WO2004002172A1

WO2004002172A1 - Method and network element for managing resources of a network element

Info

Publication number: WO2004002172A1
Application number: PCT/DE2003/001819
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wolfgang Krille
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2002-06-20
Filing date: 2003-06-02
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: EP1514434A1

Abstract

According to the invention, at least one central database (MDB) for managing the resources of a network element and at least one decentralised database (SDB1 3) for respectively managing a partial resource (ISDN, POTS, E1) are provided in a network element (NE). The central database (MDB, SDB'1 3) is logically designed in the form of a tree structure, such that the at least one decentralised database (SDB1 3) simultaneously forms part of the tree structure of the higher-order central database (MDB, SDB'1 3), the distribution of the partial resources being reproduced by the tree structure in the network element. The access to the decentralised database (SDB1 3) of the at least one partial resource is carried out by means of the tree structure of the central database (MDB, SDB'1 3) in the framework of the management of the resources. Advantageously, management commands are transmitted to, for example, subagents representing the partial resources, in the network element, and management information is centrally stored in the central database.

Description

description

Method and network element for managing resources of a network element

In current communication networks, communication network devices or network elements arranged therein or transmission resources provided by them are monitored and controlled by central resource management systems or network management systems (NMS). For this purpose, a management agent is implemented in the network elements, which processes the commands of the central network management system (e.g. reading and setting configuration data or administrative information) and which independently monitors the current operating status of the respective network element and, if necessary, messages about changes in status - for example by means of Alarms - transmitted to the central network management system. The agent usually configured as a software application in the respective network element provides the central network management system with an abstract model of the physical and logical resources of the network element - also referred to as MIB or Management Information Base. The central network management system can access the physical and logical resources of the respective network element or the administrative information representing these resources - also referred to as MO or "Managed Objects *" - via a special management protocol of the network element. The network elements arranged in current communication networks generally represent distributed software systems with several modules. The functions of each module are monitored and controlled by a separate processor. The corresponding physical and logical resources (managed objects) of the network element are distributed among the modules of the network element - also referred to as sub-resources. In order to enable central administration of the resources or partial resources provided by the network elements, the management agent of the respective network element must execute the commands transmitted by the central network management system and to execute the management agent-specific monitoring functions on the physical and logical components distributed in the system Access resources or partial resources via the interface system (problem 1).

Another problem with the central management of the resources or sub-resources provided by the network elements is that when executing configuration or Administrative actions created by the central network management system represent administrative information which represent the configuration or the state of the managed objects or physical and logical resources distributed in the respective network element. This administrative information must be stored semi-permanently in the central network element so that the network element can resume its functions after a restart or after a module change without external configuration measures. The administration and semi-permanent storage of the configuration data or administration information is generally carried out on a central assembly of the respective network element (e.g. on a monitoring assembly), so that the administration information for further central system functions such as e.g. B. Backup, restore and audits are available (problem 2).

So far, two implementation variants are known in which central management of resources or partial resources provided by decentralized network elements is made possible, taking into account the two problems mentioned above. Central implementation of a management agent in a network element:

In this configuration variant (central implementation), the management agent and a correspondingly assigned central database are implemented on a central assembly of the network element. The above-mentioned problem 2 can be solved since the management agent and the central database are assigned to a control unit or a processor and are implemented on the same central assembly. The above problem 1 is solved by introducing system interfaces via which the connection between the management agent (or other functionally similar, central software subsystems) and the software subsystems distributed in the network element is realized, the

Subsystems are responsible for the control or monitoring of the physical and logical resources of the network element (e.g. device driver).

The central implementation of the management agent has the disadvantage of the dependency between the central agent implementation (the management agent represents the managed objects or partial resources or resources of the network element) and changes in the partial resources by, for example, changing the configuration of the network element. Extensions or changes to the configuration of the network element (eg by inserting a new module type) are only possible if the centrally implemented management agent, the central database and the respective system interfaces are adapted accordingly. The introduction of a new module or a new module type into the network element is therefore disadvantageously generally associated with an update or an upgrade of the software implemented in the central module, which increases the technical and economic outlay for the implementation and for configuring the software. Decentralized implementation of the management agent in the network element:

With this configuration variant, the management agent is implemented distributed over the modules of the network element. As with the central implementation, the associated database is implemented on a central assembly of the network element. The decentralized agent implementation implements the sub-agent components where the associated sub-resources or managed objects of the network element are also located. As a result, new sub-resources can be included in the network element, which have no effects on the centrally implemented management agents - also known as master agents. With this configuration variant, the master agents only have to forward the management commands to the sub-agents, which means that the above-mentioned disadvantage of central implementation, i.e. the disadvantageous dependency between central agent implementation and changes in partial resources or managed objects is avoided. The forwarding function of the master agent (problem 1) that is now required is implemented here on the basis of identifiers or on the basis of identification information in the application layer (application layer) of the management protocol. Examples of management protocols are "SISA-QD2 * and" SNMP ', with "SISA-QD2 * the FG and FE number and" SNMP "the respective object identifier as identification information for the application layer Will be provided. The forwarding function of the master agent can be expanded dynamically with the help of the management protocols and the respective identification information of the application layer.

Problem 2 mentioned above can be solved, for example, by sub-agents storing their semi-permanent configuration or administration information as data files in a file system of the central assembly. The decentralized implementation of the management agent has disadvantages:

Due to the decentralized agent implementation, the application layer protocols are transported to the decentralized subagent and processed there, which usually results in a close link to the management protocol. The change of the management protocol or the support of additional management protocols can only be realized with increased effort.

Furthermore, a database consisting of a collection of subagent-specific databases (files) can only support central system functions such as backup, restore and audis with difficulty.

The invention is therefore based on the object of enabling simple, centrally controlled management of resources or partial resources arranged in network elements, in particular the problems mentioned above being avoided. The object is achieved on the basis of a method and a network element according to the features of the preamble of claims 1 and 19 by their characterizing features.

In the method according to the invention for managing resources of at least one network element which can be arranged in a communication network, the resources comprise at least one partial resource provided in the network element. The essential aspect of the method according to the invention is that at least one central database that manages the resources of the network element and at least one decentralized database that manages the at least one partial resource is provided in the network element. According to the invention, the central database is logically designed in the form of a tree structure such that the at least one decentralized database is simultaneously a component of the tree structure. Structure of the higher-level central database forms, the distribution of the partial resources in the network element being represented by the tree structure. As part of the management of the resources, the decentralized database of the at least one partial resource is accessed via the tree structure of the higher-level central database.

The main advantage of the method according to the invention is that two functions are implemented by using the central database according to the invention. According to the invention, management commands are forwarded in the network element to, for example, subagents representing the partial resources, and additional administrative information is stored centrally in a central database - also referred to as the master database. The central database according to the invention advantageously enables the use of a uniform interface (database synchronization) for the communication of central and decentralized administration agents or software objects. The management of data or information using databases, which are in the form of a

Tree structure is an easy to solve and supported by standard components programming task, so that the inventive method can be implemented with minimal technical and economic effort. This further reduces the effort in general for the maintenance and further development of applications coordinated with the central database according to the invention, as well as the effort for introducing new modules or module types, for changing the management protocol or for implementing further management protocols ,

According to an advantageous development of the method according to the invention, the at least one decentralized database simultaneously forms part of the tree structure of the superordinate central database (MDB, SDB ^Λ 1 ... 3) in the form of a

Subtree of the tree structure - claim 2. This advantageous further development makes a particularly simple definition a decentralized database as a subset of the central database. By using subtrees, the method according to the invention, in particular the synchronization of central and decentralized databases, can be implemented in a particularly simple and thus inexpensive manner.

Further advantageous refinements of the method according to the invention and a network element for carrying out the method can be found in the further claims.

The method according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to several drawings. Show

1 shows an application scenario of the method according to the invention

2 shows a management model for the administration of V5.2.

3 shows an illustration of the data structure (tree structure) of the database arranged centrally in the network element. FIG. 4 shows an abstract model of the physical and logical resources provided by the network element.

1 shows in a block diagram an application scenario implementing the method according to the invention, consisting of an in a communication network KN - e.g. a subscriber line network or “access network *” arranged network element NE, through which subscriber lines TA or subscriber TLN are connected to a switching device VE via the standardized switching protocol V5.2. A number of different types of assemblies BG1 ... 3 are arranged in the network element NE, the first assembly BG1 for connecting analog subscribers - "Pots Line Card * - the second assembly for connecting digital subscribers -" ISDN Line Card * - and the third Assembly as LAN

Connection - "El Line Unit ^* - is designed. Each of the three modules BG1 ... 3 thus realizes a part of the Network element NE in total provided resources POTS, ISDN, El, whereby for the management of the respective partial resources POTS, ISDN, El of each assembly BG1 ... 3 a decentralized database SDB1 ... 3 - also referred to as "slave database ^*" assigned. A central module ZBG is also arranged in the network element NE, which is assigned a central database MDB which manages the entire resources of the network element NE and is designed in the form of a tree structure. A central agent A, which controls the management of the resources of the network element NE, is assigned to the central database MDB - also referred to as the “master database *”. In this exemplary embodiment, the decentralized data bases SDB1 ... 3 are stored on the respective assembly BG1 ... 3. According to the invention, the slave databases SDBl ... 3 or the information stored therein are also stored (for example as a copy) in the central assembly ZBG, the slave databases or the copies of these slave databases - in FIG. 1 as SDB ^, 1 ... 3 marked - form part of the tree structure of the central master database MDB, ie each form a subtree of the master database MDB.

The management model for the administration of V5.2 network elements NE is defined in the ETSI standards ITS 300-377-1 and ITS 300-376-1, whereby an implementation variant of the management model in the form of a block diagram using the 2 is shown in the nomenclature used in the standards mentioned. With small modifications, the model shown in FIG. 2 forms the basis for the internal data model of the application scenario shown in FIG. 1 and thus determines the data structure of the central master database MDB arranged in the network element NE. The modifications result from the described structure of the network element - equipment hierarchy - which is used as the basic structure for the internal data model. The modified data model is shown in FIG. 3. The partial resources to be managed POTS, ISDN, El - also referred to as “Managed Objects *” - from the above-mentioned ETSI Standards-derived management models were inserted into the internal data model in such a way that the managed objects were assigned to the physical and logical resources (POTS, ISDN, El) that they represent and the modules BG1 ... 3 on which they are based are possible. For the exemplary embodiment it is assumed that the V5 protocol processing is implemented on the central assembly ZBG, on which the master database MDB is also implemented. 3 shows the three module types arranged in the network element NE - El Line Unit, Pots Line Card and ISDN Line Card -, the modules - also shown in FIG. 3 as PluglnUnit - in slotl ... 3 plug devices in one Network element NE provided assembly bracket SHELF are arranged.

The agent A arranged in the central assembly ZBG of the network element NE provides the central administration device NMS with the abstract model of the physical and logical resources of the network element NE shown in FIG. This abstract model is also called MIB or Management Information Base. With the help of the central agent A, the central administration device NMS can access the physical and logical resources or managed objects of the network element using a management protocol. In this exemplary embodiment, the "SNMP * - Simple Network Management Protocol - assumed - illustrated by a dashed double arrow - is assumed as an external management protocol - but other management protocols can also be used.

4 shows the basic structure of a V5 MIB module in a block diagram. The managed objects of the management model of the above-mentioned ETSI standards can also be found in this block diagram. However, their arrangement corresponds to the registration hierarchy for SNMP. There is no associated SNMP object for managed objects of the type “ElPhysPathTP *” in the V5 MIB module. For this, the SNMP object - „DsxlConfigTable * of the DS1-MIB (RFC1406) used. The managed objects for the equipment are also managed by a standard MIB module (also referred to as an entity MIB).

The basic component of the method according to the invention is the central database MDB, which is arranged in the central assembly ZBG and designed in the form of a tree structure and has the following properties:

10

- The data records or management information (managed objects) stored in the central database MDB are managed in one or more tree structures. Each data record is uniquely identified by a key.

15, which results from the stringing together of the relative identification information - also referred to as identifier - of the data records of the path, starting with the top data record - also referred to as the top data record - of the tree structure. Through this invention

20 Order of the data records (as a subtree) in the tree structure of the central database MDB, the physical or logical relationships - also referred to as containment relationships - of the managed system resources POTS, ISDN, El are to be clarified or simulated. Any record

25 represents a managed physical or logical resource (managed objects) or the summary of similar resources.

- The central database MDB is advantageously designed as a type-neutral database. Type neutrality is achieved in that only references to the respective data records or administrative information that are only stored in external memory blocks are managed within the central database MDB. Only the software users

3.5 Goods objects such as agents know the structure of the data records; if necessary, the. can also be created using a simple formal description notation for data records Access to individual elements of a data record are supported by database functions.

- The central database or master database MDB is assigned at least one update function, which is designed in such a way that when one of the managed objects POTS, ISDN, El arranged in the central tree structure is changed or when the the management object MO representing the managed object, the respective corresponding slave database SDB1 ... 3 or the corresponding management information MO stored in the slave database SDBl ... 3 are updated with regard to the changes. Likewise, at least one update function can be assigned to the slave databases SDB1 ... 3, which is designed in such a way that when one of the managed objects POTS, ISDN stored in the slave databases SDB1 ... 3 is changed , El, or in the event of a change in the management information representing the managed object, the master database MDB or the corresponding administration information stored in the master database MDB are updated with regard to the changes.

- The update functions assigned to the master database MDB and / or the slave databases SDBl ... 3 provide, for example, functions for registration and for change notification, that is to say local software objects, ie locally on the respective module ZBG, BG1 ... 3 arranged functions and / or processes such as sub-agents can register for certain data records or administrative information of the respective database MDB, SDBl ... 3 and receive a message indicating the change every time the registered data records are changed the central database MDB or from the respective slave database SDB1 ... 3. Depending on the message transmitted, further functions are carried out by the respective software objects. - The central database MDB continues to provide functions for the synchronization of slave databases SDB1 ... 3 or a master database MDB, ie the synchronization functions allow the slave databases SDB1 ... 3 to be restored to design a tree structure, the master database MDB being arranged at the top of the respective slave databases SDB1 ... 3. A slave database SDB1 ... 3 can be registered for a specific subtree of the master database MDB. If there are changes within the subtree of the master database MDB, the respective slave database SDB1 ... 3 is updated via the synchronization function - also referred to as “slave synchronization *. Conversely, a change in the slave database SDB1 ... 3 within the registered subtree leads to an update of the data record in the master database MDB - also called master synchronization. It should be noted that when a slave database is registered for a subtree of the master database, the data records of the subtree are transferred to the slave database. The respective software objects (master, sub-agent) therefore always work with data or management information stored locally in the respective assembly BG1 ... 3. The consistency of the data or management information from the slave and master databases MDB, SDBl ... 3 is achieved through the synchronization function.

- The slave databases SDB1 ... 3 can also be arranged hierarchically on several levels, i.e. for one

Subtree of a slave database can register another slave database. A master-slave relationship is again established between these two databases.

Further functions can be assigned to the central database MDB, such as the creation of new ones Data records, the deletion of data records and the registration and deregistration for the change notification and the synchronization function at runtime.

- For certain scenarios, the central database MDB supports two data record references per data record key: a "temporary * and a" committed * reference to support type "TRY * and" Rollback * functions.

- To support individual communication relationships that do not follow the tree structure of the MDB master database, the database provides special "Remote Access * functions.

The following method for decentralized agent implementation in the network element NE is defined with a database MDB configured as a basic component in accordance with the above statements:

The physical and logical resources of the network element NE are managed as managed objects corresponding to their container relationships in the tree structure of the master database MDB on the central module ZBG of the network element. To illustrate the containment relationship, the following arrangement of managed objects is shown as an example, using the nomenclature of the ETSI standards mentioned:

Network element (NE) => Equipment => EquipmentHolder (SHELF) => EquipmentHolder (Slot) => PluglnUnit

The slave databases SDB1 ... 3 of the respective modules BG1 ... 3 register for a subtree of the master database MDB with the associated "PluginUnit * data record as a top element. The slave databases of external equipment register a subtree with the associated "equipment ^* data record as a top element. When registering the Slave databases SDB1 ... 3 are loaded with the current data records or management information from the master database MDB. If the subtree does not yet exist in the MDB master database, i.e. the module has not yet been configured, the module (or the external equipment) generates the required data records with preset values or default data (also as an auto) -Provisioning). Since the MDB master database is type-neutral, new data record types and new subtree structures can also be created, whereby the expansion is possible at runtime.

The subagents arranged locally in the modules BG1 ... 3 register as local software objects for the change notification function and configure the local resources according to the data in the MDB database.

Commands transmitted from the central administration device NMS to the network element NE via SNMP protocol are routed to the associated data record of the master database MDB using a “key translation function * based on the object identifier values of the command telegram (reading or writing records). With a write or set command, the corresponding data record is changed in the master database MDB. This change is sent to the responsible subagent via the synchronization and change notification function. Reports of changes in the state of the subagent reach the master database MDB in the opposite way and are converted to corresponding messages or telegrams by an "inverse key translation function *" - also referred to as trap or notification telegrams - and sent to the central one Administrative facility sent NMS.

The data or data records of the network element NE are structured in the master database MDB and can be from central system functions such as B. semi-permanent storage, backup, restore and audits can be used.

As already explained, two functions are realized by the central database MDB, which is designed in the form of a tree structure. On the one hand, the forwarding of management commands and, on the other hand, the central storage of data or administrative information in the MDB master database. Because of the type neutrality, the dynamic expandability of the central master database MDB and the use of an independent internal data model, the known disadvantages of the known solutions mentioned at the outset do not occur and the decoupling of functions of the central assembly ZBG and the managed objects of the decentralized becomes Assemblies BG1 ... 3 and a better decoupling of management protocol and application software (such as agent implementations achieved.

Another advantage is the use of a uniform interface - here the database synchronization - for the communication of central and decentralized software objects, such as for the communication between a central agent A and the decentralized ones implemented in the respective modules BG1 ... 3 agents. The application scenario shown in this exemplary embodiment is not limited to the described communication of central (master) agents and decentralized (sub) agents, but can be expanded as desired and thus the otherwise common message handler subsystems of the application Replace software in whole or in part. The use of the tree structure in the MDB master database generally reduces the effort required to maintain and further develop the application software, such as the maintenance of agents or subagents used in the network element. It is advantageous for communication between the master database MDB with the respective slave databases SDB1 ... 3 with each other and for communication with the respective software goods objects of the application software use the transport protocol IP (Internet Protocol) and / or UTP. This means that an “application system * can be implemented on a single personal computer or distributed over any number of personal computers.

Claims

claims

1. A method for managing resources of at least one network element (NE) that can be arranged in a communication network (KN), the resources (POTS, ISDN, El) comprising at least one partial resource (POTS, ISDN, El) provided in the network element (NE) , characterized in that in the network element (NE) - at least one central database (MDB) managing the resources of the network element (NE), and

at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) managing the at least one partial resource (POTS, ISDN, El) is provided,

- That the central database (MDB) is logically designed in the form of a tree structure, that the at least one decentralized database (SDBl ... 3) is simultaneously a component of the tree structure of the higher-level central database (MDB, SDB ^λ 1 ... 3), whereby by the

Tree structure the distribution of the partial resources (POTS, ISDN, El) in the network element (NE) is shown, and

that access to the decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) of the at least one partial resource (POTS, ISDN, El) via the tree structure of the higher-level central database (MDB, SDB 1 ... 3.) ) he follows.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) simultaneously forms part of the tree structure of the higher-level central database (MDB, SDB ^λ 1 ... 3) in the form of a subtree of the tree structure.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, so that the data bases (MDB, SDB1 ... 3) each comprise individually configurable management information (MO) of the partial resource to be managed (POTS, ISDN, El).

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the respective management information (MO) are stored both in the central database (MDB, SDB ^Λ 1 ... 3) and in the corresponding decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3).

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that - the at least one decentralized database (SDB ^Λ 1 ... 3) and / or the corresponding administrative information (MO) by means of identification information in the central database (MDB) that is unique within the tree structure are identifiable - that when managing the at least one partial resource

(POTS, ISDN, El) the corresponding decentralized database (SDB ^X 1 ... 3) and / or the corresponding administrative information (MO) can be determined using the identification information in the tree structure of the central database (MDB), the administrative access to the determined decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) and / or based on the determined administrative information (MO).

6. The method according to any one of claims 5, characterized in that in the case of a centrally controlled management of the resources from a central management unit (NMS), the respective partial resource (POTS, ISDN, El) of the network element (NE) representing the resource information to the respective network element (NE) is transmitted and the corresponding identification information is derived from the transmitted resource information.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t,

at least one further partial resource is assigned to the at least one partial resource (POTS, ISDN, E1), for which at least one further decentralized database representing the at least one further partial resource is provided,

- That the at least one decentralized database (SDB 1 ... 3, SDB1 ... 3) is logically designed in the manner of a tree structure, that the at least one other decentralized database is simultaneously part of the tree structure of the higher-level decentralized database (SDB 1 ... 3, SDB1 ... 3).

8. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, that the sub-resources (POTS, ISDN, El) each represent logical and / or physical resources to be managed.

9. The method according to claim 8, so that the logical and / or physical resources are distributed among modules (BG1 ... 3) arranged in the network element (NE).

10. The method according to claim 9, so that the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) is arranged on the corresponding module (BG1 ... 3).

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one central database (MDB) is arranged on at least one central module (ZBG) arranged in the network element (NE).

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that instead of the at least one decentralized database (3DB ^λ 1 ... 3) - each type-neutral reference to this decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3), or - each type-neutral reference on a copy of this decentralized database (SDB ^Λ 1 ... 3) forms part of the tree structure of the higher-level, central database (MDB).

13. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 12, characterized in that the central database (MDB) is assigned an update function by means of which, when the decentralized databases (SDB ^X 1 ... 3) arranged in the tree structure are changed ) stored administrative information (MO) the respective administrative information (MO) stored in the corresponding decentralized database (SDBl ... 3) are updated with regard to the changes.

14. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 13, characterized in that the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) is assigned an update function, by which when there is a change in the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) stored administrative information (MO), the corresponding administrative information (MO) stored in the decentralized database (SDB ^, 1 ... 3) forming part of the tree structure of the central database (MDB) is updated

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that - for at least part of the administrative data stored in the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) formations (MO) can be assigned at least one decentralized function and / or at least one decentralized process,

- The update function assigned to the central database (MDB) and / or to the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) is designed such that when at least a part of the in the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) and / or in the central database (MDB) stored management information (MO) the corresponding at least one assigned decentralized function and / or the corresponding at least one assigned decentralized process is informed about the change.

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t,

- That at least a part of the management information (MO) stored in the central database (MDB) can be assigned at least one central function and / or at least one central process - that of the central database (MDB) and / or that of the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) assigned update function is designed such that when at least part of the management information (MO.) Stored in the central database (MDB) and / or in the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) is changed ) the corresponding at least one assigned central function and / or the corresponding at least one assigned central process is informed about the change in each case.

17. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the at least one decentralized function and / or assigned to the at least part of the management information (MO) stored in the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) at least one assigned decentralized process is arranged on the respective module (BG1 ... 3).

18. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the at least one central function assigned to the at least part of the management information (MO) stored in the central database (MDB) and / or the at least one assigned central process on a central one Assembly (ZBG) is arranged.

19. A network element (NE) which can be arranged in a communication network (KN) and which has resources (POTS, ISDN, El) provided by the network element (NE) and which has at least one partial resource (POTS, ISDN, El) provided in the network element (NE) comprise characterized in that - in the network element (NE)

- at least one central database (MDB) managing the resources of the network element (NE), and

- That the central database (MDB) is logically designed in the form of a tree structure, that the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) simultaneously forms part of the tree structure of the higher-level central database (MDB, SDB ^λ 1. ..3), the distribution of the partial resources (POTS, ISDN, El) in the network element (NE) being represented by the tree structure, and

- That access means for accessing the central database (MDB) are provided as part of the management of the resources, the access means being designed such that access to the decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) of the at least one partial resource (POTS, ISDN , El) via the tree structure of the higher-level central database (MDB, SDB ^Λ 1 ... 3).

20. Network element according to claim 19, characterized in that the central database (MDB) is configured such that the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) is simultaneously a component of the tree structure of the higher-level central database (MDB, SDB ^Λ 1 .. .3) in the form of a subtree of the tree structure.

21. The network element as claimed in claim 19 or 20, so that the databases (MDB, SDB1 ... 3) are designed such that they each comprise individually configurable management information (MO) of the partial resources to be managed (POTS, ISDN, El).

22. Network element according to one of claims 19 to 21, so that the partial resources (POTS, ISDN, El) each represent logical and / or physical resources of the network element (NE) to be managed.

23. The network element as claimed in claim 22, so that the logical and / or physical resources are distributed among modules (BG1 ... 3) arranged in the network element (NE).

24. The network element as claimed in claim 23, so that the at least one decentralized database (SDBl ... 3) is arranged on the corresponding module (BG1 ... 3).

25. Network element according to one of claims 19 to 24, dadu rc marked, that the at least one central database (MDB) is arranged on at least one central module (ZBG) arranged in the network element (NE).

26. The network element as claimed in claim 25, so that update means are provided on the at least one central assembly (ZBG), by means of which the decentralized database forming the component of the tree structure of the central database (MDB) is provided when the central structure (ZBG) changes

(SDB ^X 1 ... 3) stored management information (MO) the respective management information (MO) stored in the corresponding decentralized database (SDBl ... 3) are updated with regard to the changes.

27. Network element according to one of claims 23 to 26, characterized in that update means are provided on the at least one module (BG1 ... 3), by means of which when a change occurs in the at least one decentralized database (SDB1 ... 3) stored Administrative information (MO) the corresponding administrative information (MO) stored in the decentralized database (SDB 1 ... 3) forming part of the tree structure of the central database (MDB) is updated

28. Network element according to claim 27, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t,

that at least one module-specific function and / or at least one module-specific process is implemented on the at least one module (BG1 ... 3),

- The update means provided on the at least one module (BG1 ... 3) are designed in such a way that

- That at least part of the module-specific functions and / or the at least one module-specific process for at least part of the on the respective

Assembly (BG1 ... 3) stored management information (MO) can be assigned, - That in the event of a change in at least part of the management information (MO) stored on the at least one module (BG1 ... 3), information indicating the change is transmitted by the at least one respectively assigned module-specific function and / or the at least one assigned module-specific process becomes.

29. Network element according to one of claims 25 to 28, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t,

That at least one module-specific function and / or at least one module-specific process is implemented on the at least one central module (ZBG),

That the update means provided on the at least one central assembly (ZBG) are designed in such a way that

That at least part of the module-specific functions and / or the at least one module-specific process can be assigned to at least part of the administrative information (MO) stored on the central module (ZBG),

- That in the event of a change in at least part of the management information (MO) stored on the at least one central assembly (ZBG), information indicating the change is transmitted to the at least one assigned assembly-specific function and / or the at least one assigned assembly-specific process.