Dynamic E911 updating in a VoIP telephony system

1. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a location database for a first network that associates Internet Protocol address information for Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephony devices with physical locations for the VOIP telephony devices;

(b) upon detecting registration of a VOIP telephony device through a network port of the first network, determining physical location of the VOIP telephony device by identifying physical location of the network port through which the VOIP telephony device is connected, and updating the location database, wherein determining the physical location of the network port through which the VOIP telephony device is connected comprises i) sending an Internet Control Message (ICMP) Protocol Ping message to the VOIP telephony device, ii) comparing a present Internet Protocol (IP) address to a last known IP address, and iii) upon determining that the present IP address is the same as the last known IP address, sending a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) query to the last known connection port to determine if the VOIP telephony device is located on a different port of a same device; and

(c) upon detecting IP telephony activity originating from a remote VOIP telephony device connected to the first network through a virtual private network (VPN) gateway, determining physical location of the remote VOIP telephony device connected through the VPN gateway by identifying physical locations of network resources of a second network to which the remote VOIP telephony device is connected, and updating the location database;

such that updated location information is provided to a 911 server in the event that an emergency call is originated by any one of a VOIP telephony device and remote VOIP telephony device.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (a) of establishing a location database for a first network further comprises the steps of:

(a1) capturing information regarding network elements using Netinventory and storing the captured information in a database using NetML format;

(a2) capturing the subsequent level of network detail using network tools and updating the database to include substantially complete network topology; and

(a3) capturing location data regarding the network elements and updating the database to include basic location information.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

(b3) upon determining one of i) that the present IP address is not the same as the last known IP address and ii) that the VOIP telephony device is located on the different port of the same device, accessing and analyzing original location information;

(b4) requesting additional route information based upon application of analysis tools across the network;

(b5a) sending an SNMP query to each router or layer 3 device in the return information; and

(b5) sending an ICMP traceroute message to the VOIP telephony device.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the step (b5a) of sending an ICMP traceroute message further includes the step of sending a trace packet.

5. The method in accordance with claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:

(b6) storing information returned from the ICMP traceroute message;

(b7) sending an SNMP query to the last device in the path for the MAC address of the VOIP telephony device;

(b8) determining whether a direct connected port exists on the device; and

(b9) if so, updating the location database.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:

(b10) upon determining that there is no direct connected port on the device, searching for intermediate network equipment for attachment to the VOIP telephony device;

(b11) transmitting an SNMP query to the connected device for validation; and

(b12) updating the location database.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

(d) upon determining that a location ambiguity exists, transmitting a location validation request to the VOIP telephony device via a Voice Response System (VRS); and

(e) evaluating VRS data to determine whether ambiguity has been substantially eliminated.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:

(f) upon determining that ambiguity still exists after evaluating VRS data, generating an error message; and

(g) soliciting human intervention to determine location information for the VOIP telephony device.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (c) of determining physical location of the remote VOIP telephony device connected through the VPN gateway further comprises the step of transmitting an SNMP query through the VPN gateway to identify network elements of the second network to which the VOIP telephony device is connected.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein results of the SNMP query are evaluated and compared to prior connection data for the VOIP telephony device connected through the VPN gateway.

11. The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein, upon determining that present connection data differs from prior connection data, initiating a VRS validation request for the VOIP telephony device.

12. A system comprising:

means for establishing a location database for a first network that associates Internet Protocol address information for VOIP telephony devices with physical locations for the VOIP telephony devices;

means for detecting registration of a VOIP telephony device through a network port of the first network;

means for determining physical location of the VOIP telephony device by identifying physical location of the network port through which the VOIP telephony device is connected, and updating the location database, wherein determining the physical location of the network port through which the VOIP telephony device is connected comprises i) sending an ICMP Protocol Ping message to the VOIP telephony device, ii) comparing a present IP address to a last known IP address, and iii) upon determining that the present IP address is the same as the last known IP address, sending an SNMP query to the last known connection port to determine if the VOIP telephony device is located on a different port of a same device; and

means for detecting IP telephony activity originating from a remote VOIP telephony device connected to the first network through a VPN gateway, determining physical location of the remote VOIP telephony device connected through the VPN gateway by identifying physical locations of network resources of a second network to which the remote VOIP telephony device is connected, and updating the location database;

such that updated location information is provided to a 911 server in the event that an emergency call is originated by any one of a VOIP telephony device and remote VOIP telephony device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the means for establishing a location database for the first network comprises:

means for capturing information regarding network elements using Netinventory and storing the captured information in a database using NetML format;

means for capturing the subsequent level of network detail using network tools and updating the database to include substantially complete network topology; and

means for capturing location data regarding the network elements and updating the database to include basic location information.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

means for upon determining one of i) that the present IP address is not the same as the last known IP address and ii) that the VOIP telephony device is located on the different port of the same device, accessing and analyzing original location information;

means for requesting additional route information based upon application of analysis tools across the network;

means for sending an SNMP query to each router or layer 3 device in the return information; and

means for sending an ICMP traceroute message to the VOIP telephony device.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the means for sending an ICMP traceroute message further includes means for sending a trace packet.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

means for storing information returned from the ICMP traceroute message;

means for sending an SNMP query to the last device in the path for the MAC address of the VOIP telephony device;

means for determining whether a direct connected port exists on the device; and

means for updating the location database.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

means for determining that there is no direct connected port on the device;

means for searching for intermediate network equipment for attachment to the VOIP telephony device;

means for transmitting an SNMP query to the connected device for validation; and

means for updating the location database.

18. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

means for determining that a location ambiguity exists;

means for transmitting a location validation request to the VOIP telephony device via a Voice Response System (VRS); and

means for evaluating VRS data to determine whether ambiguity has been substantially eliminated.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising:

means for determining that ambiguity still exists after evaluating VRS data;

means for generating an error message; and

means for soliciting human intervention to determine location information for the VOIP telephony device.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the means for determining physical location of the remote VOIP telephony device connected through the VPN gateway further comprises means for transmitting an SNMP query through the VPN gateway to identify network elements of the second network to which the VOIP telephony device is connected.

21. The system of claim 20 , further comprising:

means for evaluating results of the SNMP query; and

means for evaluating and comparing SNMP query results to prior connection data for the VOIP telephony device connected through the VPN gateway.

22. The system of claim 21 , further comprising:

means for determining that present connection data differs from prior connection data; and

means for initiating a VRS validation request for the VOIP telephony device.