Mapping Tool for Communications Environment Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Configuring communications environments, particularly large or complex ones, is a tedious and error-prone process, especially when trying to minimize connectivity loss and avoid single points of failure or repair, and there is a need for automatic mapping of physical to logical resource identifiers.
Innovation Solution
A method and tool that automatically map physical identifiers of resources in a communications environment to logical identifiers, using a mapping tool with physical and logical definitions, and mapping logic to ensure hardware and software can identify resources appropriately, while minimizing single points of failure or repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual configuration methods are used for large communications environments, then configuration can be performed with simple tools, but the configuration process becomes extremely tedious and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-configuration by automatically mapping physical identifiers to logical identifiers and detecting single points of failure without requiring manual intervention. The configuration tool autonomously analyzes the communications environment, identifies resources, and generates configuration settings, eliminating the need for tedious manual configuration while significantly reducing configuration time and errors.
2Reliability
If manual configuration is used to avoid single points of failure, then connectivity reliability can be improved, but the complexity and time required for configuration increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects single points of failure by analyzing the communications environment and provides feedback to the configuration process. It identifies resources that could cause connectivity loss and adjusts the configuration to eliminate these single points of failure, thereby improving reliability without increasing configuration complexity for the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration tool acts as an intermediary between the physical hardware resources and the logical software configuration. It automatically maps physical identifiers to logical identifiers and manages the complexity of avoiding single points of failure, shielding the user from configuration complexity while ensuring reliable connectivity.
3Productivity
If automatic mapping of physical to logical identifiers is implemented, then configuration time is reduced, but the need for sophisticated mapping tools increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping tool performs automatic mapping of physical identifiers to logical identifiers through self-service mechanisms. It autonomously discovers resources in the communications environment, extracts physical identifiers, and maps them to appropriate logical identifiers without requiring complex manual intervention or highly sophisticated tooling from the user perspective.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates logical copies or representations of physical resources through identifier mapping. It generates logical identifier mappings that mirror the physical resource structure, enabling fast configuration by working with simplified logical representations rather than complex physical details.
Data Source
AI summary
Configuring of a communications environment is facilitated. A mapping tool is provided that aids in the configuring of various components of a communications environment, such as an input/output (I/O) subsystem of the environment. Data generated from an order process and a logical configuration definition are used as input to the mapping tool. The tool performs mapping and generates as output a physical configuration definition, and optionally, one or more reports. The mapping tool has a manual function, as well as an automatic function.