Information gathering from traffic flow in a communication network

A network element via which traffic flow of a communication network passes, wherein the network element is arranged to co-operate with a central processing element, the network element comprises:

• equipment for generating events on the basis of the traffic flow and predefined instructions, an event being data indicating that a certain matter has occurred in the traffic flow, and
• equipment for sending said events for analysis in the central processing element;
• wherein the equipment for generating are configured to generate an event comprising an information query, and the network element is configured;
• to halt processing of a function in said network element when said event comprising an information query is sent,
• send said event utilizing said equipment for sending, and
• to continue with the processing of the function after a response to the query is received at the network element.

A central processing element for gathering information from traffic flowing in communication networks, wherein the central processing element is arranged to co-operate with at least one network element via which the traffic flow passes, and with network operator systems, the central processing element comprises:

• equipment for receiving events generated in a network element on the basis of the traffic flow and predefined instructions, an event being data indicating that a certain matter has occurred in the traffic flow,
• equipment for analysing said events,
• logic for executing rules according to which said analysis is configured to be done, and
• equipment for conveying information to the network operator systems on the basis of said analysis
• said equipment for analysing being configured:
• to look for said received event in a predefined event tree, the event tree comprising a set of events arranged in a tree according to their properties and the events in the tree being accompanied with a corresponding action,
• to execute the corresponding action, if said received event is found in the event tree, and
• to look for and executing an action relating to a higher-level event, if said received event is not found in the event tree.

A method for gathering information from traffic flowing in communication networks, the method comprising

• receiving in a central processing element events generated and sent by a network element which sees the traffic flowing in the network, the events being generated on the basis of the traffic flow and predefined instructions, and an event being data indicating that a certain matter has occurred in the traffic flow,
• analysing said events in said central processing element according to rules executed by the central processing element, and
• conveying information to network operator systems on the basis of said analysis,
• wherein said step of analysing comprises:
• looking for said received event in a predefined event tree, the event tree comprising a set of events arranged in a tree according to their properties and the events in the tree being accompanied with a corresponding action,
• executing the corresponding action, if said received event is found in the event tree, and
• looking for and executing an action relating to a higher-level event, if said received event is not found in the event tree.