Granted Patent B1

US 7,310,671 · App. 09/650,867 · Granted Dec 18, 2007

Abstract

Claims (93)

1. A computer-implemented method, implemented in a troubleshooting portal device, for providing connectivity between a first communication device and a second communication device, the second communication device residing in an access provider communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a specification from the first communication device over a first communication channel, wherein the first communication device is located in a first network operated by a first provider, the specification comprising at least one predefined identifier of the second communication device;

receiving, from the first communication device, a request to establish connectivity between the first and the second communication device, wherein the second communication device is located in a second network operated by a second provider different than the first provider;

identifying a statically configured second communication channel to the second communication device that is associated with the predefined identifier;

configuring a network device to establish a route between the first communication device and the second communication device using the identified statically configured second communication channel;

receiving at least troubleshooting data and a test from the first communication device; and

communicating the received troubleshooting data and the test to the second communication device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of establishing connectivity configuring further includes the step of configuring at least one switch such that a plurality of physical links associated with a plurality of data link connection identifiers (DCLIs) are coupled together.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said step of configuring at least one switch configuring further includes the step of configuring a digital subscriber loop access multiplexer (DSLAM) connected to a plurality of second communication devices such that said second communication device associated with said specified identifier is connected by said step of establishing connectivity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of establishing connectivity configuring further includes the step of configuring the network device to route data over a plurality of physical links associated with said predefined identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first communication device is located in a network service provider communication system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first communication device is located in said access provider communication system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of associating further includes the step of associating a predefined circuit identifier (ID) with said second communication device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including the step of assigning a first internet protocol (IP) address, wherein said first IP address corresponds to said second communication device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further including the step of associating a second IP address with said first IP address.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of assigning the first IP address is performed by the access provider.

11. The method of claim 1 , further including verifying a right to access and the steps of specifying and establishing are implemented only after the right to access is verified.

12. The method of claim 1 , further including monitoring activity between said first communications device and said second communications device, and further including terminating connectivity after a predefined period of no activity.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined identifier is an IP address and the predefined communication channel is a VC.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first provider is a network service provider and the second provider is an access network provider.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method is performed by a device located in the second network operated by the access network provider.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring step further comprises the step of configuring a DSLAM to couple the first communication channel to the second communication channel.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined identifier is a circuit ID, and the circuit ID is associated with an IP address previously assigned to the second communication device.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined identifier is a circuit ID, further comprising the steps of:

at the network service provider, assigning a permanent IP address to the second communication device; and

associating the circuit ID with the assigned IP address.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined identifier is a circuit ID, further comprising the steps of:

at a network service provider, assigning a temporary IP address to the second communication device, the IP address selected from a pool of available addresses; and

associating the circuit ID with the assigned IP address.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of verifying the request before the configuring step.

21. The method of claim 1 , further including the steps of:

monitoring activity between the first communications device and the second communications device; and

terminating connectivity between the first communications device and the second communications device after a predefined period of no activity.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the access provider communication network is a frame relay network.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the access provider communication network is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the access provider communication network is an internet protocol (IP) network.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the access provider communication network is a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network.

26. A computer-implemented method, implemented by a troubleshooting portal, for providing connectivity between a first communication device and a second communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a specification from the first communication device over a first communication channel, the specification comprising at least one predefined identifier of the second communication device;

receiving, from the first communication device, a request to establish connectivity between the first and the second communication device;

identifying a predefined second communication channel to the second communication device that is associated with the predefined identifier;

instructing a network device to couple the first communication channel to the second communication channel to establish connectivity between the first communication device and the second communication device using the predefined second communication channel, the first communication device located in a first network operated by a first provider, and the second communication device located in a second network operated by a second provider different than the first provider;

receiving at least troubleshooting data and a test from the first communication device; and

communicating the received troubleshooting data and the test to the second communication device.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the first network is operated by a network service provider and the second network is operated by an access network provider.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the method is performed by a device located in the second network operated by the access network provider.

29. The method of claim 26 , wherein the step of associating further includes the step of associating a predefined circuit identifier (ID) with the second communication device.

30. The method of claim 26 , further including the step of assigning a first internet protocol (IP) address, wherein the first IP address identifies the second communication device.

31. The method of claim 30 , further including the step of associating a second IP address with the first IP address.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the step of assigning the first IP address is performed by the network operated by the first provider.

33. The method of claim 26 , further including the steps of:

monitoring activity between the first communications device and the second communications device

terminating connectivity between the first communications device and the second communications device after a predefined period of no activity.

34. The method of claim 26 , further comprising the step of verifying the request before the configuring step.

35. The method of claim 26 , wherein the predefined identifier is an IP address.

36. The method of claim 26 , wherein the predefined communication channel is a VC.

37. The method of claim 26 , wherein the coupling step further comprises the step of configuring a DSLAM to couple the first communication channel to the second communication channel.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the predefined identifier is a circuit ID, and the circuit ID is associated with an IP address previously assigned to the second communication device.

39. The method of claim 37 , wherein the predefined identifier is a circuit ID, further comprising the steps of:

at the network of the first provider, assigning a permanent IP address to the second communication device; and

associating the circuit ID with the assigned IP address.

40. The method of claim 26 , wherein a portion of the second network is a frame relay network.

41. The method of claim 26 , wherein a portion of the second network is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.

42. The method of claim 26 , wherein a portion of the second network is an internet protocol (IP) network.

43. The method of claim 26 , wherein a portion of the second network is a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network.

44. A computer-implemented method, implemented by a troubleshooting portal, for providing connectivity between a troubleshooting manager device and a managed communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

creating, upon user request, a statically configured predefined first channel between the managed communication device and an access unit within an access provider network;

receiving, over a second channel, an identifier of the managed communication device from the troubleshooting manager device;

receiving, from the troubleshooting manager device, a request to establish connectivity between the troubleshooting manager device and the identified managed communication device;

instructing a network device to couple the statically configured predefined channel to the second channel, producing a third channel;

receiving at least troubleshooting data and a test from the troubleshooting manager device; and

communicating the received troubleshooting data and the test to the managed communication device over the third channel.

45. The method of claim 44 , wherein the predefined identifier is an IP address and the predefined communication channel is a VC.

46. The method of claim 44 , wherein the receiving the request step is performed in the access network provider network.

47. The method of claim 44 , wherein the instructing step further comprises configuring a DSLAM to couple the first channel to the second channel.

48. The method of claim 44 , wherein the predefined identifier is a circuit ID, and the circuit ID is associated with an IP address previously assigned to the managed communication device.

49. The method of claim 44 , wherein the predefined identifier is a circuit ID, further comprising:

assigning, at the network service provider, a temporary IP address to the managed communication device, the IP address selected from a pool of available addresses; and

associating the circuit ID with the assigned IP address.

50. The method of claim 44 , further comprising verifying the request, wherein the configuring step is dependent on the successful operation of the verifying step.

51. A computer-readable medium having a program, implemented by a troubleshooting portal, for providing connectivity between a first communication device and a second communication device, the program comprising the steps of:

receiving a specification from the first communication device over a first communication channel, the specification comprising at least one predefined identifier of the second communication device, the first communication device located in a first network operated by a first provider and the second communication device located in a second network operated by a second provider different than the first provider;

receiving, from the first communication device, a request to establish connectivity between the first and the second communication device;

identifying a statically configured second communication channel to the second communication device that is associated with the predefined identifier;

coupling the first communication channel to the second communication channel to establish connectivity between the first communication device and the second communication device;

receiving at least troubleshooting data and a test from the first communication device; and

communicating the received troubleshooting data and the test to the second communication device.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 51 , wherein the first network is operated by a network service provider.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 51 , wherein the second network is operated by an access network provider.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 51 , wherein a portion of the second network is a frame relay network.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 51 , wherein a portion of the second network is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 51 , wherein a portion of the second network is an internet protocol (IP) network.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 51 , wherein a portion of the second network is a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network.

Assignments (15)