8644146

Claim:
A network change management system, comprising: a processor; a memory; and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, receives a first change request message from a first customer device in an enterprise network, the first change request message containing a first change request to make a first change to a configuration of a network port; identifies components of the configuration impacted by the first change request; receives a second change request message from a second customer device in the enterprise network, the second change request message containing a second change request to make a second change to the configuration of the network port, wherein the network port is configured to be used by the first customer device and by the second customer device; identifies components of the configuration impacted by the second change request; filters information contained in the second change request about the second customer device and the components impacted by the second change request by applying at least one filtering criterion; analyzes the first change request, wherein the first change request impacts at least one component impacted by the second change request, and wherein the first change request has not been implemented; sends a notification message to the second customer device presenting the current as-built configuration of the network port and further describing the impact to the at least one component of the first change request; approves one of the entirety or a portion of the second change request based on analysis of the results of the at least one applied filtering criterion and based on analysis of a previous commitment associated with the first change request; sends an option message to the second customer device, the option message presenting at least one available option associated with the second change request, the at least one available option is based on the approved one of the entirety or the portion of the second change request; receives a submission message from the second customer device, the submission message containing a selection by the second customer device of one of the at least one available option; and processes the second change request based on receiving the submission message.