Injecting addresses to enable OAM functions

• US 20040215758A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Ip Networks Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hu, Oliver, Regan, Joe, Kompella, Vach
• Granted Patent: US 7,747,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Inserting an address used for performing such OAM functions in an efficient way that is transparent to a customer or service using the network path is disclosed. An indication is received that a source address reserved for OAM use should be inserted into a forwarding database associated with a provider network node, such as a provider edge device, that receives the indication. The address is inserted into a forwarding database as an address that is owned by the provider network node and reserved for OAM use. One or more other nodes associated with a service with which the OAM address is associated may be notified that the OAM address is associated with the provider network node that owns the OAM address.

Claims

1. A method for inserting into a forwarding database associated with a network service an address reserved for testing use comprising:

receiving a packet according to a protocol, the packet comprising the address and an indication that the address is to be inserted into the forwarding database for testing use;

associating the address with the network service based on information included in the packet according to the protocol; and

adding the address to the forwarding database associated with the network service.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising marking the address as reserved for testing use.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the packet is received at a first node associated with the service and further comprising receiving an indication that the address is to be associated with the first node.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication at the first node that one or more other nodes associated with the network service should be sent information concerning the address.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising notifying one or more other nodes associated with the network service that the address is associated with the first node.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising notifying one or more other nodes associated with the network service that the address is associated with a forwarding path associated with the first node.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising sending a second packet according to the protocol notifying one or more other nodes associated with the network service that the address is associated with the first node.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication that the address should be purged from the forwarding database.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication that the address may only be purged by a sender of the packet.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication that a customer packet that uses the address should be processed normally according to the protocol.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication that the address should be added to the forwarding database as an address reserved for testing use even if the address was previously added to the forwarding database as an address available for customer use.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving according to the protocol a second packet addressed to the address reserved for testing purpose.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising associating the second packet with the address and initiating the processing of the second packet in accordance with the network service.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising providing an indication regarding the processing of the second packet.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising providing an indication of an external interface with which the second packet is associated based on the address reserved for testing use.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising sending the second packet to an interface for processing.

17. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising determining the second packet is configured to diagnose an aspect of the network by reading a flag in the second packet.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the flag is interpreted using the protocol.

19. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising monitoring the second packet while the customer network and provider network are active.

20. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the second packet is received pursuant to a test of the continuity of at least a portion of the network service.

21. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the second packet is received pursuant to a test of the connectivity of at least a portion of the network service.

22. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the packet according to a protocol mimics a normal packet.

23. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the packet includes a flag indicating removal of an address.

24. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the packet includes a flag indicating adding an address.

25. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving a query regarding the address reserved for testing use.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising providing in response to the query information associated with the address reserved for testing use.

27. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising providing in response to the query an indication of a network node with which the address is associated.

28. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising providing in response to the query an indication of a network path with which the address is associated.

29. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the address reserved for testing use is a physical address.

30. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the address reserved for testing use is a MAC address.

31. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the indication that the address is to be inserted into the forwarding database for testing use comprises data included in a field added to the packet according to the protocol.

32. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the indication that the address is to be inserted into the forwarding database for testing use comprises data included in a field of the packet that has been modified according to the protocol.

33. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the indication that the address is to be inserted into the forwarding database for testing use comprises determining that a data field normally included in a packet sent according to the protocol has been removed.

34. A system inserting into a forwarding database associated with a network service an address reserved for testing use comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a packet according to a protocol, the packet comprising the address and an indication that the address is to be inserted into the forwarding database for testing use;

associate the address with the network service based on information included in the packet according to the protocol; and

add the address to the forwarding database associated with the network service; and

a memory configured to store information associated with the packet.

35. A computer program product for inserting into a forwarding database associated with a network service an address reserved for testing use, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising instructions for:

receiving a packet according to a protocol, the packet comprising the address and an indication that the address is to be inserted into the forwarding database for testing use;

associating the address with the network service based on information included in the packet according to the protocol; and

adding the address to the forwarding database associated with the network service.