Active-Standby Service Management System Backup Circuitry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current telecommunication systems lack effective redundancy and fault tolerance mechanisms, particularly for service management systems (SMS) in Advanced Intelligent Networks (AIN), leading to potential service disruptions during system failures, maintenance, or upgrades.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a backup-restore solution with active-standby service management systems, utilizing shared storage and automated backup/restore circuitry to ensure seamless data replication and switchover between active and standby SMSs, minimizing downtime and human error.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual backup and restore procedures are used, then system redundancy can be maintained, but operational complexity and human error increase
Solution Approach 1:
The standby SMS automatically performs backup and restore operations without manual intervention. The system monitors itself and executes recovery procedures autonomously when failover conditions are detected, eliminating manual operational complexity while maintaining redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The standby SMS continuously maintains backup copies of database files before failures occur. This preliminary preparation ensures that when a failure happens, the restore operation can proceed immediately without requiring manual setup or preparation, reducing operational complexity during critical events.
2Loss of time
If automated backup and restore procedures are implemented, then switchover time is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The standby SMS pre-loads backup database files and maintains them in a ready state before failures occur. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming backup operations during failover events, reducing switchover time while the automation handles the complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical backup and restore operations are replaced with automated electronic processes. The system uses computer-based monitoring and execution mechanisms to handle failover, which reduces switchover time while managing complexity through software automation rather than manual procedures.
3Reliability
If shared storage is used for backup, then data redundancy is improved, but access control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The standby SMS autonomously manages access to shared storage for backup files. The system automatically reads backup files when needed and writes new backups without requiring manual authentication or access control management, simplifying the shared storage access complexity while maintaining data redundancy.
Data Source
AI summary
The preferred embodiments described herein include a system and method for providing a backup-restore solution for active-standby service management systems. In one embodiment, a telecommunication system is disclosed having first and second service management systems (SMS), a storage device shared by the first and second SMSs and circuitry operative to provide backup/restore functionality. This provides system redundancy in that the second SMS can perform the same functions as the first SMS in the event that the first SMS is unavailable due to, for example, system failures, a scheduled maintenance, or an upgrade process. Other embodiments are provided, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another.