Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for customer-controlled routing management. In one embodiment, a system for managing routing in a virtual private network includes a configuration management system for receiving settings from a user of the virtual private network, the settings specifying at least one of: virtual private network topology and routing preferences, and for provisioning the virtual private network in accordance with the user settings and a validation management system for validating the provisioned virtual private network.

Abstract: A method can be used to detect a problem, isolate the cause of the problem to a particular device in which the cause resides, and potentially repairing the particular device. In one embodiment, the method can be fully automated using a system. In another embodiment, the method may be partly automated. In this particular embodiment, the system can perform most or all of the testing or diagnosis automatically. The system can perform the method until a point where human intervention is required. The problem, the cause, and particular device may be known at the time notification is sent to customer care, a workcenter, or another network operations center. With the information regarding the problem, cause and particular device, a technician or other personnel can be dispatched and repair the problem more quickly than if only the problem is provided and the technician needs to perform the testing and diagnosis.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for processing refund requests. For IPTV broadcast programs, refund requests initiated by users may be for pay-per-view or on-demand programs. After accepting the refund request, user information and historical event information for the provider network are collected and analyzed using a set of rules. The refund request may be granted or denied, either in whole or in part, based on the user information and the historical event information. In addition, detection of network outages and service interruptions is correlated to the refund requests, whereby remediation service may be initiated for network components determined to be in a fault condition.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting power outages in communication networks are described. In one implementation, an alarm associated with a network error is detected. Attempts are made to contact the network equipment originating the alarm. The alarm is linked to an error that is identified as either a power outage or another type of error depending on the results of the attempts to contact the network equipment originating the alarm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to manage network correction procedures is disclosed. An example method includes receiving an alarm relating to a network anomaly, receiving information relating to the location of the network anomaly, and determining an identity of at least one network element related to the location. The example method also includes ranking a list of corrective procedures, and selecting at least one corrective procedure from the list of corrective procedures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing trouble isolation for a Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) on packet networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives an alert or a ticket for a Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) down or a PVC degraded and starts a correlation window for said PVC and port alert or ticket. The method then gathers a plurality of port and PVC alerts for a duration of said correlation window and determines whether or not a port down or a port degraded alert is received along with a PVC down or a PVC degraded alert in said correlation window for one or more ports associated with said PVC.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing automatic trouble isolation for a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) used on packet networks are disclosed.