Unified SIM Provisioning for Wireless Network Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accessing and troubleshooting servers in wireless communication networks across different teams and nodes is time-consuming, often taking several days due to the need for specific SIMs associated with each team's nodes within the testing environment.
Innovation Solution
A testing platform that provisions subscriber identity modules (SIMs) within a unified subscriber database, allowing access to various nodes via a testing environment, including physical, virtual, and embedded SIMs, enabling engineers to perform tests, configurations, and validation processes across different nodes without the need for physical presence or specific team associations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specific SIMs associated with each team's nodes are used in the testing environment, then access control and team-specific node isolation are improved, but the time required for engineers to access nodes across different teams increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central provisioning system as an intermediary that manages SIM card allocation across all teams and nodes. Instead of each team maintaining isolated SIMs, the provisioning system acts as a mediator that dynamically assigns SIMs to engineers based on their access requirements, enabling cross-team node access while maintaining security controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static SIM allocation model where teams have fixed access to specific nodes, to a dynamic model where SIMs can be provisioned and deactivated based on real-time access requirements. This allows engineers to be granted access to nodes from different teams as needed, reducing access time while maintaining appropriate security boundaries.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple teams maintain separate SIMs for their nodes, then team-specific service isolation is improved, but the complexity of managing SIMs across the network increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the SIM management functions previously分散 across different teams into a single centralized provisioning system. This unified system handles SIM allocation, provisioning, and deactivation for all teams and nodes, reducing the overall management complexity while preserving the ability to isolate services at the network level through proper SIM configuration.
3Reliability
If engineers need physical presence or specific team associations to access nodes, then security and authorization control are improved, but the productivity of troubleshooting and configuration operations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical requirement of physical presence or manual team association with an automated electronic provisioning system. Engineers can request access to nodes through the provisioning system, which automatically authenticates their authorization and provisions the necessary SIMs, eliminating the need for physical presence while maintaining strong security controls.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication network includes a testing environment that comprises a plurality of nodes. One or more nodes of the wireless communication network are selected for performing at least one of (i) one or more tests or (ii) one or more procedures. A listing of a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) provisioned in a home location register for use in the testing environment is provided on a testing platform. Based upon the one or more nodes, a SIM is selected for use in accessing the one or more nodes. Based upon the SIM, data from the at least one of (i) one or more tests or (ii) one or more procedures is provisioned with respect to a primary key of the SIM. The at least one of (i) one or more tests or (ii) one or more procedures is performed with respect to the one or more nodes.