Merged operations and maintenance center and method for operation

Abstract

In one aspect of the present invention, a merged operations and maintenance center (200) is provided that performs radio and switch operations and maintenance functions for a telecommunications system such as an integrated wireless telecommunications system (14). The merged operations and maintenance center (200) may be in communication with a call processor (40) and includes a plurality of servers and a graphical user interface. The plurality of servers may include a configuration management server (72) for performing configuration management, a fault management server (74) for performing fault management, and an accounting management server (78) for performing accounting management. The graphical user interface may be implemented using any available interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A merged operations and maintenance center in communication with a call processor of a telecommunications system, the merged operations and maintenance center comprising: a configuration management server operable to perform configuration management for radio and switch functions of the telecommunications system;   a fault management server operable to perform fault management for radio and switching functions of the telecommunications system;   an accounting management server operable to perform accounting management;   a database server operable to store event information; and   a user interface operable to access the servers.   
     
     
       2. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications system is a wireless telecommunications system. 
     
     
       3. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 2, wherein the wireless telecommunications system is an integrated wireless telecommunications system. 
     
     
       4. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 3, wherein the integrated wireless telecommunications system is a Global System for Mobile Communications system. 
     
     
       5. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the servers are implemented on a first processor and the graphical user interface is implemented on a second processor. 
     
     
       6. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the servers and the graphical user interface are implemented on a first processor. 
     
     
       7. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the servers interface with the call processor. 
     
     
       8. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 3, wherein integrated wireless telecommunications system uses a technology from a group that includes a code division multiple access technology, a time division multiple access technology, a frequency division multiple access technology and a personal communications services technology. 
     
     
       9. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, further comprising: an event filtering and routing server operable to receive event information from the call processor and to route the event information to one or more of the servers.   
     
     
       10. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, further comprising: a performance management server operable to perform performance management.   
     
     
       11. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, further comprising: a system management server operable to perform system management.   
     
     
       12. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, further comprising: a security management server operable to perform system management.   
     
     
       13. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the servers are implemented using object oriented technology. 
     
     
       14. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a network management system client. 
     
     
       15. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface. 
     
     
       16. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the configuration management server includes one or more servers operable to perform configuration management for a corresponding software object of an application of the call processor. 
     
     
       17. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 16, wherein the configuration management server includes a home location register server that includes a server subscription database and is operable to provide subscription management using the server subscription database. 
     
     
       18. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 1, wherein the servers communicate with the call processor using an object request broker. 
     
     
       19. A merged operations and maintenance center in communication with a call processor of a wireless telecommunications system, the merged operations and maintenance center comprising: a configuration management server operable to perform configuration management for radio and switch functions of the telecommunications system;   a fault management server operable to perform fault management for radio and switching functions of the telecommunications system;   an accounting management server operable to perform accounting management;   a performance management server operable to perform performance management;   a security management server operable to perform system management;   a system management server operable to perform system management;   an event filtering and routing server operable to receive event information and to route the event information to one or more of the servers; and   a database server operable to store event information; and   a user interface operable to access the servers.   
     
     
       20. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 19, wherein the wireless telecommunications system is an integrated wireless telecommunications system. 
     
     
       21. The network management system server of claim 20, wherein the integrated wireless telecommunications system is a Global System for Mobile Communications system. 
     
     
       22. The merged operations and maintenance center of claim 19, wherein the servers are implemented as a network management system server and the user interface is implemented as a network management system client. 
     
     
       23. A method for operation of a merged operations and maintenance center comprising the steps of: performing configuration management using a configuration management server;   performing fault management using a fault management server;   performing accounting management using an accounting management server;   storing and retrieving information using a database server; and   monitoring and accessing the servers using a graphical user interface.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of: performing performance management using a performance management server.   
     
     
       25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of: performing system management using a system management server.