JP2004348592A - Provisioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To flexibly comply with remodeling needs in the additional installation of a new service/server. <P>SOLUTION: This provisioning system is constructed of a provisioning server 21 executing a provisioning function, a customer management server 11, an authentication server 31, a mail server 32, and a WWW (World-Wide Web) server 33. The provisioning server 21 is constructed of a keyboard and a mouse for inputting data and commands, a storage part storing a predetermined program and data, a control part executing the program stored in the storage part, and a communication control part and the like transmitting/receiving data to/from the other sever via a network. By means of the control part, a parameter inputted by a user by the operation of the keyboard is stored in the storage part, and on the basis of the parameter, an interface for transmitting/receiving the data and commands to/from the other server is created automatically. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a provisioning system, and more particularly, to a provisioning system having a function of realizing data and data cooperation with a plurality of servers arranged in a distributed manner.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a system with a provisioning function needs to be modified every time a service is added or a server is added. The functions required by this modification can be patterned. Also, a service provisioning device (SP device) is distributed and deployed on the user side, that is, on the end user / information provider side and on the service provider side, and the SP device is provided to the user for call control and service operation, and for a plurality of services. A provider-insensitive virtual interface, service synthesis, NW / NE order generation, SP control unit that performs actual service control, user network interface (UNI) and user operation interface (UOI), or distribution processing unit that distributes a plurality of service providers There is a configuration in which each SP device is configured by a coordination processing unit that connects and cooperates with each other via a network so that a user can freely use various information communication services without knowing the network (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-65395
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, since the repair of the system having the provisioning function is required every time a service is added or a server is added, there is a problem that the repair of the system requires time and costs.
Further, the invention described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is necessary to repair the provisioning device when a new service or a new server is added.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is an object of the present invention to increase the efficiency at the time of repair of a provisioning system and reduce the repair cost.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The provisioning system according to claim 1, wherein the provisioning server has a provisioning function and a plurality of cooperation servers cooperate via a network, wherein the provisioning server has an input unit for inputting parameters, and an input unit. Storage means for storing parameters input by the storage means, and a generation means for generating an interface with a plurality of cooperation servers based on the parameters stored by the storage means.
The provisioning function may include at least one of a service order data reception function, a service order data conversion function, a service order data transmission function, and a service order data result transmission function.
Also, the parameters may relate to the format of the input / output service order data.
Further, the parameter may relate to parameterization of an interface method to a plurality of cooperation servers.
Further, the parameter may be related to parameterization of a conversion rule of a service order data item for each of a plurality of cooperation servers.
7. The provisioning method according to claim 6, wherein the provisioning server has a provisioning function and a plurality of cooperation servers cooperate via a network, wherein the provisioning server inputs parameters, and And a generating step of generating an interface with a plurality of cooperating servers based on the parameters stored in the storing step.
8. The provisioning program according to claim 7, wherein the provisioning program controls a provisioning system in which a provisioning server having a provisioning function and a plurality of cooperation servers cooperate via a network. And a storing step of storing the parameters input in the input step, and a generating step of generating an interface between a plurality of cooperation servers based on the parameters stored in the storing step. I do.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In recent years, the OPEN system environment has become mainstream aiming at an environment in which resources such as computers in the system can be more efficiently used by utilizing a network due to the evolution of network technology and servers (CPU).
[0008]
Specifically, high cost performance is achieved by decentralizing functions by distributing functions by giving specific functions to each computer unit, and by decentralizing loads by efficiently allocating resources. And so on.
[0009]
The advantages of the centralized type → distributed type are as follows.
・ Improved system flexibility: System design that meets the needs is possible.
-System development: It is possible to realize stepwise and partial development.
-Efficient resource utilization: Optimum resource allocation to response time is possible (load distribution).
・ Improve system reliability: Improve system operation rate through risk diversification.
・ Restriction of operation time: Maintenance is realized without interruption.
[0010]
A provisioning function is required for this distributed environment. Provisioning is a term originally used by telecommunications carriers. In order to quickly respond to customer service requests, provision of equipment is planned in advance in anticipation of service demand. In this regard, provisioning in the IT field is often used to refer to a function of linking data to distributed servers.
[0011]
In addition to the network, the main reason for the increasing importance of provisioning in the IT field is the need for IT agility and management cost reduction. Although provisioning has arisen from such needs, there are increasing cases in which applications need to be modified due to changes in provided functions or addition of service servers.
[0012]
In such a case, the present invention makes it possible to introduce a flexible new service that does not require application modification by parameterizing all information such as the interface server definition and the interface items. The complete automation of the provisioning function is a method belonging to the function of the telecommunications customer management system.
[0013]
Next, a processing procedure for completely automating provisioning will be described. The provisioning function can be roughly divided into four functions. The four functions are a "service order data reception function", a "service order data conversion function", a "service order data transmission function", and a "service order data result transmission function".
[0014]
The outline of each function will be described using an ISP (Internet Service Provider) system as an example. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an embodiment of a provisioning system according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, a provisioning server 21 that executes a provisioning function, a customer management server 11, an authentication server 31, a mail server 32, and a WWW (World-Wide Web) server 33 It is configured.
[0015]
The provisioning server 21 includes a keyboard and a mouse for inputting data and commands, a storage unit for storing predetermined programs and data, a control unit for executing the programs stored in the storage unit, and another server via a network. It is composed of a communication control unit for transmitting and receiving data. As will be described later, the control unit stores parameters input by operating the keyboard by the operator in the storage unit, and based on the parameters, sets an interface for transmitting and receiving data and commands to and from another server. It is automatically generated.
[0016]
The outline of the current function of the provisioning server is as follows. The provisioning is positioned as a part of the management server in the entire system, and realizes an interface between the customer management server 11 and each center system server (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, and other new service servers). I do.
[0017]
The provisioning server 21 receives the SOD (service order data) generated in the customer management server 11, converts the received data into update data for each center system server, and converts each server (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, It provides a function to transfer update information to other new service servers. The provisioning facilitates the interface connection between the customer management server 11 and the center server (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, and other new service servers), and smoothly operates the provisioning system.
[0018]
The current functions of the provisioning server 21 are as follows.
[0019]
(1) SOD reception function This function is to receive SOD from the customer management server. At the initiative of the customer management server 11, the SOD is received at regular intervals, and the received SOD is stored in a storage unit (not shown) in the provisioning server 21. The SOD file is transferred by HULFT of the file transfer middleware.
[0020]
(2) Data conversion function This function distributes the SOD received from the customer management server 11 for each center server (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, and other new service servers), and registers each registration data. Convert to and create a file for registration.
[0021]
(3) Registration information reflection function This function controls the registration data reflection processing to each center server (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, and other new service servers) by the center server registration data. I do. The registration information of the Radius server is reflected by registering the registration file in the update directory in the Radius server by HULFT. The update result log file in the Radius server is acquired by HULFT to create a registration result file.
[0022]
The registration information reflection of the mail server 32 and the WWW server 33 is performed by performing an update process by an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). Further, a registration result file is created based on the processing result.
[0023]
(4) SOD Registration Result Transfer Function This function integrates the registration result files of the center servers (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, and other new service servers) and transfers them to the customer management server 11. Things. When a registration result transfer request is received at a fixed cycle under the initiative of the customer management server 11, the registration result files of the center servers (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, and other new service servers) are integrated, and The data is transferred to the management server 11 by HULFT.
[0024]
(5) Scheduling Function In this function, the data for which the schedule date is set to the future date in the received SOD is stored in the center server (authentication server 31, mail server 32, WWW server 33, and other new servers) until the schedule date. In order to wait for the registration information reflection process to be performed on the service server), the data is stored in the storage unit of the provisioning server 21 as schedule data. Further, the cancellation of the schedule is realized by receiving the SOD of the schedule deletion request and deleting the corresponding schedule data. The scheduling process is started at the scheduling start time, extracts the schedule data of the current day from the schedule file, and transfers it to the data conversion function.
[0025]
With the current provisioning, it is necessary to modify the system functions when adding new services and new servers, and new man-hours and costs are incurred every time development is performed. It is possible to respond flexibly. The future functions of the provisioning server 21 are as follows.
[0026]
(1) The following items are parameterized for complete parameterization of the input / output SOD format.
(A) Environment variable file definition definition file (directory (specifying the storage directory of the definition file), SOD delimiter (specifying the type of delimiter), result return / non-existence (specifying whether or not there is a SOD result) ), Log level (specifying whether to output the log), etc.).
(B) SOD input definition collecting file (specifying the file name for storing the received data), post-collecting job (specifying the job name that operates after collecting the data), re-collecting file (error Etc.), a file name for storing received data when re-collection is performed, a job after re-collection (specifying a job name that operates after re-collection is performed), a collection command ( Specifies the command name for receiving.)
(C) SOD output definition distribution file (specifying file name for storing distribution data), pre-delivery job (specifying job name that operates before distribution processing), post-delivery job (operation after distribution processing) Job), redistribution file (file name for storing redistribution data), pre-redistribution job (job name that operates before redistribution processing), redistribution Post-job (specifies a job name that operates after re-distribution processing), distribution command (specifies a command name for performing distribution).
(D) FTP input definition file prefix (character string to be the head of the file name), input completion file (file for managing the end of FTP), input return job (job name for returning the input result of FTP).
(E) Record item definition Record item identification (item name for identifying the item), number of digits (number of digits of item), attribute (attribute of item), mandatory (specifying mandatory item), variable (variable length) In the case of an item, it is for presenting man-hours), whether or not to change (to specify whether or not to change), log output (to specify whether or not to output log), check identification 1 to n (under AND conditions) .
(F) Check identification definition Check identification (name for identifying the check content), values 1 to n (or format designation [yyyymmdd, Xnnnnnn, etc.] and prohibited characters under OR conditions).
(G) File division definition reflection file prefix (character string to be the beginning of the reflection file name), schedule record item identification (schedule item identification), division (deletion) record item identification = value,...
[0027]
(2) The following items are parameterized in order to parameterize the method of the interface to the cooperation server.
(A) Reflection operation control definition reflection file prefix, monitoring interval, number of retries, timeout, SOD item / parameter identification character string (SOD item name), operation type (designate I / F to reflection destination server).
(B) ISP server definition host name, IP address, kanji code, and other optional parameter values.
(C) All items information holding definition information holding information, all items information backup file, all items registration command.
(D) Reflection command definition item number, condition, command (SOD item identification character string + record item identification, parameter identification character string + parameter value, fixed value).
(E) Command result definition Command result acquisition method (acquisition code by specifying status, line, position, size, etc.), result return format, error information operation definition (status / result code, operation [return / retry / skip / abort]) .
[0028]
(3) Parameterization of SOD item conversion rule for each cooperation server (A) Conversion operation control definition reflection file prefix, converted file item / line separator.
(B) Record item definition conditions, items (SOD item identification character string + record item identification, parameter identification character string + parameter value, fixed value), editing.
[0029]
(4) Automatically generate business functions by inputting the parameter values.
[0030]
As described above, the provisioning function in a distributed environment is required as the system scale increases, and automatically generating this interface with parameters provides a flexible system for users. In addition to this, it has the effect of reducing development efficiency and overall costs.
[0031]
It is needless to say that the configuration and operation of the above embodiment are examples, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, an interface between servers in a distributed environment is automatically generated based on parameters input by a user. It is possible to absorb changes such as the addition of a new service or a new server by changing the parameter settings without the need to change the parameters. Therefore, a flexible system can be provided to the user, the development efficiency can be increased, and the overall development cost can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 Customer Management Server 21 Provisioning Server 31 Authentication Server 32 Mail Server 33 WWW Server

Claims (7)

A provisioning system in which a provisioning server having a provisioning function and a plurality of cooperation servers cooperate via a network,
The provisioning server comprises:
Input means for inputting parameters;
Storage means for storing the parameters input by the input means,
Generating means for generating an interface with the plurality of linked servers based on the parameters stored by the storage means. The provisioning system according to claim 1, wherein the provisioning function includes at least one of a service order data reception function, a service order data conversion function, a service order data transmission function, and a service order data result transmission function. . The provisioning system according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is related to a format of input / output service order data. The provisioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the parameter is related to parameterization of an interface method to the plurality of cooperation servers. 5. The provisioning system according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is related to parameterization of a conversion rule of the service order data item for each of the plurality of linked servers. 6. A provisioning method in which a provisioning server having a provisioning function and a plurality of cooperation servers cooperate via a network,
The provisioning server comprises:
An input step for inputting parameters;
A storage step of storing the parameters input in the input step,
A generating step of generating an interface with the plurality of cooperating servers based on the parameters stored in the storing step. A provisioning program for controlling a provisioning system in which a provisioning server having a provisioning function and a plurality of cooperation servers cooperate via a network,
To the provisioning server,
An input step for inputting parameters;
A storage step of storing the parameters input in the input step,
A generating step of generating an interface with the plurality of cooperative servers based on the parameters stored in the storing step.

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