Management of virtual and physical network inventories

A method for managing a network element inventory between one or more operation systems for a video and data network comprising:

• self-discovering a physical network inventory of physical network elements using network elements of the video and data network;
• self-discovering a logical network inventory of logical network elements using network elements of the video and data network;
• providing a planned network inventory of the video and data network;
• loading the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, and planned network inventory into the network element inventory, wherein the physical network elements and logical network elements of the video and data network change over time, wherein the physical network inventory and logical network inventory is continually self-discovered over the time period to update the physical network inventory and logical network inventory in real-time;
• synchronizing the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, and planned network inventory in the network element inventory to determine any differences between the real-time updated physical network inventory and the real-time updated logical network inventory with the planned network inventory;
• creating one or more views of the network element inventory using at least one of the synchronized physical network inventory, the synchronized logical network inventory, and the planned network inventory for the one or more operation systems, wherein the one or more views are created based on if any differences between physical network elements of the real-time updated physical network inventory and logical network elements of the real-time updated logical network inventory with physical or logical network elements of the planned network inventory are determined;
• providing the one or more views to the one or more operation systems.

A method for managing a network element inventory for a video and data network comprising:

• self-discovering a physical network inventory of physical network elements using network elements of the video and data network;
• self-discovering a logical network inventory of logical network elements using network elements of the video and data network;
• receiving a planned network inventory of the video and data network;
• storing the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, and planned network inventory into the network element inventory, wherein the physical network elements and logical network elements of the video and data network change over time, wherein the physical network inventory and logical network inventory is continually self-discovered over the time period to update the physical network inventory and logical network inventory in real-time;
• and
• comparing the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, and planned network inventory in the network element inventory to determine differences between the real-time updated physical network inventory and the real-time updated logical network inventory with the planned network inventory;
• and
• determining a view of the network element inventory based on at least one of the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, planned network inventory, and the comparison between physical network elements of the real-time updated physical network inventory and logical network elements of the real-time updated logical network inventory with physical or logical network elements of the planned network inventory.

An apparatus for managing a network element inventory for a video and data network, the apparatus comprising:

• a self-discovered physical network inventory of physical network elements using network elements of the video and data network;
• a self-discovered logical network inventory of logical network elements using network elements of the video and data network;
• a planned network inventory of the video and data network;
• a database for storing the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, and planned network inventory into the network element inventory, wherein the physical network elements and logical network elements of the video and data network change over time, wherein the physical network inventory and logical network inventory is continually self-discovered over the time period to update the physical network inventory and logical network inventory in real-time;
• logic configured to compare the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, and planned network inventory in the network element inventory to determine differences between the real-time updated physical network inventory and the real-time updated logical network inventory with the planned network inventory;
• and
• logic to determine a view of the network element inventory based on at least one of the physical network inventory, logical network inventory, planned network inventory, and the comparison between physical network elements of the real-time updated physical network inventory and logical network elements of the real-time updated logical network inventory with physical or logical network elements of the planned network inventory.