METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASYNCHRONOUS ALARM CORRELATION

• US 20100157812A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chao, Chin-Wang, Lee, Herman, Lee, John, Ji, Wenwen, Blocker, Aaron, Tang, Sheauling
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing asynchronous alarm correlation in packet networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives a trigger, and performs an asynchronous correlation of at least one root cause alarm with at least one symptom alarm.

Claims

1. A method for providing alarm correlation in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a trigger; and

performing an asynchronous correlation of at least one root cause alarm with at least one symptom alarm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises at least one of:

a reception of a new root cause alarm, a reception of a new symptom alarm, an end of a correlation life span (CLS) time period for a stored root cause alarm or a symptom alarm in a correlation container, or a reception of a clear alarm or event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said new root cause alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

creating a ticket for said new root cause alarm;

removing any symptom alarms stored in said correlation container that matches said new root cause alarm; and

inserting said new root cause alarm in said correlation container.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said new symptom alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

suppressing said new symptom alarm if said new symptom alarm matches any root cause alarms stored in said correlation container;

or

inserting said new symptom alarm into said correlation container if said new symptom alarm fails to match any root cause alarms stored in said correlation container.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said clear alarm or event, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

waiting for a period of time; and

clearing a symptom alarm that is stored in said correlation container in accordance with said clear alarm or event.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein if said trigger comprises said end of said correlation life span (CLS) time period for a stored root cause alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

removing said stored root cause alarm from said correlation container.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein if said trigger comprises said end of said correlation life span (CLS) time period for a stored symptom alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

promoting said stored symptom alarm to a root cause alarm in said correlation container; and

generating a ticket for said symptom alarm that has been promoted to a root cause alarm.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network is a packet network.

9. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for providing alarm correlation in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a trigger; and

performing an asynchronous correlation of at least one root cause alarm with at least one symptom alarm.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said trigger comprises at least one of:

a reception of a new root cause alarm, a reception of a new symptom alarm, an end of a correlation life span (CLS) time period for a stored root cause alarm or a symptom alarm in a correlation container, or a reception of a clear alarm or event.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said new root cause alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

creating a ticket for said new root cause alarm;

removing any symptom alarms stored in said correlation container that matches said new root cause alarm; and

inserting said new root cause alarm in said correlation container.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said new symptom alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

suppressing said new symptom alarm if said new symptom alarm matches any root cause alarms stored in said correlation container;

or

inserting said new symptom alarm into said correlation container if said new symptom alarm fails to match any root cause alarms stored in said correlation container.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said clear alarm or event, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

waiting for a period of time; and

clearing a symptom alarm that is stored in said correlation container in accordance with said clear alarm or event.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein if said trigger comprises said end of said correlation life span (CLS) time period for a stored root cause alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

removing said stored root cause alarm from said correlation container.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein if said trigger comprises said end of said correlation life span (CLS) time period for a stored symptom alarm, then said performing said asynchronous correlation comprises:

promoting said stored symptom alarm to a root cause alarm in said correlation container; and

generating a ticket for said symptom alarm that has been promoted to a root cause alarm.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said communication network is a packet network.

17. An apparatus for providing alarm correlation in a communication network, comprising:

means for receiving a trigger; and

means for performing an asynchronous correlation of at least one root cause alarm with at least one symptom alarm.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said trigger comprises at least one of:

a reception of a new root cause alarm, a reception of a new symptom alarm, an end of a correlation life span (CLS) time period for a stored root cause alarm or a symptom alarm in a correlation container, or a reception of a clear alarm or event.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said new root cause alarm, then said performing means creates a ticket for said new root cause alarm, removes any symptom alarms stored in said correlation container that matches said new root cause alarm, and inserts said new root cause alarm in said correlation container.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein if said trigger comprises said reception of said new symptom alarm, then said performing means suppresses said new symptom alarm if said new symptom alarm matches any root cause alarms stored in said correlation container, or inserts said new symptom alarm into said correlation container if said new symptom alarm fails to match any root cause alarms stored in said correlation container.