ENHANCED COMMUNICATION NETWORK AUTOMATED TESTING
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to remotely testing communication network equipment. A system may include a communications network including network equipment configured to facilitate communications in the communications network; fiber connections physically connecting test equipment to a network element of the network equipment; and automated testing software remote from the network element and from the test equipment, able to: turn up the test equipment via one or more interfaces; turn up the network element via the one or more interfaces; and send, via the one or more interfaces, wireless command signals to the test equipment to perform testing of the network element via the fiber connections.
1 . A system comprising:
a communications network comprising network equipment configured to facilitate communications in the communications network;
fiber connections physically connecting test equipment to a network element of the network equipment; and
automated testing software remote from the network element and from the test equipment, and configured to:
turn up the test equipment via one or more interfaces;
turn up the network element via the one or more interfaces; and
send, via the one or more interfaces, wireless and/or wired command signals to the test equipment to perform testing of the network element via the fiber connections.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an element management system (EMS) configured to:
provide, to the automated testing software, via the one or more interfaces, information about a state of the network element during the testing.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising data integration interfaces configured to facilitate communications between the automated testing software and external software associated with software bugs of the automated testing software.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a command line interface configured to:
receive, from the automated testing software, commands associated with the testing, wherein the wireless command signals are based on the commands; and
retrieve information associated with the testing.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an application programming interface configured to:
programmatically control test processes associated with the testing; and
communicate with the network element and the automated testing software.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface configured to:
visually interact with the network element and the automated testing software.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the network equipment comprises routers, switches, optical transport devices, servers, and hubs.
8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
access, using automated testing software of a device and via an application programming interface, test equipment physically remote from the device and physically connected to a network element of communications network equipment;
turn up, using the automated testing software, the test equipment via the application programming interface;
turn up, using the automated testing software, the network element via the application programming interface; and
perform, using the automated testing software, remote testing of the network element by sending commands to the test equipment via the application programming interface.
9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the at least one processor to:
provide, to the automated testing software, using an element management system, information about a state of the network element during the testing.
10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the at least one processor to:
facilitate, using data integration interfaces, communications between the automated testing software and external software associated with software bugs of the automated testing software.
11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the at least one processor to:
receive, by a command line interface, from the automated testing software, commands associated with the testing, wherein the command signals are based on the commands; and
retrieve, by the command line interface, information associated with the testing.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the at least one processor to:
programmatically control, using the application programming interface, test processes associated with the testing; and
communicate, using the application programming interface, with the network element and the automated testing software.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the at least one processor to:
visually interact, via a graphical user interface, with the network element and the automated testing software.
14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the network equipment comprises routers, switches, optical transport devices, servers, and hubs.
15 . A method comprising:
accessing, by automated testing software of a device and via an application programming interface, test equipment physically remote from the device and physically connected to a network element of communications network equipment;
turning up, by the automated testing software, the test equipment via the application programming interface;
turning up, by the automated testing software, the network element via the application programming interface; and
performing, by the automated testing software, remote testing of the network element by sending commands to the test equipment via the application programming interface.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
providing, to the automated testing software, using an element management system, information about a state of the network element during the testing.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
facilitating, using data integration interfaces, communications between the automated testing software and external software associated with software bugs of the automated testing software.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving, by a command line interface, from the automated testing software, commands associated with the testing, wherein the command signals are based on the commands; and
retrieving, by the command line interface, information associated with the testing.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
programmatically controlling, using the application programming interface, test processes associated with the testing; and
communicating, using the application programming interface, with the network element and the automated testing software.
20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
visually interacting, via a graphical user interface, with the network element and the automated testing software.