Systems and methods for using network architecture planning tools

1. A method of planning a network architecture, comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a request from a user computer to initiate a network architecture planning process, wherein the network architecture planning process relates to a modification to a portion of the public switched telephone network;

in response to the request, transmitting an electronic file comprising a first display screen to the user computer, wherein the first display screen comprises a first one or more program elements, the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture;

receiving at the host computer system a first response to the question;

transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen to the user computer, wherein the second display screen comprises a second one or more program elements, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response;

receiving at the host computer system at least a second response to the at least a second display screen;

at the host computer, determining at least a first action based on the first response and the at least a second response, wherein the at least a first action comprises adding at least one configuration item to a list of configuration items, wherein the configuration item comprises an ordering unit of a model within the network architecture, and wherein the list of configuration items comprise at least a portion of a network architecture plan;

transmitting information relating to the at least a first action for display at the user computer;

saving a sequence of responses comprising in part the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, the first response to the question, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response and the second response

saving a corresponding configuration list; and

using the saved sequence of responses to reevaluate the saved configuration list in view of changed requirements; wherein all communications transferred between the user computer and the host computer system are transmitted over a network and wherein the first one or more program elements and the second one or more program elements are based on a logical sequence of a plurality of steps of the network planning process.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen comprises performing a calculation based on the first response to determine the context-sensitive content of the second display screen.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising validating the first response.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises contacting an individual for information relating to the network architecture.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises obtaining educational information relating to the network architecture.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the educational information is located on a web site and the information relating to the action comprises a URL for the web site.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises completing a form relating to the network architecture.

8. A system for planning a network architecture, comprising:

a host computer system; and

a network that communicably couples the host computer system to at least one user computer;

wherein the host computer system is programmed to:

receive a request from the user computer to initiate a network architecture planning process;

transmit an electronic file comprising a first display screen to the user computer, wherein the first display screen comprises a first one or more program elements, the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, wherein the network architecture planning process relates to a modification to a portion of the public switched telephone network;

receive at the host computer system a first response to the question;

transmit an electronic file comprising at least a second display screen to the user computer, wherein the second display screen comprises a second one or more program elements, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response;

receive at the host computer system at least a second response to the at least a second display screen;

determine at least a first action based on the first response and the at least a second response, wherein the at least a first action comprises adding at least one configuration item to a list of configuration items, wherein the configuration item comprises an ordering unit of a model within the network architecture, and wherein the list of configuration items comprise at least a portion of a network architecture plan; and

transmit information relating to the at least a first action for display at the user computer;

save a sequence of responses comprising in part the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, the first response to the question, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response and the second response

save a corresponding configuration list; and

use the saved sequence of responses to reevaluate the saved configuration list in view of changed requirements; wherein all communications transferred between the user computer and the host computer system are transmitted over a network and wherein the first one or more program elements and the second one or more program elements are based on a logical sequence of a plurality of steps of the network architecture planning process.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the host computer system is further programmed to validate the first response.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises contacting an individual for information relating to the network architecture.

11. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises obtaining educational information relating to the network architecture.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the educational information is located on a web site and the information relating to the at least a first action comprises a URL for the web site.

13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises completing a form relating to the network architecture.

14. An apparatus comprising a data storage device having stored thereon application software that programs a computer system to perform a method of planning a network architecture, the method comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a request from a user computer to initiate the network architecture planning process, wherein the network architecture planning process relates to a modification to a portion of the public switched telephone network;

in response to the request, transmitting an electronic file comprising a first display screen to the user computer, wherein the first display screen comprises a first one or more program elements, the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture;

receiving at the host computer system a first response to the question;

transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen to the user computer, wherein the second display screen comprises a second one or more program elements, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response;

receiving at the host computer system at least a second response to the at least a second display screen;

at the host computer, determining at least a first action based on the first response and the at least a second response, wherein the at least a first action comprises adding at least one configuration item to a list of configuration items, wherein the configuration item comprises an ordering unit of a model within the network architecture, and wherein the list of configuration items comprise at least a portion of a network architecture plan; and

transmitting information relating to the at least a first action for display at the user computer;

saving a sequence of responses comprising in part the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, the first response to the question, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response and the second response

saving a corresponding configuration list; and

using the saved sequence of responses to reevaluate the saved configuration list in view of changed requirements; wherein all communications transferred between the user computer and the host computer system are transmitted over a network and wherein the first one or more program elements and the second one or more program elements are based on a logical sequence of a plurality of steps of the network architecture planning process.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen comprises performing a calculation based on the first response to determine the context-sensitive content of the second display screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising validating the first response.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises contacting an individual for information relating to the network architecture.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises obtaining educational information relating to the network architecture.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the educational information is located on a web site and the information relating to the action comprises a URL for the web site.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least a first action further comprises completing a form relating to the network architecture.