Communications network elements and methods of monitoring communications networks

• US 20050120110A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Curran-Gray, Martin, Lehane, Andrew Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

A network element is provided with the capability to perform monitoring and/or measurement functions on the element and the network of which it is a part. The monitoring/measurement functionality is implemented by programmable devices to enable the functionality to be modified and updated without removing the network element from service.

Claims

1. A communications network element comprising:

first circuitry for providing communications functionality for a network in which the element is to be incorporated;

second circuitry for providing monitoring functionality to monitor operation of the network in which the element is to be incorporated, in addition to any monitoring that is required by the first circuitry to provide the communications functionality, said second circuitry being partitioned into a plurality of sections of functionality, at least one section of functionality operating continuously, and at least one other section being capable of having the functionality thereof modified without halting operation of any other section of functionality; and

storage for storing definitions of the monitoring functionality and for controlling operation of the second circuitry in accordance therewith, and for receiving and storing modified definitions of the monitoring functionality.

2. The network element of claim 1, wherein the storage is coupled to the first circuitry for receiving modified definitions of the monitoring functionality via the network in which the element is to be incorporated.

3. The network element of claim 1, including a communications facility for communicating externally of the network element monitoring results obtained by operation of the second circuitry in accordance with a stored definition of the monitoring functionality.

4. The network element of claim 1, wherein the second circuitry comprises field programmable gate array logic gates.

5. The network element of claim 1, wherein the second circuitry comprises a network processor.

6. A method of monitoring operation of a communications network comprising:

implementing communications functionality in first circuitry of a network element;

implementing communications network monitoring functionality in second circuitry of the network element to monitor operation of a network in which the element is to be incorporated, in addition to any monitoring that is required by the first circuitry to provide the communications functionality, said second circuitry being partitioned into a plurality of sections of functionality, at least one section of functionality operating continuously, and at least one other section being capable of having the functionality thereof modified without halting operation of any other section of functionality; and

storing definitions of the monitoring functionality in storage within the network element and controlling operation of the second circuitry in accordance therewith, and receiving and storing in the storage modified definitions of the monitoring functionality.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein modified definitions of the monitoring functionality are received via the network in which the element is to be incorporated.

8. The method of claim 6, including the step of communicating externally of the network element monitoring results obtained by operation of the second circuitry in accordance with a stored definition of the monitoring functionality.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the second circuitry comprises field programmable gate array logic gates.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the second circuitry comprises a network processor.