Method and system for automatically displaying and configuring a network monitoring system

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automatically monitoring and configuring a communucations network comprising a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:

associating a plurality of user templates with a plurality of levels of integration of the components of the communications network so that a user template associates with each one of said levels of integration;

associating each one of said user templates with other of said user templates to permit error conditions existing at one of said components to indicate a plurality of error signals on predetermined ones of said user templates;

communicating instructions and queries through a display, said instructions and queries associated with said error signals and said levels of integration;

altering said user templates and said levels of integration in response to said instructions and said error signals;

configuring said user templates to monitor the communications network in response to said instructions; and

displaying said altered user templates on said display.

2. A system for automatically monitoring and configuring a communications network comprising a plurality of components, comprising:

a plurality of user templates associated with a plurality of levels of integration of the components of the communications network so that a user template associates with each one of said levels of integration;

means for associating each one of said user templates with other of said user templates to permit error conditions existing at one of said components to indicate a plurality of error signals on predetermined ones of said user templates;

a set of instructions and queries for communicating through a display, said instructions and queries associated with said error signals and said levels of integration;

means for altering said user templates and said levels of integration in response to said instructions;

means for configuring said user templates to monitor the communications network in response to said instructions; and

display means for displaying said altered user templates and said altered levels of integration.

3. A method for automatically monitoring and configuring a communications network comprising a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:

associating each one of a plurality of user outputs with a plurality of predetermined sets of the components of the communications network so that at least one user output associates with at least one of said predetermined sets;

associating certain ones of said user outputs with other ones of said user outputs to permit an error condition existing at one of the components to indicate a plurality of error signals on selected ones of said user outputs;

communicating instructions and queries through a display, said instructions and queries associated with said error signals and said selected ones of said user outputs;

altering said selected ones of said user outputs in response to said instructions;

configuring said plurality of user outputs to monitor the communications network in response to said instructions; and

displaying said altered user outputs on said display.

4. A system for automatically monitoring and configuring a communications network comprising a plurality of components, comprising:

a plurality of user outputs, each associated with a plurality of predetermined sets of the components of the communications network so that at least one user output associates with at least one of said predetermined sets;

means for associating certain ones of said user outputs with other ones of said user outputs to permit an error condition existing at one of the components to indicate a plurality of error signals on selected ones of said user outputs;

a set of instructions and queries for communicating through a display, said instructions and queries associated with said error signals and said selected ones of said user outputs;

means for altering said selected ones of said user outputs in response to said instructions;

means for configuring said plurality of user outputs to monitor the communications network in response to said instructions; and

display means for displaying said altered selected ones of said user outputs.

5. A method for automatically monitoring and configuring a communications network comprising a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:

associating a plurality of user outputs with a plurality of levels of integration of the components of the communications network so that at least one user output associates with each one of said levels of integration;

communicating instructions and queries through a display, said instructions and queries associated with said levels of integration;

altering said user outputs and said levels of integration in response to said instructions; and

configuring said levels of integration to monitor the communications network in response to said instructions;

displaying said altered user outputs and said altered levels of integration.

6. An automatic monitoring and configuring system for a communications network comprising a plurality of components, comprising:

a plurality of user outputs associated with a plurality of levels of integration of the components of the communications network so that at least one user output associates with each one of said levels of integration;

a set of instructions and queries for communicating through a display, said instructions and queries associated with said levels of integration;

means for altering said user outputs and said levels of integration in response to said instructions; and

means for configuring said levels of integration to monitor the communications network in response to said instructions;

display means for displaying said altered user outputs and said altered levels of integration.

7. A method of generating a computer monitor representation of a communications network having a plurality of sub-components and higher components for use in monitoring and controlling said communucations network, comprising the steps of:

predefining a plurality of templates, one for each possible sub-component and higher component of the communications network, each of said templates defining at least one characteristic of a portion of the communications network;

interrogating a user to supply responses describing a predetermined set of characteristics of the communications network from a selection of possible characteristics defined by said templates;

generating a database from which any desired representation of the communications network may be displayed based on the responses to said interrogating step; and

displaying a simulation of any portion of the communications network as requested by the user.

8. A system for generating a computer monitor representation of a communications network having a plurality of sub-components and higher components for use in monitoring and controlling said network, comprising:

a plurality of predefined templates, one for each possible sub-component and higher component of the communications network, where each template defines, in software terminology, a system characteristic of an associated portion of the network;

means for interrogating a user to supply responses as to the sub-components and higher components of the communications network from a selection of choices defined by said predefined templates;

a database from which any desired representation of the communications network may be displayed, based on the responses to said interrogating means; and

a simulation for displaying any portion of the communications network as requested by said user.

9. A method of monitoring a communications network having a plurality of sub-components and higher components using a computer monitor representation, comprising the steps of:

predefining a plurality of templates, one for each possible sub-component and higher component of the communications network, each one of said templates defining, in software terminology, at least one alarm condition effecting a portion of the communications network;

interrogating a user to supply responses describing the sub-components and higher components of the communications network from a selection of choices defined by said templates;

generating a database, from which any desired representation of the communications network may be displayed, based on said responses to said interrogating step; and

displaying a simulation of any portion of the communications network and alarm conditions in that portion.

10. A system for monitoring a communications network having a plurality of sub-components and higher components using a computer monitor representation, comprising:

a plurality of templates for predefining each possible communications network sub-component and higher component, where each template defines at least one network alarm condition;

a set of queries for interrogating a user to supply responses describing the sub-components and higher components of the communications network from a selection of choices defined by said templates;

a database for generating a display of any desired representation of the communications network based on the responses to said set of queries; and

a display for responsively displaying a simulation of any alarm conditions.

11. A method of generating a computer monitor representation of a communications network having a plurality of sub-components and higher components for use in monitoring and controlling said communications network, comprising the steps of:

predefining a plurality of templates, one for each possible communications network sub-component and higher component, where each template defines a set of characteristics for a portion of the communications network;

associating certain ones of said plurality of templates with one another to indicate relationships among the communications network sub-components and higher components;

interrogating a user to supply responses as to the sub-components and higher components of the communications network from a selection of choices defined by said templates;

generating a database from which any desired representation of the communications network may be displayed, based on the responses to the interrogating step; and

displaying a simulation of any portion of the communications network as requested by said user.

12. A system of generating a computer monitor representation of a communications network having a plurality of sub-components and higher components and for use in monitoring and controlling said communications network, the system comprising:

a plurality of templates for each possible sub-component and higher component of the communications network, where each template defines, in software terminology, a set of characteristics for that portion of the communications network;

means for associating certain ones of said plurality of templates with one another to indicate relationships among said communications network sub-components and higher components;

a plurality of queries for interrogating a user to supply responses as to said sub-components and higher components of the communications network from a selection of choices defined by said templates;

a database for containing data to display any desired representation of the communications network based on the responses to said plurality of queries; and

means for displaying a simulation of any portion of the communications network as requested by the user.

Description Submit all comments and votes

NOTICE: COPYRIGHT (.COPYRGT.) 1992 Alcatel Network Systems, Inc.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documents the patent disclosure as it appears in the patent and trademark office file of records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is concerned generally with electronics and more specifically with communications systems. Even more specifically, the invention is concerned with a method and system for describing the operational condition of a communications network monitoring system and includes the ability to automatically configure the communications network monitoring system at varying levels of complexity through the use of easy-to-understand user templates that a user may display on a computer screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Digital cross-connect communications networks operate under the control of computer systems that use software to monitor and control the operation of the communications network components. A problem relating to effectively monitoring the communications network components using these computers is understanding the use of and the signals generated by the computer system software. Known network monitoring systems use numerous software programs and multiple databases to monitor and control even the simplest communications network.

If the configuration of the communications network changes, it is necessary for network system operators to change much of the data that relates to the network. The prior art systems make it necessary for operators to do significant data entry and track large amounts of data. These changes, however, require a high degree of system knowledge and technical skill for successful implementation. Skilled operators, however, are a limited resource, so there is a need for a method and system by which less-skilled users may effectively monitor a communications network without needing to perform extensive data entry or to track vast amounts of detailed data that the prior monitoring and controlling systems require.

There is no easy-to-use tool between the software that monitors and controls the communication network components and the typical operators responsible for these tasks. As a result, much operator error exists in monitoring and controlling digital cross-connect communications networks. These users need, in the event of a network failure, extensive technical support to maintain the network in a normal operating condition.

The present invention attempts to overcome the limitations of the prior art by providing a single tool to monitor and configure a digital cross-connect communications network by interfacing with the software that directly controls the network's individual components. In the event that a user seeks to reconfigure the communications network, add a new node to the communications network, or expand the capabilities of a node already existing in the communications network, the configuration system of the present invention automatically changes the data files to reflect the communications network status and control the software that interfaces the components. These operations take place without the need to directly use the numerous software tools or input large amounts of network data.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a user-configurable system that provides a set of pre-defined templates that may be combined in various ways to represent all known network configurations of a digital cross-connect network. The present invention can be used with both large and small networks, because the size of the network affects only the variety of subcomponent devices or their permutations as separate elements in separate templates. The system interrogates the user and, from the results of the interrogations, either originally configures or adds to the network configuration a database that the system formulates as a result of combining the templates. The system then displays to the operator a video screen and software representation of the entire digital cross-connect communications network or any part thereof.

The present invention not only vividly displays an image of the node from which an error comes, but also illustrates the specific subcomponent entities that emit the error and may even display a representation of the various error lights of a remotely located device that is part of the node. An important feature of the monitor display to the user is that, together with the accompanying component controlling and monitoring software, it is possible for a user to patch into any defined node of the communications network to thereby permit efficient handling any emergency or failure situation at a patched into remote location.

By permitting a user to automatically configure a digital cross-connect communications network representation, the present invention minimizes operator error, reduces the need for technical support, and lessens the need for sophisticated training on the part of the system user. The system tracks its own changes and integrates with the other files that contain data relevant to the condition of the communications network. Finally, the system provides a flexible single system that can apply to a virtually unlimited number of communications network configurations and that eliminates the need for special tailoring of software control the individual communications components of a communications network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the specification and appended claims in conjunction with the drawings wherei

FIG. 1 is a possible digital cross-connect communications network configuration problem that the preferred embodiment of the present invention may assist to solve;

FIG. 2 is an alarm summary template that provides information that the present invention has the ability to provide;

FIG. 3 is a communications bay template that is observable by manipulating the alarm summary template of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a shelf template that is observable by manipulating the bay template of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method to reconfigure an entire communications network in accordance with the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method to add a node to a communications network according to the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method to resize one node of a communications network using the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 8 provides a flow chart of the steps that the preferred embodiment takes to query a user as to certain parameters of a communications node in accordance with the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of the method for subtemplate expansion according to the preferred embodiment of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, digital cross-connect communications network 10 may include communication nodes such as nodes 12, 14 and 16 which may be a 1633 SX Digital Cross-Connect communications node made by Alcatel Network Systems, Inc., and having the abbreviated label "1633 SX" in FIG. 1. Each of nodes 12, 14 and 16 may be controlled by a management controller such as manager controller 18. Suppose, for example, that communications line 20 goes to communications node 12. From communications node 12, a digital switching device that permits communications signals to pass from one node to another, such as DSI22 switch link 22 may connect to node 16. Suppose further that for some reason (e.g., something cutting an associated underground cable), the communications link 22 between node 12 and node 16 fails. Management controller 18 may control the operation of nodes 12, 14, and 16 by control connections 24, 26 and 28, respectively. Through system monitoring software, such as that provided for monitoring and controlling the 1633 SX node and sold by Advanced Computing Devices, Inc., (ACD), a system manager or user may determine that line 22 is severed. In response thereto, a user may direct management controller 18 to control connections first between node 12 and node 14 to establish a communications path 30 and then between nodes 14 and 16 to establish communications path 32. With this control, it is possible to maintain communications from input line 20 to output line 34 with minimal interruption.

The purpose of the method and system of the preferred embodiment is to make operations similar to the above example easier and faster. Additionally, the method and system make monitoring the signals from the ACD software much easier and potentially alert the user faster to the exact source of a network failure. The preferred embodiment achieves these results by providing templates to the operator that describe the operation of a communications network visually and that permit reconfiguring a communications network through using these templates. Additionally, the method and system provide to the user a set of visual indications that describe the operation of the system including indication of errors, warnings, threshold conditions, and normal system conditions. The discussion that follows describes the user templates and the communications node reconfiguration and control processes that the present invention makes possible.

In FIG. 2 appears alarm summary template 40 of the preferred embodiment that a user may view to monitor an entire digital cross-connect communications network. The preferred embodiment provides a color output that shows the status of each of the nodes or "offices" that may comprise a communications network such as network 10 of FIG. 1. For example, template 40 of FIG. 2 provides visual and audible data to describe the status of three offices through an OFFICE block for each office such as block 42 for OFFICE02. The preferred embodiment, however, has the ability to monitor and configure up to 39 offices. For example, alarm summary template 40 may monitor nodes 12, 14 and 16 of FIG. 1 as OFFICE01, OFFICE02, and OFFICE03 respectively. MONITOR sub-block 44 of OFFICE block 42 initiates a pop-up window to allow all real-time messages received from node 14 to be viewed by the user. OFFICE02 sub-block 46 provides a label for OFFICE block 42, and provides access to the bay template of OFFICE02. PATCH sub-block 48 initiates a pop-up window that remotely logs into node 14 and displays the 1633 SX main user interface menu. For example, the preferred embodiment facilitates performing the operations that FIG. 1 describes by permitting the user to patch into each office and use the 1633 SX menu system to reconnect the path.

Legend block 52 provides a color legend to indicate the meaning of each of the colors and other signals that alarm summary template 40 may generate. The system automatically adds legend block 52 to each screen as it displays alarm summary template 40. This facilitates changes to the legend and ensures that the system promulgates these changes to all the associated and appropriate templates. At the bottom of template 40, HELP icon 54, QUEUE icon 56 and MENU icon 58, all appear within template control block 60. HELP icon 54 permits access to a HELP function associated with alarm summary template 40, QUEUE icon 56 and MENU icon provide access to an operation menu for the control of the system of the preferred embodiment.

The alarm summary template 40 is a network summary screen that indicates on a single template the complete status of the nodes of a communications network that a user desires to monitor. Template 40 is dynamic in the sense that only the number of nodes that the user selects to configure are seen upon completion of the expansion scripts. As will be discussed later, the expansion scripts relate to the steps that a user undertakes to configure a digital cross-connect communications network. The colors of template 40 assist a user to determine the network status. For example, on alarm summary template 40, a the OFFICE02 text blinks red to indicate a critical/major error, yellow to indicate a minor error, green to indicate a threshold condition. The OFFICE02 text stay a solid green light to indicate a normal condition.

In FIG. 3, bay template 70 shows the status of the operation of OFFICE02 that alarm summary template 40 of FIGURE02 monitors and block 42, for example. Bay template 70 shows that OFFICE02 includes two bays, Bay 2 designated at block 72 and including the shelves that bracket 74 bounds and Bay 3 designated by block 76 and including shelves that bracket 78 bounds. As used herewith, a bay is a portion of a communications node that consists of one or more shelves to have various subcomponents. Bay 2, for example, includes RSP shelf 80, APU shelf 82, TSI shelf 84, PWR shelf 86, and a second TSI shelf 88. Bay 3 includes RSP shelf 90, and I/O shelves 92, 94, 96, and 98.

The following table defines the acronyms for the components that support a digital cross-connection communications network.

______________________________________ Acronym Explanation ______________________________________ APS Administrative Processing System APU Administrative Processing Unit Card CS Center Stage DSI Digital Signal Interface Card I/O Input/Output IPU Integrated Processing Unit Card LTX Line Termination PSF Power Supply Card PWR Power Card TD Tape/Disk TSI Time Slot Interchange Card XCV Transcalent Card ______________________________________

As in FIG. 2, network status block 50 and legend block 52 communicate, respectively, the alarm status of the network and explanations of colors or other indications to assist the operator to understand the template 70 displays. Link status block 100 informs the operator of the status of the links between the various offices that alarm summary screen 40 monitors.

Block 102 of FIG. 3 is similar to block 60 of FIG. 2 and provides access to a HELP function via HELP icon 54, a queue function via QUEUE icon 56, a patch function via PATCH icon 104, a monitor function via MONITOR icon 106 and access to other portions of the system via MENU icon 58. NETWORK VIEW icon 108 permits the user to return to alarm summary templates 40 of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 4 appears I/O shelf representation 110 that more particularly shows the components of I/O shelf 92. Label 112 indicates that the display of shelf template 110 corresponds to OFFICE02 Bay 3 Shelf 1 which, in this case, corresponds to I/O shelf 92 of FIG. 3. Label 114 provides the name for the representation 110 as a "1631 SX I/0 SHELF." Legend block 52 and network status block 50 perform the functions previously described. Within I/O shelf 92 are numerous DSI modules, such as the DSI 22 module designated as 116. Additionally, I/O shelf 92 includes other switching and control units, such as IPU 1 unit 118, PSF 1 unit 120 and XCV 2 unit 122. On each device such as the DSI 22 module designated as 116, IPU 1 unit designated as 118, PSF 1 unit 120, and XCV 1 unit 122 appear indicators such as indicator 124. Each of these indicators 124 shows green, yellow or red depending on the status of the associated unit. Block 126 includes HELP icon 54, QUEUE icon 56, PATCH icon 104, MONITOR icon 106, and MENU icon 58, all to operate as previously described. Block 126 includes NETWORK VIEW icon 108 and BAY VIEW icon 128. NETWORK VIEW icon 108 permits the display of alarm summary template 40 and BAY VIEW icon 128 permits viewing bay template 70.

Alarm summary template 40 of FIG. 2, bay template 70 of FIG. 3, and I/O shelf template 110 of FIG. 4 relate with one another so as to indicate alarm conditions whenever one of the devices of I/O shelf 92 experiences an alarm condition. For example, suppose DSI 22 module 116 provides the connection between node 12 and node 14 of FIG. 1. If a disconnect exists with DSI 22 module 116, then an alarm condition will indicate at indicator 124 of DSI 22 module 116 in the I/O shelf template 110 of FIG. 4. Additionally, NETWORK STATUS light 50 of FIG. 4 will indicate the alarm condition by flashing the same color as indicator 124. For example, when the OFFICE02 that flashes red, so will the NETWORK STATUS light 50. The I/O shelf icon 92 will indicate flashing red on bay template 70 and NETWORK STATUS 50 also to indicate the flashing red. Furthermore, at alarm summary template 40, OFFICE02 will flash red indicating an alarm condition. On all three templates, alarm summary screen template 40, bay template 70, and I/O shelf template 110 NETWORK STATUS block 50 will flash red per our example of indicates 124 flashing red. If indicator 124 flashed yellow, then the template as described above would flash yellow.

The present invention takes the output of existing software that monitors the electronic component of a digital cross-connect network and provides to the user the reports and displays of network operation. By interfacing with appropriate control and monitor ACD software, the preferred embodiment provides the monitoring functions of FIGS. 2-4. Moreover, through the monitoring functions of FIGS. 2-4, it is possible to more accurately and reliably control the operation of the ACD software. The templates that FIGS. 2-4 show, for example, permit a user to configure the components that the ACD software controls by permitting a user to structure the elements of each of the templates.

The SX switch hardware generates alarm signals in what is known as the TLI format of the Bellcor alarm standard. For a TLI formatted alarm, the method and system of the present invention generate color-coded alarms that appear at each of the templates of FIGS. 2-4. A significant difference between the previous method of monitoring communication components and the method of the preferred embodiment is that the user supplies substantially fewer inputs to configure a network. This is because the prior network configuration methods require direct manipulation and access to a multiple of individual, but interrelated, program files. The user employs the present invention, on the other hand, to automatically input much of the previously manually input data. Additionally, a user may monitor and configure a communications network through the use of a dialogue that poses to the user certain queries and for which the user provides data and instructions for configuring and monitoring the communications network.

The following discussion relates to FIGS. 5 through 9 that show flow charts of the various configuring and communications network change functions of the method and system. For instance, the method and system of the preferred embodiment permit the user to completely change the graphical representation of the network upon demand. To achieve this functionality, the templates that represent 1633 SX bays and shelves have been reduced to templates. The templates represent all levels of integration necessary to configure a 1633 SX node. The templates include each bay representation that the 1633 SX supports and each kind of shelf of a 1633 SX bay. The bay templates of the preferred embodiment represent, for example, provide 64-port, 2-or 3-bay representations; 128-port, 2- or 3-bay representations; a 256-port representation with either an APU or an APS bay; a 512-port representation with either an APU or an APS bay; a 1024-port and 2048-port representation of a 1633 SX digital cross-connect network node. The user configuration process includes the ability to select these bay representations in either a right-growth or left-growth format. The terms right-growth and left-growth mean, respectively, that in such a system if another bay were added to the system, the template shows on the right, left side of the existing bays. This representation of the templates accurately reflect the hardware representation that user seeks to monitor. The 1633 SX shelf templates include a representation of the RSP, LTX, means line termination, APS, TD, means tape/disk, APU, I/O, CS, means center stage and PWR shelves.

The preferred embodiment may also provide all levels of integration necessary to conFIG. 1631 SX and 1630 SX Digital Cross-Connect communications networks.

The templates are used in a unique expansion technique where the user has complete control of the final graphic network representation of the system. During the reconfiguration process, the user is queried as to how to size the network. This sizing includes interrogating the user for the network node count, the port size of each node, the growth format of each node and the node name. Support files are then created which are used by the expansion scripts. The expansion scripts aid the system to accomplish its essential functions. Expansion scripts use information input by the user to configure the graphics templates of FIG. 2 through 4, above, that describe the communications network. The scripts enable the system to modify the templates and, by a process of duplication and modification, create bay and shelf templates such a templates 70 and 110, respectively having the correct register and screen link information. The modification process uses a batch editor to cut known patterns from the template files and replace these strings with the correct string to make the screen function properly. Some of the information that is modified includes the site name and the bay and shelf location of the template.

The user may configure the template at FIGS. 2 through 4 in various combinations so that the resulting set of templates accurately reflects the configuration of 1633 SX digital cross-connects, for example, in a digital cross-connect network. The system adjusts the templates so that by using standard utilities such as those that ACD provides to configure a network, a user may form a complete set from just a few templates styles. The templates and the expansion scheme of the preferred embodiment cause changes to all applicable graphic templates using only a few screen text files. Then, these changes are automatically expanded to the number of screens that the user requests during the configuration process. Thus, by editing a few files with the new changes, all the screens of this template type will automatically receive the same changes.

The method and system use a color coding scheme to help the user decide how to control the system. For example, the system encloses icons in a gray box to indicate a connection to a zoom screen, while icons in a magenta box indicate a query action.

The method and system permit the user to perform four essential functions to monitor and control a communications network. The first function is to install the system to communicate with the ACD software that controls the communications components of the digital cross-connect network. The second function is to reconfigure the entire system after initial installation. The third function is to add nodes to the system. The fourth is to resize the node to reflect a change in the size of node.

The reconfigure system command is used when the communications network is to be completely changed. Any previous configuration is completely erased and replaced by this new configuration. The user may initiate this process by entering a "Reconfigure the System" command to the system. The preferred embodiment allows the user to input this command by its selection from a utilities menu of available system utilities. Upon selecting the "Reconfigure the System" command, the user gains access to a sub-menu containing the three types of system configurations a user may perform with the preferred embodiment, including 1) reconfigure the system, 2) add one or more nodes to the network, or 3) resize one node. The following discussion highlights operator dialogue that the preferred embodiment provides and discusses the flow of each process through the use of respective flow charts or diagrams appearing in FIGS. 5-9.

In FIG. 5, reconfigure flow chart 150 shows that the reconfigure process begins with the reconfigure entire system step 152. Upon receiving this command, the host computer for the software performing the reconfiguration will cancel all screens being displayed on work stations at block 154. Then, at block 156, the reconfigure process deactivates all active sites. At block 158, the system queries the user as to how many nodes to reconfigure. Then, the reconfigure software process deletes the sites from the ACD controlling and monitoring software. After that, at block 162 the system queries the user as to whether they want to rename the sites. If they do, then at query response block 164, program flow goes to query the user for unique names for each node being configured, at block 166. If the rename sites query receives a "NO" answer, then at block 168 the system allocates history archive files for all nodes being configured. Next, for each node the system queries the operator as to the SX type, the size, the growth type, and quad layout if the SX is of the 1631 SX or 1630 SX type at block 170. At block 172, the system creates loadlists and places all monitor files on line for all nodes being configured. Then, at block 174 the system activates all nodes that were configured. At block 176, the system expands all graphic sub-templates to match the user requested configuration. The system reboots the main processor, then, at block 178 assembles graphic templates and Super Registers at step 180. Finally, at block 182 the reconfiguration process activates the Super Registers and resumes the monitoring function at block 184.

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart 200 for using the preferred embodiment to add a node to a digital cross-connect communications network. For example, suppose that communications network has three nodes and a user seeks to add a fourth or fifth node to bring in two more cross-connects. Instead of having to reconfigure the entire system, the method and system permit the operator to simply add a node. Flow chart 200 shows the process for adding a node which begins at block 202. In response to the command to add nodes to the system, at block 204 the process cancels all screens being displayed on work stations and then queries the operator to find out how many nodes (up to 39 for the preferred embodiment) to add to the system at block 206. Then, for each node being added the process queries the operator as to the RDX type, the size, the growth type and the quad layout if the RDX is a 1631 or 1630 type at block 208. With this information, the system then uses the answer to a previous reconfiguration system rename node query to determine whether the renaming nodes is in effect at block 210. If so, then, at block 212, the system queries the user for the new unique node name. If not, then process uses the predefined node name at block 214. Then, the adding node procedure, for each node being added combines the graphic screen sub-templates at block 216 and assembles the screens at block 218. At block 220 the system allocates archive files for each node being added. Then, the next step is to copy additional templates to on-line directories so that new nodes may be monitored correctly at block 222. Fixing security for all new files is the next step at block 224. At block 226, the process stores all screens on each defined work station. Activating the active work station displays occurs at block 228. Finally, the adding node process reboots the system at block 230 and returns control to the MONITOR displays at block 232.

The Super Register expansion capability of the preferred method and system parallels the expansion of the graphic templates in the respect the user defines a network configuration. The graphic screens are expanded accordingly to represent the configuration as are the Super Registers, so that the summary registers on the various graphic templates properly reflect a lower level alarm status. "Super Registers" is an ACD trademark to describe a facility for reporting to a user the highest alarm status appearing in a communications network. A Super Register may contain various "base registers" and other "Super Registers" that associate with a particular graphic icon to reflects the status of the icon. "Base register" is also an ACD trademark. If a particular Super Register contains a base register that is reflecting a major alarm and another base register reflecting a minor alarm, the Super Register's status will be a major alarm indication. Both Super Registers and base registers allocate storage in the "MegaRay" (another ACD trademark). The MegaRay ties the receipt of event messages from the network to the change of status of graphic icons.

Super Registers are expanded with a series of scripts, similar to the expansion process for the graphic templates in the respect that only the appropriate base registers are added to the summary Super Registers, depending on the configuration that the user requests. Super Register expansion occurs after template expansion for a node has been completed. The set of Super Registers for a node depends on several factors including the kind of SX, the size of the node, whether performance monitoring icons are to be lit or not, the quad layout of the I/O shelves of a 1631 or 1630 SX node. This information was input by the user who configures the network. This information is kept in many files contained in a directory structure to support the present invention. The Super Register expansion process uses these files when appropriate to correctly expand the Super Registers to contain the exact