Event Report Correlation for Network Management Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network management systems face challenges in efficiently correlating and managing event reports, leading to event floods and poor correlation between physical and logical resource notifications, which results in redundant alarms and inefficient network supervision.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that checks and correlates notification identifiers between primary and secondary notifications, generating correlation indications to provide coordinated status change indications to management devices, reducing redundant notifications and enhancing alarm quality by mapping vendor-specific resources to vendor-independent object models.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If event reports are forwarded to NMS without correlation processing, then all alarm information is preserved, but event floods occur and network supervision efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealarm informationVSAvoidnetwork supervision efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The EMS performs preliminary correlation processing of event reports before forwarding them to the NMS. By checking notification identifiers and generating correlation indications in advance, the system filters and organizes events at the source, preventing event floods from reaching the NMS while ensuring all relevant alarm information is preserved and properly correlated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If correlation processing is performed at NMS level, then network supervision efficiency improves, but information loss occurs and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork supervision efficiencyVSAvoidalarm information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The EMS acts as an intermediary between the event sources and the NMS. It performs correlation processing and generates correlation indications that are forwarded to the NMS, enabling the NMS to receive pre-processed, correlated event information without having to implement complex correlation logic itself. This distributes the processing load and preserves information integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If vendor-specific object models are used, then manufacturing precision improves, but adaptability to different NMS capabilities deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent reporting accuracyVSAvoidNMS compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The correlation indication mechanism is designed to be vendor-independent and universally applicable. By using standardized notification identifiers and correlation indications that can be mapped to different object models, the system maintains precise event correlation while adapting to various NMS capabilities and vendor-specific implementations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3069474B1Correlation of event reports
Publication Date: 2020.03.11 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP3069474B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3069474B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3069474B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

It is provided a method, comprising checking if a notification identifier comprised by a received primary notification and a correlation identifier comprised by a received secondary notification match each other, wherein the primary notification is different from the secondary notification; generating, if the notification identifier and the correlation identifier match each other, a correlation indication; providing, to a management device, if the notification identifier and the correlation identifier match each other, a primary forward status change indication generated based on a primary status change indication comprised in the primary notification, a secondary forward status change indication generated based on a secondary status change indication comprised in the secondary notification, and the correlation indication.