Communication network operations management system and method

A communication network operations center (NOC) management system, comprising:

• a network equipment fault data store comprising network equipment fault data collected from at least one network equipment fault monitoring system;
• a network equipment maintenance data store comprising maintenance data identifying maintenance activity for network equipment items;
• a network equipment inventory data store comprising at least three of an identification of the network equipment items, an identification of vendors of the network equipment items, a software version identity of the network equipment items, a hardware version identity of the network equipment items, a firmware version identity of the network equipment items, a topological relationship of the network equipment items to other network equipment items, wherein the network equipment inventor data store is updated daily;
• a network equipment trouble history data store comprising a plurality of case histories of a network equipment item trouble, wherein the case histories comprise active network equipment trouble case histories and resolved network equipment trouble case histories, and wherein the resolved network equipment trouble case histories comprise an identification of the trouble, an identification of the network equipment item, and an identification of a resolution action;
• a communication network knowledge data store comprising vendor network equipment item product descriptions, vendor procedures for network equipment items, vendor recommendations for fixing network equipment item faults, and communication network service provider documentation of troubleshooting procedures;
• and
• a computer system comprising a processor, a non-transitory memory, and a network operations center (NOC) management application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor;
• opens a new network equipment trouble case based on new network equipment fault data,
• analyzes the new network equipment trouble case based on the network equipment inventory data store and the resolved network equipment trouble case histories stored in the network equipment trouble history data store,
• identifies an information pattern shared by the new network equipment trouble case and at least one of the resolved network equipment trouble case histories,
• creates a troubleshooting workflow based on the information pattern and based on at least one of the vendor network equipment item product descriptions, the vendor procedures for network equipment items, the vendor recommendations for fixing network equipment item faults, and the communication network service provider documentation of troubleshooting procedures, and
• presents the troubleshooting workflow on a user interface, whereby a NOC operator is lead through a process of troubleshooting and fixing the network equipment identified in the new network equipment trouble case.

A communication network operations center (NOC) management system, comprising:

• a network equipment inventory data store comprising at least three of an identification of the network equipment items, an identification of vendors of the network equipment items, a software version identity of the network equipment items, a hardware version identity of the network equipment items, a firmware version identity of the network equipment items, a topological relationship of the network equipment items to other network equipment items, wherein the network equipment inventor data store is updated daily;
• a network equipment trouble history data store comprising a plurality of case histories of a network equipment item trouble, wherein the case histories comprise active network equipment trouble case histories and resolved network equipment trouble case histories, and wherein the resolved network equipment trouble case histories comprise an identification of the trouble, an identification of the network equipment item, and an identification of a resolution action;
• a communication network knowledge data store comprising vendor network equipment item product descriptions, vendor procedures for network equipment items, vendor recommendations for fixing network equipment item faults, and communication network service provider documentation of troubleshooting procedures;
• and
• a computer system comprising a processor, a non-transitory memory, and a network operations center (NOC) management application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor;
• opens a new network equipment trouble case,
• analyzes the new network equipment trouble case based on the network equipment inventory data store and the resolved network equipment trouble case histories stored in the network equipment trouble history data store,
• identifies a first network support person identified in one of the resolved network equipment trouble case histories, where the resolved network equipment trouble case history shares some common information with the new network equipment trouble case,
• associates the first network support person with the new network equipment trouble case with a consulting role,
• identifies at least a second network support person associated with an item of network equipment identified in the new network equipment trouble case based on at least one of a location, an equipment category, or a communication technology of the item of network equipment,
• associates at least the second network support person with the new network equipment trouble case in a monitoring role,
• analyzes the new network equipment trouble case based on a topological relationship of a network equipment item identified in the new network equipment trouble case to other network equipment items stored in the network equipment inventory data store,
• based on the analysis of the topological relationship and based on the new network equipment trouble case, identifies vendor procedures for the network equipment item identified in the new network equipment trouble case,
• based on the new network equipment trouble case, identifies communication network service provider documentation of troubleshooting procedures, and
• presents the identified vendor procedures and the identified communication network service provider documentation of troubleshooting procedures, whereby a NOC operator is provided with documentation and procedures for troubleshooting and fixing the network equipment item identified in the new network equipment trouble case.