Reducing CC Message Transmission in a Provider Network

• US 20100061252A1
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Mehta, Rishi, Kini, Sriganesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing the number of CC messages transmitted in a provider network. In one embodiment of the invention, a first service provider network element receives CC messages from a first customer network at a first periodicity rate. The first service provider network element stores the received CC messages and reduces the first periodicity rate to create a second periodicity rate that is smaller than the first periodicity rate. The first service provider network element transmits CC messages to a second service provider network element through the provider network at the second periodicity rate. Other methods and apparatus are also described.

Claims

1. A method for reducing a number of CC (Connectivity Check) messages transmitted in a provider network, wherein a first customer network element is coupled with a second customer network element through the provider network, wherein the provider network includes a first service provider network element coupled with a second service provider network element, the method comprising:

receiving CC messages from the first customer network element at a first periodicity rate at the first service provider network element, wherein the CC messages are destined for the second customer network element;

storing the received CC messages in a CCM data structure on the first service provider network element;

reducing the first periodicity rate to create a second periodicity rate, wherein the second periodicity rate is smaller than the first periodicity rate; and

transmitting CC messages to the second service provider network element through the provider network at the second periodicity rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a repeat count value to the CC messages prior to transmitting the CC messages to the second service provider network element;

storing the received CC messages transmitted from the first service provider network element in a CCM data structure on the second service provider network element; and

transmitting a number of CC messages to the second customer network element at the first periodicity rate, wherein the number is equivalent to the repeat count value.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the first customer network element has not transmitted CC messages for a time of the first periodicity rate;

obtaining a stored version of a previously CC message received from the first customer network element;

adding a explicit down notification field to the stored CC message and setting the explicit down notification field to indicate that the first service provider network element has stopped receiving CC messages from the customer network element;

adding a transaction identifier field to the stored CC message and setting the transaction identifier field with a value uniquely identifying the first service provider network element;

generating an explicit down CC message from the stored CC message and the set explicit down notification field; and

transmitting the explicit down CC message to the second service provider network element over the provider network;

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving the explicit down CC message at the second service provider network element; and

stopping transmission of CC messages to the second customer network element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first customer network element is dual homed with a third service provider network element, wherein the third service provider network element is coupled with the second service provider network element, the method further comprising:

receiving CC messages from the first customer network element at the first periodicity rate at the third service provider network element, wherein the CC messages are destined for the second customer network element;

storing the received CC messages in a CCM data structure on the third service provider network element;

adding a repeat count field to the stored CC message in the CCM data structure on the third service provider network element;

adding a transaction identifier field to the stored CC message in the CCM data structure on the third service provider network element and setting the transaction identifier field with a value uniquely identifying the third service provider network element;

reducing the first periodicity rate to create a third periodicity rate, wherein the third periodicity rate is smaller than the first periodicity rate;

transmitting CC messages to the second service provider network element over the provider network at the second periodicity rate, wherein each transmitted CC message includes the transaction identifier uniquely identifying the third service provider network element and the repeat count.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving the CC messages transmitted by the third service provider network element;

storing the received CC messages transmitted from the third service provider network element in a CCM data structure on the second service provider network element; and

transmitting a number of CC messages based from the received CC messages from the third service provider network element to the second customer network element at the first periodicity rate, wherein the number is equivalent to the repeat count value.

7. A service provider network element to reduce a number of CC (Connectivity Check) messages transmitted in a provider network, comprising:

an ingress service delimiting module including,

a CCM module to receive CC messages from a first customer network element at a first periodicity rate and store those CC messages in a CCM data structure, the CCM module further to reduce the first periodicity rate to create a second periodicity rate, wherein the second periodicity rate is smaller than the first periodicity rate,

a memory coupled with the CCM module, the memory to store the CCM data structure; and

a transport module coupled with the ingress service delimiting module, the transport module to transmit the CC messages to a different service provider network element at the second periodicity rate.

8. The service provider network element of claim 7, wherein the CCM module further is to add a repeat count value to the CC messages in the CCM data structure, and wherein the CC messages transmitted to the different service provider network element include the repeat count value.

9. The service provider network element of claim 7, wherein the CCM module further is to determine if receipt of CC messages from the first customer network element exceeds a CCM timeout timer, wherein the CCM module is further to add an explicit down notification field and set a value for the explicit down notification field to indicate whether the CCM timeout timer has expired.

10. The service provider network element of claim 7, wherein the second periodicity rate is to be configured by a network administrator.

11. A service provider network element to process CC (Connectivity Check) messages, comprising:

an egress service delimiting module including,

a CCM module to receive CC messages transmitted from another service provide network element and to store those CC messages in a CCM data structure, wherein each received CC message includes a first periodicity rate and a repeat count value, wherein each received CC message is received at a second periodicity rate that is lower than the first periodicity rate, wherein the CCM module further is to create a number of CC messages from the CCM data structure and cause those created CC messages to be transmitted at the first periodicity rate, and

a memory coupled with the CCM module, the CCM module to store the CCM data structure; and

a transport module coupled with the egress service delimiting module, the transport module to transmit the created CC messages to a customer network element.

12. The service provider network element of claim 11, wherein the CCM module further is to stop transmission of the created CC messages to the customer network element if it determines that a received CC messages includes an explicit down notification;

13. The service provider network element of claim 11, wherein the CCM module further is to distinguish processing CC messages received from different sources based on a transaction identifier included in each received CC message.

14. The service provider network element of claim 11, wherein the number of created CC messages is equivalent to the repeat count value.

15. A machine-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a processor, will cause said processor to perform operations for reducing a number of CC (Connectivity Check) messages transmitted in a provider network, wherein a first customer network element is coupled with a second customer network element through the provider network, wherein the provider network includes a first service provider network element coupled with a second service provider network element, comprising:

receiving CC messages from the first customer network element at a first periodicity rate at the first service provider network element, wherein the CC messages are destined for the second customer network element;

storing the received CC messages in a CCM data structure on the first service provider network element;

reducing the first periodicity rate to create a second periodicity rate, wherein the second periodicity rate is smaller than the first periodicity rate; and

transmitting CC messages to the second service provider network element through the provider network at the second periodicity rate.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

adding a repeat count value to the CC messages prior to transmitting the CC messages to the second service provider network element;

storing the received CC messages transmitted from the first service provider network element in a CCM data structure on the second service provider network element; and

transmitting a number of CC messages to the second customer network element at the first periodicity rate, wherein the number is equivalent to the repeat count value.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting that the first customer network element has not transmitted CC messages for a time of the first periodicity rate;

obtaining a stored version of a previously CC message received from the first customer network element;

adding a explicit down notification field to the stored CC message and setting the explicit down notification field to indicate that the first service provider network element has stopped receiving CC messages from the customer network element;

adding a transaction identifier field to the stored CC message and setting the transaction identifier field with a value uniquely identifying the first service provider network element;

generating an explicit down CC message from the stored CC message and the set explicit down notification field; and

transmitting the explicit down CC message to the second service provider network element over the provider network;

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving the explicit down CC message at the second service provider network element; and

stopping transmission of CC messages to the second customer network element.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first customer network element is dual homed with a third service provider network element, wherein the third service provider network element is coupled with the second service provider network element, the method further comprising:

receiving CC messages from the first customer network element at the first periodicity rate at the third service provider network element, wherein the CC messages are destined for the second customer network element;

storing the received CC messages in a CCM data structure on the third service provider network element;

adding a repeat count field to the stored CC message in the CCM data structure on the third service provider network element;

adding a transaction identifier field to the stored CC message in the CCM data structure on the third service provider network element and setting the transaction identifier field with a value uniquely identifying the third service provider network element;

reducing the first periodicity rate to create a third periodicity rate, wherein the third periodicity rate is smaller than the first periodicity rate;

transmitting CC messages to the second service provider network element over the provider network at the second periodicity rate, wherein each transmitted CC message includes the transaction identifier uniquely identifying the third service provider network element and the repeat count.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving the CC messages transmitted by the third service provider network element;

storing the received CC messages transmitted from the third service provider network element in a CCM data structure on the second service provider network element; and

transmitting a number of CC messages based from the received CC messages from the third service provider network element to the second customer network element at the first periodicity rate, wherein the number is equivalent to the repeat count value.