Dynamic Subscriber Service Configuration via Attribute Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of configuring and managing network services and accounting for subscribers in data communication networks, particularly due to the need for complex internal network attributes and their interdependencies, leads to inefficiencies and human error in service management and accounting processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that dynamically generate internal network attributes from simple service attributes received from a server, reducing the complexity of attributes stored at the server and minimizing network processing and message passing, by using Radius substitutable service attributes to configure network services and accounting for subscribers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex internal network attributes are configured to support services and accounting for services, then service quality and accounting accuracy are improved, but device complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the network element and the server. The network element maintains a local mapping between simplified service attributes and complex internal network attributes. This mapping acts as a mediator that translates simple server commands into complex internal configurations, allowing the server to remain unaware of the complexity while still achieving accurate service quality and accounting control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the attribute management into two distinct layers: simplified service attributes at the server level and complex internal network attributes at the network element level. The local mapping table segments the complexity locally at the network element, isolating it from the server and enabling independent management of each layer's attributes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If numerous internal network attributes are configured for each subscriber, then service customization is improved, but ease of operation and administration deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The local mapping table serves as an intermediary that translates simple service customization requests from administrators into complex internal attribute configurations. Administrators interact only with simplified service attributes, while the mapping table handles the translation to complex internal attributes, maintaining both customization capability and operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of the complex internal attributes at the service attribute level. These simplified attributes are copies that retain the essential functionality for service customization but eliminate the complexity in their representation and management, allowing administrators to work with the simplified versions while the system maintains the full functionality through the mapping table.
3Reliability
If all internal network attributes are stored and passed to the network element, then service configuration completeness is improved, but loss of information and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the simplified service attributes from the complex internal network attributes and passes these to the network element. The complex internal attributes remain local to the network element in the mapping table, extracting the essential information needed for service configuration while leaving the complexity local, thereby reducing message size and processing overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the attribute data into two parts: simplified service attributes that are transmitted to the network element and complex internal network attributes that remain local. This segmentation allows complete service configuration to be maintained while minimizing the information transmitted over the network and processed at the server level.
4Ease of operation
If service attributes are dynamically generated from simple attributes, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-establishing the local mapping table that defines the relationship between simplified service attributes and complex internal network attributes. This mapping table is configured in advance, allowing the system to dynamically generate appropriate internal attributes from simple service attributes without requiring complex real-time processing, thus improving ease of operation while keeping the dynamic generation mechanism manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus is described for configuring a network element for providing services for subscribers by dynamically generating a set of one or more internal network attributes based on a set of relatively simple attributes passed from a server.