Scaling operations, administration, and maintenance sessions in packet networks

• US 10,476,763 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Holness, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jeong, Moo
• Application Number:
  US15/479,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20180295031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5058 Service discovery by the service manager
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/02 Capturing of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/022 by sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/024 by adaptive sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/28 in relation to timing considerations

Abstract

Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) scaling systems and methods are implemented by a network function performed by one of a physical network element and a virtual network element executed on one or more processors. The OAM scaling method includes providing N packet services, N is an integer; and, responsive to determined OAM session scaling limits, providing OAM sessions for the N packet services in an oversubscribed manner, wherein the determined OAM session scaling limits include M OAM sessions supported by the network function, M is an integer and less than N.

Claims

1. An Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) scaling method performed by one of a physical network element and a virtual network element executed on one or more processors, the OAM scaling method comprising:

providing N packet services, N is an integer;

automatically determining OAM session scaling limits by a network function based on one or more of a value of N, a measurement cycle, and a session scale for each of M OAM sessions; and

responsive to the determining of the OAM session scaling limits, providing the M OAM sessions for the N packet services in an oversubscribed manner, wherein the OAM session scaling limits determine a value of M supported by the network function, M is an integer and less than N.

2. The OAM scaling method of claim 1, wherein the M OAM sessions comprise one or more delay measurements and loss measurements performed through associated Packet Data Unit (PDUs).

3. The OAM scaling method of claim 1, further comprising

creating service sets based on the OAM session scaling limits;

and

assigning each of the M OAM sessions to one of the service sets, wherein the providing the M OAM sessions is based on the service sets.

4. The OAM scaling method of claim 3, wherein the assigning is performed to balance a number of the M OAM sessions in each of the service sets.

5. The OAM scaling method of claim 3, further comprising

providing results of the M OAM sessions for a plurality of measurement cycles to a management system.

6. The OAM scaling method of claim 3, wherein the providing the OAM sessions comprises

performing each of the M OAM sessions in each of the service sets over an associated measurement window in a first measurement cycle;

and

performing each of the M OAM sessions in a different order in a second measurement cycle.

7. The OAM scaling method of claim 6, wherein the different order comprises one or more of performing each of the service sets in a different time slot in the second measurement cycle and performing each of the M OAM sessions in an associated service set in a different order between the first measurement cycle and the second measurement cycle.

8. The OAM scaling method of claim 1, wherein the M OAM sessions comprise a first set of OAM sessions and a second set of OAM sessions, wherein the providing the M OAM sessions comprises providing the first set of OAM sessions in the oversubscribed manner, and the method further comprising

providing the second set of OAM sessions in a non-oversubscribed manner.

9. A network device configured to perform Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) scaling, the network device comprises:

a switching fabric configured to switch packets; and

a control plane communicatively coupled to the switching fabric, wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

manage N packet services, N is an integer;

automatically determine OAM session scaling limits by a network function based on one or more of a value of N, a measurement cycle, and a session scale for each of M OAM sessions; and

responsive to the determining of the OAM session scaling limits, manage the M OAM sessions for the N packet services in an oversubscribed manner, wherein the OAM session scaling limits determine a value of M supported by the network function, M is an integer and less than N.

10. The network device of claim 9, wherein the M OAM sessions comprise one or more delay measurements and loss measurements performed through associated Packet Data Unit (PDUs).

11. The network device of claim 9, wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

create service sets based on the OAM session scaling limits;

and

assign each of the M OAM sessions to one of the service sets, wherein the M OAM sessions are managed based on the service sets.

12. The network device of claim 11, wherein each of the M OAM sessions is assigned to balance a number of the M OAM sessions in each of the service sets.

13. The network device of claim 11, wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

provide results of the M OAM sessions for a plurality of measurement cycles to a management system.

14. The network device of claim 11, wherein, for management of the M OAM sessions, wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

perform each of the M OAM sessions in each of the service sets over an associated measurement window in a first measurement cycle;

and

perform each of the M OAM sessions in a different order in a second measurement cycle.

15. The network device of claim 13, wherein the different order comprises one or more of performing each of the service sets in a different time slot in the second measurement cycle and performing each of the M OAM sessions in an associated service set in a different order between the first measurement cycle and the second measurement cycle.

16. The network device of claim 9, wherein the M OAM sessions comprise

a first set of OAM sessions and a second set of OAM sessions, wherein the first set of OAM sessions are managed in the oversubscribed manner, and wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

manage the second set of OAM sessions in a non-oversubscribed manner.

17. A network device configured to perform Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) scaling, the network device comprises:

a switching fabric configured to switch packets; and

a control plane communicatively coupled to the switching fabric, wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

manage N packet services, N is an integer;

responsive to determined OAM session scaling limits, manage M OAM sessions for the N packet services in an oversubscribed manner, wherein the determined OAM session scaling limits determine a value of M supported by a network function, M is an integer and less than N;

create service sets based on the determined OAM session scaling limits; and

assign each of the M OAM sessions to one of the service sets, wherein the M OAM sessions are managed based on the service sets.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

determine the determined OAM session scaling limits by the network function based one or more of a value of N, a measurement cycle, and a session scale.

19. The network device of claim 18, wherein each of the M OAM sessions is assigned to balance a number of the M OAM sessions in each of the service sets.

20. The network device of claim 18, wherein the control plane comprises one or more processors configured to

provide results of the M OAM sessions for a plurality of measurement cycles to a management system.