System and method for monitoring, controlling and provisioning a telecommunications access network

An access device comprising:

• a first port configured to communicatively couple to an access network;
• and
• a second port configured to communicatively couple to one or more demarcation devices that are communicatively coupled to one or more customer premise equipment (CPE);
• wherein the access device is configured to transmit management information via an in-band management channel on the first port.

An access device for providing customer premise equipment access to an access network, the access device comprising:

• a first port configured to communicatively couple to the access network;
• and
• a second port configured to communicatively couple to one or more demarcation devices that are communicatively coupled to one or more customer premise equipment (CPE);
• and
• a processing unit configured for performing the steps of:
• communicating via a first communications link coupled to the first port, the first communications link having a plurality of flows;
• establishing an in-band management flow in the first communications link;
• establishing one or more customer flows in the first communications link;
• and
• transmitting access device information via the in-band management flow demarcation device information to the network element.

A method of providing management information of an access device, the method comprising:

• establishing a first communications link on a first port to a telecommunications network, the first communications link having a plurality of flows, at least one of the plurality of flows carrying customer communications;
• establishing a second communications link on a second port, the second communications link being configured for communicatively coupling to customer premise equipment;
• and
• transmitting management information on the first port via a first flow of the plurality of flows.

A control system in a telecommunications network, the control system comprising:

• a first port configured to communicatively couple to the telecommunications network;
• and
• a processing unit configured for performing the steps of:
• establishing a communications link over the telecommunications network to an access device, the access device being communicatively coupled to one or more demarcation devices, the communications link having a plurality of flows, and at least one of the flows configured to transmit customer data;
• establishing an in-band management flow via the communications link;
• and
• receiving management information from the access device via the in-band management flow.

In a service provisioning system for establishing information flows between a service edge and a customer premise equipment (CPE) in a telecommunications network, a method of automated provisioning of one or more network elements within the telecommunications network, wherein the network elements are interconnected by one or more communication links with each link carrying a plurality of information flows, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a service provisioning request at a centralized remote location, the service provisioning request defining a flow desired by a customer between the service edge and the customer premise equipment (CPE);
• retrieving a network topology between the CPE and the service edge, the CPE being communicatively coupled to an access device;
• generating provisioning instructions based at least in part on the network topology;
• and
• issuing the provisioning instructions to at least one of the access device and the service edge to establish the flow between the CPE and the service edge.

In a service provisioning system for establishing information flows between a service edge and a customer premise equipment (CPE) in a telecommunications network, a method of automated provisioning of one or more network elements within the telecommunications network, wherein the network elements are interconnected by one or more communication links with each link carrying a plurality of information flows, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a service provisioning request at a centralized remote location;
• determining a communication path from the CPE to the service edge via one or more network elements with an automated control system;
• establishing an in-band control and maintenance data flow within one or more of the communication links to communicatively couple the service provisioning system to at least one of the network elements;
• and
• sending instructions for implementing a service change via the in-band control and maintenance data flow to at least one of the network elements, thereby establishing an information flow between the service edge and the customer premise equipment (CPE).

A service provisioning system for establishing information flows between a service edge and a customer premise equipment (CPE) in a telecommunications network, the service provisioning system comprising:

• a first port configured to communicatively couple to a telecommunications network;
• and
• a processing unit configured for performing the steps of:
• receiving a service provisioning request;
• determining a communication path from the CPE to the service edge via one or more network elements, wherein the network elements are interconnected by one or more communication links with each link carrying a plurality of information flows;
• establishing an in-band control and maintenance data flow within one or more of the communication links to communicatively couple the control system to at least one of the network elements;
• and
• sending instructions for implementing a service provisioning request via the in-band control and maintenance data flow to at least one of the network elements, thereby establishing an information flow between the service edge and the customer premise equipment (CPE).

A service provisioning system for establishing information flows between a service edge and a customer premise equipment (CPE) in a telecommunications network, the service provisioning system comprising:

• a control system adapted to accept a service provisioning request, the control system having at least one network database storing network topology information and a provisioning module for converting a service provisioning request into instructions for implementing a service change identified by the request, the instructions based at least in part on the network topology information obtained from the network database, wherein the control system is communicatively coupled to an integrated data network (IDN);
• a demarcation device having a first communication link with the CPE and adapted to translate information from the CPE into a packetized information flow;
• an access device having a second communication link with the demarcation device;
• and
• a switching device having a third communication link with the access device, the switching device also being communicatively couple to the IDN and to a service edge,
• wherein the control system is configured to establish an in-band control and maintenance data flow within the second communications link allowing the control system to pass the instructions for implementing a service change to the access device via the in-band control and maintenance data flow.