Communication Link Conflict Detection for Risky Maintenance Tickets
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Primary communication links fail due to fiber cuts or equipment failures, leading to network isolation and customer connectivity loss during planned maintenance on secondary circuits.
Innovation Solution
A system and method to access datasets from link information repositories, identify at-risk communication links, and manage change maintenance tickets to prevent maintenance actions that could isolate these links, using software applications to reschedule or cancel maintenance tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If planned maintenance is performed on the secondary circuit, then the maintenance task can be completed, but network nodes become isolated and customer connectivity is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by identifying at-risk communication links before maintenance execution and proactively notifying relevant parties. This advance warning allows for preparatory measures to be taken, such as activating backup paths or alerting customers, thereby preventing connectivity loss while still enabling maintenance completion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop by continuously monitoring the network state, identifying at-risk links, and notifying stakeholders before maintenance occurs. This feedback mechanism enables real-time awareness of potential connectivity issues, allowing for corrective actions to maintain customer connectivity during maintenance activities.
2Ease of operation
If maintenance is scheduled on at-risk communication links, then maintenance operations can proceed, but network stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system identifies at-risk communication links in advance before maintenance scheduling and notifies relevant parties. This preliminary identification allows maintenance planners to adjust schedules, select alternative links, or prepare mitigation strategies, thereby maintaining network stability while still enabling maintenance operations to proceed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by notifying stakeholders of potential network instability before maintenance occurs on at-risk links. This advance warning enables counter-measures to be taken, such as activating redundant paths or delaying non-critical maintenance, thereby preventing network instability while preserving the ability to perform necessary maintenance.
3Reliability
If the system monitors and identifies at-risk links, then connectivity can be maintained, but additional system complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using the existing network monitoring infrastructure to serve dual purposes: traditional network performance monitoring and identification of at-risk communication links for maintenance planning. This universal use of existing components maintains connectivity reliability without introducing separate dedicated systems, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, accessing a group of datasets from a group of link information repositories, each dataset indicates operational status of each of a group of communication links, determining a group of at-risk communication links from the group of datasets, and accessing a first group of change maintenance tickets from a change maintenance information repository. Further embodiments can include determining a group of maintenance target communication links from the first group of change maintenance tickets, determining that a first portion of the group of maintenance target communication links are associated with a first portion of the group of at-risk communication links resulting in a first determination, and based on the first determination, performing a risk mitigation action associated with the first portion of the group of maintenance target communication links. Other embodiments are disclosed.