Method for visualization of optical network topology
A method for the simultaneous graphical display of paths of optical wavelength channels in a telecommunications network together with one or more channel attributes is provided. The graphical display of the network also shows the direction of data flow transported by the channels. An audible or visual alarm for an error condition for a channel attribute on a link in the network can be produced if requires. The operator can also obtain detailed information on a channel by positioning the mouse over a channel.
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This application is a divisional application from the U.S. application Ser. No. 10/101,155 filed 20 Mar. 2002 to Nelles entitled “A Method for Visualization of optical Network Topology”, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to networks, and in particular to a method and system for visualizing a topology of a network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAs communications networks have grown in complexity, the task of effective network management has become increasingly important. An important aspect of network management is the topology of the network, which traditionally includes network connectivity. Equally important for effective network management and planning is information concerning configuration and performance characteristics, such as bandwidth and load.
The visual representation of networks in traditional network management systems is limited to the topology and connectivity of the network, see, e.g. a publication by John Jamison et al “vBNS: not your father's Internet”, 2001 [on the world wide web at vbns.net/index.html]; “Map of an Aggregated View of the MBGP Topology”, 2002 [on the world wide web at caida.org/tools/measurement/]; Ndn-map from NORDUnet, 2002 (Nordic Internet Highway to Research and Education Networks in Nordic Countries) [on the world wide web at nordu.net/]; and promotional brochure “High Performance Nationwide IP Network”, 2001, WorldCom [on the world wide web at vbns.net]. Unfortunately, none of the current technologies provides adequate visualization for monitoring both network topology and network performance.
Accordingly, there is a need for the development of an improved method for visualization of an optical network topology, which would be particularly applicable to wavelength channel visualization.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for visualization of the topology of an optical network, which would avoid the afore-mentioned drawbacks.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a computer-implemented method for visualization of the topology of optical network, comprising the steps of:
determining a channel identifier for a channel travelling in the network;
determining a path of the channel in the network by using the channel identifier;
graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network including displaying a direction of propagation of the channel in the network.
Advantageously, the method further comprises the step of determining an attribute of the channel along the path of the channel in the network, the step being performed before the step of displaying, wherein the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network comprises graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network together with the evolution of the channel attribute along the path.
Beneficially, the step of determining the channel identifier comprises determining the wavelength of the channel, and the step of determining the attribute of the channel comprises determining one or more of the following attributes of the channel: power, bit error rate, dispersion factor or optical return factor.
Conveniently, the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel comprises graphically displaying the path of more than one channel simultaneously, and for each channel, displaying more than one channel attribute simultaneously.
The step of graphically displaying the path of the channel, comprising displaying of the channel attributes, may be performed by using graphical display characteristics such as color, shading, pattern and/or geometrical shape.
Conveniently, the step of displaying the path of the channel may comprise representing the path by a geometric shape, the geometrical shape being substantially a line, the thickness of the line representing the value of the channel attribute to be displayed. The step of displaying the path of the channel in the network may further comprise displaying one more channel attribute by using a filling of the thickness of the line, the filling being one of the pattern and shading, variations of the filling representing the evolution of the value of the channel attribute. If additional channel attributes have to be displayed, it may be done in the following manner: the geometrical shape representing the path of the channel in the network may be split into segments, each segment corresponding to the path of the channel between two nodes, and each segment may further be split into sections whose number is equal to the number of the attributes to be displayed, wherein each section uses a distinct graphical display characteristic and represents the value of the corresponding attribute between the two nodes.
Conveniently, the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network comprises displaying the path of the channel on a computer screen. The step of determining the attribute of the channel along the path of the channel in the network may comprise customized selection of the attribute from a menu. Similarly, the step of simultaneously displaying the path of more than one channel in the network may comprise the step of customized selection of the channels from a menu.
Advantageously, the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network comprises refreshing the graphical displaying of the channel path in response to a signal, the refreshed graphical display incorporating changes which occurred in the network since previous graphical displaying. The step of refreshing the graphical display comprises refreshing the graphical display in response to an external signal. Conveniently, the step of refreshing may comprise refreshing of the graphical display at discrete time intervals.
If required, the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network may further comprise displaying the value of the channel attributes in a text information box. The step of displaying the value of channel attributes in the text information box may comprise displaying the text information box in response to the movement of a screen pointing device over the path of the channel in the network, the text information box showing the value of the channel attributes at the position along the path of the channel in the network, indicated by the pointing device.
Beneficially, the step of displaying the path of the channel in the network further comprises the step of generating one of the audible and visual alarm if an error condition along the path of the channel occurs.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program product for visualizing topology of an optical network, comprising:
computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing a computer to visualize the topology of the network, said computer program product having:
computer readable program code means for causing said computer to determine a channel identifier for a channel travelling in the network;
computer readable program code means for causing said computer to determine a path of the channel in the network by using the channel identifier; and
computer readable program code means for causing said computer to graphically display the path of the channel in the network including displaying a direction of propagation of the channel in the network.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program for visualization of topology of an optical network, comprising:
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine a channel identifier for a channel travelling in the network;
computer readable program code means for causing said computer to determine a path of the channel in the network by using the channel identifier; and
computer readable program code means for causing said computer to graphically display the path of the channel in the network including displaying a direction of propagation of the channel in the network.
The described method of visualization of the network topology has the following advantages. It provides more effective monitoring of the network performance and ensures much easier and more reliable control of operation of the network.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will be further understood from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Thus, the automatic visualization of the topology of the optical network is provided, including a path of the wavelength channel in the network.
Thus, the automatic visualization of the topology of the optical network is provided, including simultaneous graphical display of paths and directions of propagation of several optical wavelength channels, thereby providing a means for more efficient monitoring of the network topology.
Thus, the automatic visualization of the optical network topology is provided, including paths, directions of propagation and attributes for the optical channels in the network.
Thus, the topology of an optical network is provided, simultaneously showing paths, directions of propagation and attributes of several channels in the network, thereby providing a more immediate and effective visualization of the topology and performance of the network.
If the paths of the channels selected for the graphical display overlap either partly or entirely, the paths and associated attributes for different channels may be displayed beside each other so that not to block each other.
In a modification to the 5th embodiment, if more than one channel attribute has to be simultaneously displayed, the segment of channel path between the two network elements can be split into a number of sections 401, 402, 403 either vertically as shown in
Generalizing the approach explained with regard to
In a modification to the above embodiments, an audible alarm and/or visual alarm, e.g. flashing, can be produced when an error condition occurs for a channel attribute on a link between the two nodes in the network, the error condition indicating, e.g. low power, high bit error rate, low dispersion factor or low optical return factor. Thus, a means is provided for alerting the operator when an error occurs anywhere in the network, permitting more effective monitoring of the health of the network.
Various graphical display characteristics may be used for the graphical display in the embodiment of the invention, including shading, pattern, variations in geometrical shape and other techniques. While in the embodiments described above, a monochromatic graphical characteristics have been used for visualization of different channels and their attributes, it is contemplated that other graphical display characteristic tics may be also used, including color coded techniques, for unique identification of channels and associates attributes in the network.
The embodiment of the invention has the following advantages. By providing graphical visualization of the path of the channel in the network accompanied by simultaneous graphical visualization of channel attributes, it guarantees more effective monitoring of the network performance and provides easier and more reliable control of operation of the network.
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that variations and modifications to the embodiments may be made within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A method for visualizing a topology of a network, comprising the steps of:
- determining a path of a channel in the network;
- determining two or more attributes of the channel characterizing the quality of signal transmission by the channel along the path of the channel in the network; and
- graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network including displaying a direction of propagation of the channel in the network together with the evolution of said two or more attributes of the channel along the path.
2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of determining two or more attributes of the channel comprises determining two or more of the following attributes of the channel:
- power;
- bit error rate;
- dispersion factor; and
- optical return factor.
3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel comprises graphically displaying the path of more than one channel simultaneously.
4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel comprises graphically displaying said two or more channel attributes simultaneously.
5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel comprises displaying the channel attributes by using one or more of the following graphical display characteristics:
- color;
- shading;
- pattern; and
- geometrical shape.
6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the path of the channel comprises representing the path by a geometric shape, the geometrical shape being substantially a line, the thickness of the line representing the value of the channel attribute to be displayed.
7. A method as described in claim 6, wherein the step of displaying the path of the channel in the network comprises displaying the channel attributes by using a filling of the thickness of the line, the filling being one of the pattern and shading, variations of the filling representing the evolution of the value of the channel attribute.
8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the path of the channel in the network comprises representing the path of the channel in the network as a geometrical shape, which is split into segments, each segment corresponding to the path of the channel between two nodes, each segment being further split into sections whose number is equal to the number of the attributes to be displayed, each section using a distinct graphical display characteristic, representing the value of the corresponding attribute between the two nodes.
9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network comprises displaying the path of the channel on a computer screen.
10. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the step of determining the attribute of the channel along the path of the channel in the network comprises customized selection of the attribute from a menu.
11. A method as described in claim 3, wherein the step of simultaneously displaying the path of more than one channel in the network comprises customized selection of the channels from a menu.
12. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network comprises refreshing the graphical displaying of the channel path in response to a signal, the refreshed graphical display incorporating changes occurred in the network since previous graphical displaying.
13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the step of refreshing the graphical display comprises refreshing the graphical display in response to an external signal.
14. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the step of refreshing the graphical display comprises refreshing the graphical display at discrete time intervals.
15. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the step of graphically displaying the path of the channel in the network further comprises displaying the value of the channel attributes in a text information box.
16. A method as described in claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the value of the channel attributes in the text information box comprises displaying the text information box in response to the movement of a screen pointing device over the path of the channel in the network, the text information box showing the value of the channel attributes at the position along the path of the channel in the network, indicated by the pointing device.
17. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the path of the channel in the network further comprises the step of generating one of the audible and visual alarm if an error condition along the path of the channel occurs.
18. A computer program product for visualizing topology of a network, comprising:
- a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing a computer to visualize the topology of the network, said computer program product having:
- computer program code means for causing said computer to determine a path of a channel in the network;
- computer program code means for causing said computer to determine two or more attributes of the channel characterizing the quality of signal transmission by the channel along the path of the channel in the network; and
- computer program code means for causing said computer to graphically display the path of the channel in the network including displaying a direction of propagation of the channel in the network together with the evolution of said one or more attributes of the channel along the path.
19. A computer program, stored in a computer readable medium, for visualization of topology of a network, comprising:
- computer readable program code means for causing said computer to determine a path of a channel in the network;
- computer program code means for causing said computer to determine two or more attributes of the channel characterizing the quality of signal transmission by the channel along the path of the channel in the network; and
- computer readable program code means for causing said computer to graphically display the path of the channel in the network including displaying a direction of propagation of the channel in the network together with the evolution of said one or more attributes of the channel along the path.
20. A computer system for visualization of topology of a network, comprising:
- a computer having a computer readable medium having a computer program code means embodied in said medium for causing said computer to determine a path of a channel in the network; to determine two or more attributes of the channel characterizing the quality of signal transmission by the channel along the path of the channel in the network; and to graphically display the path of the channel in the network including displaying a direction of propagation of the channel in the network together with the evolution of said one or more attributes of the channel along the path.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 7, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 15, 2006
Applicant:
Inventors: David Nelles (Ottawa), Daniel Adamski (Ottawa), Paul Obeda (Ottawa), Victoria Donnelly (Ottawa)
Application Number: 11/348,322
International Classification: G06F 17/00 (20060101);