Methods, systems, and computer program products for a hierarchical, redundant OAM&P architecture for use in an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) network

A method for managing a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

• performing a message processing function including processing signaling information, performing a plurality of application functions, and generating operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P) information, wherein at least one of the plurality of application functions is different from another of the plurality of application functions;
• performing, by a system OAM&P entity, a system OAM&P function including receiving at least some of the OAM&P information from each of the plurality of application functions directly, aggregating the received at least some of the OAM&P information from the plurality of applications, and providing to a network OAM&P entity at least some of the aggregated OAM&P information;
• and
• performing, by the network OAM&P entity, a network OAM&P function including receiving from the system OAM&P entity the at least some of the OAM&P information from the plurality of applications, aggregating the received at least some of the OAM&P information from the system OAM&P entity, and communicating to a network operations center at least some of the aggregated OAM&P information from the system OAM&P entity.

A method for managing a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

• performing a message processing function including processing signaling information, performing a plurality of application functions, and generating operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P) information, wherein at least one of the plurality of application functions is different from another of the plurality of application functions and wherein the message processing function is performed by an entity other than the system OAM&P entity;
• performing, by a system OAM&P entity, a system OAM&P function including receiving at least some of the OAM&P information from each of the plurality of application functions directly;
• performing, by a network OAM&P entity, a network OAM&P function including receiving at least some of the OAM&P information from the system OAM&P function and communicating at least some of the OAM&P information to a network operations center;
• receiving and processing, by the message processing function, configuration instructions for performing at least one of the application functions, and performing an application function specified by the configuration instructions;
• and
• sending, by the message processing function, a status message including a description of capabilities of the message processing function.

A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• performing a message processing function including processing signaling information, performing a plurality of application functions, and generating operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P) information, wherein at least one of the plurality of application functions is different from another of the plurality of application functions;
• performing, by a system OAM&P entity, a system OAM&P function including receiving at least some of the OAM&P information from each of the plurality of application functions directly, aggregating the received at least some of the OAM&P information from the plurality of applications, and providing to a network OAM&P entity at least some of the aggregated OAM&P information;
• and
• performing, by the network OAM&P entity, a network OAM&P function including receiving from the system OAM&P function the at least some of the OAM&P information from the plurality of applications, aggregating the received at least some of the OAM&P information from the system OAM&P function, and communicating to a network operations center at least some of the aggregated OAM&P information from the system OAM&P function.