# US 7,613,129 B1 · Managing information describing a communications network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,613,129 B1 - Document ID: US7613129B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/159,800 - Filed: 2005-06-23 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2005-06-23 - Assignees: Embarq Corporation - Inventors: Zyad Ahmad Dwekat; Kenneth Tedder; Kevin Thomas Boland - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613129B1 ## CPC - H04L 41/0856: {by backing up or archiving configuration information} - H04L 41/082: the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A system and method for managing information describing a communications network. In accordance with the present invention, a set of communication devices are identified, and one or more identifiers are assigned to each of the devices. A workbook storing the assigned identifiers is maintained, and a network specification book is provided. The network specification book includes specification information associated with the communications network, including the assigned identifiers. An update tool is utilized to automatically insert at least a portion of the specification information into the workbook. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of managing information using a data management system, the information describing a communications network, the method conducted using software and comprising: assigning identifiers to a set of communication devices for use with the communications network; maintaining a workbook, the workbook including device information associated with each of the set of communication devices, the workbook further including the assigned identifiers; maintaining a network specification book in memory on the data management system, the network specification book including specifications regarding a configuration of a network; receiving at the network specification book over a network connection an indication of a change in the configuration of the network, the indication including at least one of the assigned identifiers, the change being stored in the network specification book; communicating the included at least one of the assigned identifiers from the network specification book to the workbook; updating an entry in the workbook in response to the communicated at least one of the assigned identifiers, the entry being stored in memory and associated with the communicated at least one of the assigned identifiers; communicating at least a portion of the device information from the workbook to the network specification book in response to the update to the entry, the portion of the device information being associated with the communicated at least one of the assigned identifiers; and updating the network specification book with the portion of the device information, the portion of the device information being stored in memory. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said assigned identifiers are IP addresses. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said assigned identifiers are IP addresses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said assigned identifiers indicate one or more device characteristics. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising using an update tool to determine whether at least a portion of said specifications is stored in said workbook. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using an update tool to automatically insert at least a portion of said workbook into said specification book. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using an update tool to identify one or more disparities between information stored in said workbook and information stored in said specification book. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) One or more computer-readable media comprising instructions embodied thereon for executing the method of claim 1. ### Claim 9 A system for managing data associated with a communications network, said system comprising: a workbook stored in memory, the workbook including device information associated with each of a set of communication devices, the workbook further including an assigned identifier associated with each of the set of communication devices; a network specification book stored in memory, the network specification book including specifications regarding the physical and logical layout of a network; and an update tool in communication with the workbook and the network specification book, the update tool operable to communicate at least one of the assigned identifiers from the network specification book to the workbook in response to receiving at the network specification book an indication of a change in the configuration of the network, the indication including the communicated at least one of the assigned identifiers, the update tool further operable to update an entry in the workbook in response to the communicated at least one of the assigned identifiers, the entry being associated with the communicated at least one of the assigned identifiers, the update tool further operable to communicate at least a portion of the device information from the workbook to the network specification book in response to the update to the entry, the portion of the device information being associated with the communicated at least one of the assigned identifier, the update tool further operable to update the network specification book with the portion of the device information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system for managing data of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of said assigned identifiers are assigned in accordance to an addressing standard. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system for managing data of claim 9, wherein said network specification book includes at lest one identification indicia not listed in said workbook. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system for managing data of claim 9, wherein said network specification book includes information indicating a said communications network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system for managing data of claim 9, wherein said update tool is configured to extract information from said workbook and to insert the extracted information into said network specification book. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system for managing data of claim 9, wherein said update tool is configured to automatically exchange information between said workbook and said network specification book. ### Claim 15 A computer-implemented method for managing information describing a communications network, the method conducted using software and comprising: storing in memory a standardized format for listing one or more elements of information associated with a plurality of communications devices; storing in memory a standardized set of specification information for describing a network, the specification information including information associated with the physical and logical layout of the communications network; identifying a set of common items of information utilized by both said standardized format and said standardized set of specification information; storing in memory the set of common items; and providing an update tool to automatically communicate any changes in said set of common items over a network between a first database and a second database, wherein said first database is formatted in accordance with said standardized format and wherein said second database is formatted in accordance with said standardized set of specification information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said first document is a workbook that includes a listing of said elements of information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said listing includes a set of identification indicia associated with said plurality of communications devices. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said second document is a network specification book including specification information associated with said communications network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said update tool is configured to access both said first document and said second document. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said update tool is configured to compare the content of said first document with the content of said second document.