Communication network managment system, method and program, and management computer

• US 20110264795A1
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Enomoto, Nobuyuki, Koide, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/437 Ring fault isolation or reconfiguration for SDH/SONET ring networks H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A communication network management system has: a communication network including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links connecting between the plurality of nodes; and a management computer connected to the plurality of nodes. A loop-shape communication route in the communication network is a loop route. The management computer transmits a frame to one node on the loop route. When receiving the frame, each node on the loop route forwards the received frame to a subsequent node along the loop route and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, returns a response back to the management computer. The management computer determines whether or not a failure is occurring, based on reception state of the response.

Claims

1. A communication network management system comprising:

a communication network including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links connecting between said plurality of nodes; and

a management computer connected to said plurality of nodes,

wherein a loop-shape communication route in said communication network is a loop route,

wherein said management computer transmits a frame to one node on said loop route,

wherein when receiving said frame, each node on said loop route forwards said received frame to a subsequent node along said loop route and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, returns a response back to said management computer,

wherein said management computer determines whether or not a failure is occurring, based on reception state of said response.

2. The communication network management system according to claim 1,

wherein if said management computer receives said response from any node on said loop route within a predetermined period of time, said management computer determines that no failure is occurring in said loop route,

wherein if said management computer fails to receive said response from all nodes on said loop route within said predetermined period of time, said management computer determines that a failure is occurring in said loop route.

3. The communication network management system according to claim 1,

wherein said frame includes forwarding count information indicating a number,

said management computer transmits said frame in which said number is set to an initial value to said one node,

said each node increases or decreases said number when receiving said frame,

said predetermined condition is that said number reaches a threshold value, and

a node on said loop route where said number reaches said threshold value is a response node,

wherein said response node returns said response back to said management computer and forwards said received frame to said subsequent node after resetting said number to said initial value.

4. The communication network management system according to claim 3,

wherein said initial value and said threshold value are set such that all nodes on said loop route become said response node.

5. The communication network management system according to claim 4,

wherein a number of nodes included in said loop route is n, and any of natural numbers other than multiples of n and multiples of a factor of n is i,

wherein said initial value and said threshold value are set such that nodes on said loop route become said response node for every i nodes along said loop route.

6. The communication network management system according to claim 1,

wherein in said each node, said predetermined condition is satisfied with a predetermined probability,

wherein when receiving said frame, said each node forwards said received frame to said subsequent node and returns said response back to said management computer with said predetermined probability.

7. The communication network management system according to claim 4,

wherein if said management computer fails to receive said response only from a specific node on said loop route, said management computer determines that a failure is occurring between said specific node and said management computer.

8. The communication network management system according to claim 1,

wherein said each node forwards said received frame as said response to said management computer.

9. The communication network management system according to claim 1,

wherein said each node comprises:

a table storage unit in which a forwarding table indicating a correspondence relationship between an input source and a forwarding destination of said frame is stored; and

a forwarding processing unit configured to forward a frame received from said input source to said forwarding destination by referring to said forwarding table,

wherein said management computer comprises;

a storage unit in which loop route information indicating said loop route is stored;

an entry control unit configured to instruct said each node to set up said forwarding table such that said frame is forwarded along said loop route; and

a monitoring unit configured to perform transmission and reception of said frame to and from said loop route,

wherein said monitoring unit transmits said frame to said one node,

wherein when receiving said frame, said forwarding processing unit of said each node refers to said forwarding table to forward said received frame to said subsequent node and, if said predetermined condition is satisfied, returns said response back to said management computer.

10. The communication network management system according to claim 9,

wherein said management computer further comprises a loop designing unit,

topology information indicating a physical topology of said communication network is further stored in said storage unit,

and said loop designing unit refers to said topology information to determine said loop route and create said loop route information.

11. The communication network management system according to claim 10,

wherein said loop designing unit determines one or more loop routes such that all of said plurality of links is covered by said one or more loop routes,

wherein said monitoring unit transmits said frame to each of said one or more loop routes.

12. A management computer that manages a communication network including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links connecting between said plurality of nodes,

said management computer comprising:

a storage unit in which loop route information indicating a loop route being a loop-shape communication route in said communication network is stored;

an entry control unit configured to instruct each node on said loop route; and

a monitoring unit configured to transmit a frame to one node on said loop route,

wherein said entry control unit instructs said each node to, when receiving said frame, forward said received frame to a subsequent node along said loop route and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, return a response back to said management computer,

wherein said monitoring unit determines whether or not a failure is occurring, based on reception state of said response.

13. The management computer according to claim 12,

wherein if said monitoring unit receives said response from any node on said loop route within a predetermined period of time, said monitoring unit determines that no failure is occurring in said loop route,

wherein if said monitoring unit fails to receive said response from all nodes on said loop route within said predetermined period of time, said monitoring unit determines that a failure is occurring in said loop route.

14. A communication network management method that manages a communication network by using a management computer,

wherein said communication network includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links connecting between said plurality of nodes,

wherein a loop-shape communication route in said communication network is a loop route,

wherein said communication network management method comprises:

transmitting a frame from said management computer to one node on said loop route;

forwarding, by each node on said loop route, said frame to a subsequent node along said loop route and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, returning a response back to said management computer; and

determining whether or not a failure is occurring, based on reception state of said response in said management computer.

15. A management program recorded on a tangible computer-readable medium that, when executed, causes a management computer to perform management processing of a communication network,

wherein said communication network includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links connecting between said plurality of nodes,

wherein said management processing comprises:

storing loop route information indicating a loop route being a loop-shape communication route in said communication network, in a storage device;

instructing each node on said loop route to, when receiving a frame, forward said received frame to a subsequent node along said loop route and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, return a response back to said management computer;

transmitting a frame to one node on said loop route; and

determining whether or not a failure is occurring, based on reception state of said response.