Network access device monitoring

• US 6,535,517 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Korpela, Mika, Brunberg, Ralf, Arkko, Jari, Toivanen, Harri
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US09/096,629
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/400, 370/403, 370/404, 370/409, 370/464, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/468, 370/352, 370/356, 370/410, 370/463, 370/522, 370/389, 370/375, 370/354, 709/227, 709/230, 709/218, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/122 where the PSTN/ISDN access is used as an access to networks other than PSTN/ISDN access arrangements to networks other than PSTN/ISDN H04M7/0066; access arrangements to public data networks H04L12/2856

Abstract

A method and apparatus enables a Network Access Server in association with a telecommunications switch to route incoming calls only to devices that have an actual connection to the Internet. A set of devices, RPG-Is, reformat incoming data from subscribers to a desired Internet Protocol. Initially, the expected network topology is recorded in memory for later comparison. During operation, each RPG-I attempts to detect the presence of every other expected RPG-I. If the presence of another RPG-I is not detected within a predetermined threshold period, then an alarm is issued. Error alarms are forwarded to application logic of the telecommunications switch so that the switch can avoid connecting a subscriber'"'"'s call to an inoperable RPG-I. An alarm can also be forwarded to a network operator'"'"'s terminal.

Claims

1. A method for improving call-routing efficiency for a network access server that is associated with a telecommunications switch, comprising the steps of:

storing an expected network topology of a first network of said network access server;

detecting whether a current network topology deviates from said expected network topology;

detecting whether said current network topology continues to deviate from said expected topology;

identifying a portion of said first network that deviates from said expected network topology;

reporting a detected continue deviation of said current network topology from said expected network topology to a network operator; and

routing calls away from said portion of said first network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

waiting for a predetermined threshold period when the step of detecting detects that said current network topology deviates from said expected network topology;

detecting whether said current network topology continues to deviate from said expected network topology after said predetermined threshold period expires; and

wherein the step of routing calls away from said portion of said first network further includes the step of routing said calls away from said portion of said first network only if said current network topology continues to deviate from said expected network topology after said predetermined threshold period expires.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

updating said expected network topology in response to installation changes or detected deviations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of routing calls away from said portion of said first network further comprises the step of routing incoming calls away from said portion of said first network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of routing calls away from said portion of said first network further comprises the step of rerouting current calls away from said portion of said first network.

6. A method for enabling a telecommunications switch and an associated network access server to route calls to processing devices that have a functioning connection to a desired network, comprising the steps of:

recording an expected network topology of a first network that is associated with said network access server;

monitoring said first network;

detecting deviations from said expected network topology in said first network by determining whether a first processing device provides said functioning connection to said desired network by determining whether each processing device of a plurality of processing devices that are on said first network can provide said functioning connection to said desired network; and

if so, assigning a call to said first processing device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

if not, trying a second processing device to determine whether said second processing device provides said functioning connection to said desired network.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

if not, issuing an operator alarm, said operator alarm indicating a problem area.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of recording further comprises the step of:

recording an expected network topology of a first network that is associated with said network access server, wherein said first network is of an Ethernet type.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of recording further comprises the step of:

recording a number of processing devices that are expected to be connected to said first network.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of recording further comprises the step of:

recording an identity of each processing device that is expected to be connected to said first network.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of recording further comprises the step of:

recording an expected initial network topology of said first network upon initial installation.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of recording further comprises the step of:

updating said expected network topology when either a new processing device is installed or a current processing device is detected as not having said functioning connection to said desired network.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of monitoring further comprises the step of:

monitoring said first network for presence messages from other processing devices on said first network.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of detecting further comprises the step of:

comparing a plurality of detected presence messages to said expected network topology.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of detecting further comprises the step of determining, based on the step of comparing, whether at least one presence message is missing;

and further comprising the step of;

issuing a problem information report if said at least one presence message is determined to be missing.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

determining whether a processing device that does not provide said functioning connection to said desired network is malfunctioning, installed incorrectly, or connected to said first network, which said first network is damaged.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of detecting further comprises the step of:

diagnosing which processing device, among a plurality of processing devices that are connected to said first network, or which portion of said first network is preventing said functioning connection to said desired network.

19. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

ascertaining whether a detected deviation persists for longer than a predetermined threshold period; and

wherein said step of determining determines that said first processing device does not have said functioning connection if said detected deviation persists for longer than said predetermined threshold period.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of assigning further comprises the step of:

assigning said call, wherein said call is a new dial-up call.

21. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of assigning further comprises the step of:

assigning said call, wherein said call is a current call that is being transferred from a problem area.

22. The method of claim 6, wherein said desired network is the Internet.

23. A method for improving call-routing efficiency for a network access server that is associated with a telecommunications switch, comprising the steps of:

storing an expected network topology of a first network of said network access server;

detecting whether a current network topology deviates from said expected network topology;

identifying a portion of said first network that deviates from said expected network topology;

waiting for a predetermined threshold period when the step of detecting detects that said current network topology deviates from said expected network topology;

detecting whether said current network topology continues to deviate from said expected network topology, after said predetermined threshold period expires; and

routing said calls away from said portion of said first network only if said current network topology continues to deviate from said expected network topology after said predetermined threshold period expires.