System and method for managing virtual local area networks

A system for managing virtual local area networks (VLANs) in a network, the system comprising:

• a network monitoring system operable to gather actual network element configuration data of a first object type from a plurality of network elements at one or more logical network sites by periodically polling the plurality of network elements after at least one initial VLAN provisioning, wherein the actual network element configuration data identifies one or more VLANs that at least some of the plurality of network elements are actually allocated to;
• a VLAN services module operable to:
• neutralize the actual network element configuration data of the first object type and administrative VLAN data of a second object type to convert the actual network element configuration data or the administrative VLAN data into a common object type, wherein the administrative VLAN data identifies one or more VLANs recognized by a business process,
• correlate, after the VLAN services module neutralizes, the actual network element configuration data with the administrative VLAN data, and
• determine one or more VLANs that are not commonly identified in both the actual network element configuration data and the administrative VLAN data;
• and
• wherein the network monitoring system and VLAN services module are each implemented by hardware in combination with software, the system further comprising;
• a VLAN orders data store comprising a plurality of data objects each related to a VLAN that have been ordered;
• a VLAN provisioning data store comprising a plurality of data objects each related to a VLAN that has been provisioned;
• a configuration generation data store comprising a plurality of data objects each related to a network element configuration;
• and
• wherein the VLAN network services module is operable to correlate data from the VLAN orders data store, the VLAN provisioning data store and the configuration generation data store;
• wherein the VLAN network services module is further operable to map corresponding data fields in the plurality of data objects from at least two of the VLAN provisioning data store, the VLAN configuration generation data store, and the VLAN orders data store against one another;
• and
• a VLAN management user interface operable to report VLAN status determined by the VLAN services module;
• wherein the VLAN management user interface is further operable to receive a reservation request to reserve a specified VLAN.