Method and system for providing automated data retrieval in support of fault isolation in a managed services network

1. A method for supporting automated fault isolation, the method comprising:

receiving at a service provider an alarm from a customer network indicating a fault within the customer network that includes one or more network elements, the customer network being monitored by the service provider, the service provider being remotely located from the customer network;

retrieving one of a plurality of scripts for specifying a dialogue with the network elements by the service provider for data collection;

transmitting a command from the service provider to the customer network according to the one script to obtain data from the network elements, wherein the data is utilized to determine the fault;

determining, via automation rules applied by at least one processor, how the determined fault will be repaired;

determining, via the at least one processor, whether to proceed with an automation process, based on a flag set in accordance with a customer preference; and

generating a workflow event corresponding to the alarm for resolving the fault if, based on the flag, the automation process is determined to proceed, wherein resolution of the fault is automated according to the workflow event.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one script is created by a user associated with the customer network.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the command is transmitted to a network management equipment configured to communicate with the network elements to obtain the data.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the network elements is under control of the service provider, the one network element receiving the command.

5. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating automated testing to resolve the fault as specified by the workflow event, wherein additional data is collected from the network elements after the testing.

6. A system for supporting automated fault isolation as a managed service by a service provider, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute an automation engine, a command factory, and a workflow engine,

wherein the automation engine is configured to receive at the service provider an alarm from a customer network indicating a fault within the customer network that includes one or more network elements, and to retrieve one of a plurality of scripts for specifying a dialogue with the network elements by the service provider for data collection, the service provider being remotely located from the customer network,

wherein the command factory is configured to transmit a command from the service provider to the customer network according to the one script to obtain data from the network elements, wherein the data is utilized to determine the fault,

wherein automation rules applied by the one or more processors determine how the determined fault will be repaired;

wherein the one or more processors determine whether to proceed with an automation process, based on a flag set in accordance with a customer preference; and

wherein the workflow engine is configured to generate a workflow event corresponding to the alarm for resolving the fault if, based on the flag, the automation process is determined to proceed, wherein resolution of the fault is automated according to the workflow event.

7. A system according to claim 6 , wherein the one script is created by a user associated with the customer network.

8. A system according to claim 6 , wherein the command is transmitted to a network management equipment configured to communicate with the network elements to obtain the data.

9. A system according to claim 6 , wherein one of the network elements is under control of the service provider, the one network element receiving the command.

10. A system according to claim 6 , wherein the workflow engine is further configured to initiate automated testing to resolve the fault as specified by the workflow event, wherein additional data is collected from the network elements after the testing.

11. An apparatus for supporting automated fault isolation as a managed service by a service provider, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to transmit an alarm from a customer network to a network management platform operated by the service provider, the alarm indicating a fault within the customer network that includes one or more network elements, wherein the network management platform is configured to retrieve one of a plurality of scripts for specifying a dialogue with the network elements by the service provider for data collection, the service provider being remotely located from the customer network; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to receive a command at the customer network from the network management platform of the service provider according to the one script to obtain data from the network elements, wherein the data is utilized to determine the fault and the processor is further configured to determine, via automation rules, how the determined fault will be repaired; to determine whether to proceed with an automation process, based on a flag set in accordance with a customer preference; and to generate a workflow event corresponding to the alarm for resolving the fault, if, based on the flag, the automation process is determined to proceed, wherein resolution of the fault is automated according to the workflow event.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the one script is created by a user associated with the customer network, the apparatus further comprising:

another communication interface configured to communicate with a computing apparatus to generate the one script.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to convey the command to the network elements to obtain the data.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the network management platform is further configured to initiate automated testing to resolve the fault as specified by the workflow event, wherein additional data is collected from the network elements after the testing.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the scripts are stored in a database maintained by the service provider.