Centralized Management Entity for SDP Node Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Service Delivery Platforms (SDP) in mobile networks lack a unified management concept due to disparate management interfaces and systems, leading to burdensome and error-prone administration, with integration challenges and high costs associated with integrating separate management systems.
Innovation Solution
A centralized management entity supports predefined management interfaces, allowing nodes to implement partial or full management interface operations, enabling single-interface management and seamless addition or removal of nodes without extensive redesign, with automated operations and access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate management interfaces are used for each SDP node, then each node can be managed independently with its own vendor-specific interface, but administrators face burdensome operation complexity and high integration costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal management interface that can manage multiple types of SDP nodes (SMS gateway, MMS gateway, WAP gateway, etc.) from different vendors through a single standardized interface. This interface provides unified functionality for configuration, monitoring, and control operations across heterogeneous nodes, eliminating the need for administrators to learn multiple vendor-specific interfaces while maintaining the ability to manage each node independently
2Productivity
If separate management systems are integrated into a common external management system, then some management operations can be consolidated, but integration costs remain high and success is not guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary management interface layer that sits between the administrator and the diverse SDP nodes. This intermediary translates standardized management operations into node-specific commands and protocols, enabling consolidation of management operations without direct complex integration between different vendor systems. The intermediary handles protocol translation, data mapping, and operation routing, simplifying the integration process
Solution Approach 2:
The management system is segmented into independent modular components: a universal management interface layer, node-specific adaptation layers, and individual SDP node instances. Each component can be developed, deployed, and maintained independently. The management interface is divided into functional modules for configuration management, operation control, event monitoring, and statistics collection, allowing incremental implementation and reducing overall integration complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If each node has its own management interface and statistics, then comprehensive node-specific control is achieved, but administrators need extensive documentation and practice to use multiple interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The universal management interface provides consistent functionality for all SDP nodes through standardized command sets and parameter structures. Administrators interact with a single interface that supports configuration management, operation control, event monitoring, and statistics collection across all node types using uniform procedures, eliminating the need for extensive training on multiple different interfaces while maintaining full node-specific control capability
4Adaptability or versatility
If SDP nodes are managed separately, then each node can be configured independently, but error-prone manual configuration and high integration costs result
Solution Approach 1:
The management interface implements automated feedback mechanisms that monitor configuration status, detect inconsistencies, and validate settings across all SDP nodes. The system continuously collects statistics and operational data from each node, compares them against configured parameters and best practices, and provides automated alerts and corrections. This feedback loop reduces configuration errors while maintaining independent configurability of each node
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for centralised management of a set of network nodes. The method comprises supporting, in a centralised management entity, operations of at least one predefined management interface, wherein said predefined management interface is specific to said centralised management entity, implementing, at least partially, at least one of said predefined management interfaces in the network nodes of said set, and controlling, via said centralised management entity, a network node of said set by means of a management interface implementation relating to said node.