Scalable Connectivity Fault Management In A Bridged/Virtual Private Lan Service Environment

• US 20090109837A1
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Mehta, Rishi, Kini, Sriganesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0627 by acting on the notification or alarm source
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy

Abstract

A method and apparatus that proxies connectivity check messages and sends fault state changes messages across an MPLS/VPLS network is described. A network element proxies connectivity check messages for remote maintenance endpoints based on a local database. The network element updates the database based on received fault state change message that identify a fault state change of a remote maintenance endpoint. The network element detects fault state changes of local maintenance endpoints and sends a fault state change message to other network elements that proxy connectivity check message for the local maintenance endpoints.

Claims

1. A computerized method, comprising:

receiving a message of a first protocol indicating a fault state change for one of a plurality of remote maintenance endpoints, the fault state change determined by a second protocol;

updating a local database based on the received message, the local database comprising the fault status of at least some of the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints; and

proxying connectivity check messages to local maintenance endpoints based on the updated local database, wherein the proxying comprises periodically sending connectivity check messages for each maintenance endpoint identified as active in the local database.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein each of the proxied connectivity check messages are formatted to appear as if that message originated from one of the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the updating comprises:

storing the fault status of the remote maintenance endpoint associated with the received message.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is Virtual Circuit Connectivity Verification protocol.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the second protocol is Connectivity Fault Management protocol.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein a managed endpoint is one of a personal computer, a server, a bridge, and a switch.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein each of proxied connectivity check messages comprises an address and a unique identifier of a remote managed endpoint associated with that message.

8. A machine-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by a set of one or more processors, cause said set of processors to perform operations comprising:

receive a message of a first protocol indicating a fault state change for one of a plurality of remote maintenance endpoints, the fault state change determined by a second protocol;

update a local database based on the received message, the local database comprising the fault status of at least some of the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints; and

proxy connectivity check messages to local maintenance endpoints based on the updated local database, wherein the proxying comprises periodically sending connectivity check messages for each maintenance endpoint identified as active in the local database.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein each of the proxied connectivity check messages are formatted to appear as if that message originated from one of the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable medium further causes the set of processors to:

store the fault status change of the remote maintenance endpoint associated with the received message.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first protocol is Virtual Circuit Connectivity Verification protocol.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the second protocol is Connectivity Fault Management protocol.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein a remote managed endpoints is one of a personal computer, a server, a bridge, and a switch.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a connectivity check state change module to receive messages indicating fault state changes from a plurality of remote maintenance endpoints, the fault state change determined by a second protocol;

a connectivity check database to store the fault status changes for the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints; and

a connectivity check proxy module to proxy connectivity check messages to local maintenance endpoints based on the updated local database, wherein the proxying comprises periodically sending connectivity check messages for each maintenance endpoint identified as active in the local database.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the proxied connectivity check messages are formatted to appear as if that message originated from one of the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first protocol is Virtual Circuit Connectivity Verification protocol.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second protocol is Connectivity Fault Management protocol.

18. A network element comprising:

a controller card that controls functions of the network element;

a set of one or more line cards, wherein at least one of the line cards configured to

receive a message of a first protocol indicating a fault state change for one of a plurality of remote maintenance endpoints, the fault state change determined by a second protocol;

update a local database based on a received message, the local database comprising the fault status of at least some of the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints; and

proxy connectivity check messages to local maintenance endpoints based on the updated local database, wherein the proxying comprises periodically sending connectivity check messages for each maintenance endpoint identified as active in the local database.

20. The network element of claim 18, wherein line cards are further configured to:

store the fault status change of the remote maintenance endpoint associated with the received message.

19. The network element of claim 19, wherein each of the proxied connectivity check messages are formatted to appear as if that message originated from one of the plurality of remote maintenance endpoints.