System for probing switched virtual circuits in a connection oriented network

• US 6,717,914 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamami, Ilan
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHILPOTT, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US09/322,120
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241.1, 370/246-248, 370/252, 370/270, 370/278, 370/282-283, 370/293, 370/310.1, 370/312, 370/319, 370/384, 370/390, 370/395.1, 370/395.51, 370/397, 370/399, 370/400, 370/409, 370/905
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/10 Routing in connection-oriented networks, e.g. X.25 or ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet

Abstract

A system for probing one or more SVCs that enables a network manager station to setup a probe event in advance before a SVC is created. Upon the creation of the SVC, the data is captured and sent to the network management station without any further intervention required. In a first stage, a SVC originator is configured with a probing IE containing parameters to be included in the SETUP request message when SVCs are established. A unique identifier is included as one of the parameters in the probing IE and is used by the probing switch to detect a SVC that is to be probed. A PVC is established to the switch containing one or more SVCs that are to be probed. A probing port is configured on the switch and a range of VPI/VCIs are assigned to the port. A multicast connection is configured in the switch and traffic from the SVC originator is directed toward both the destination and to the probing port. In this fashion, the SVC traffic can be analyzed using diagnostic tools located remotely anywhere on the network.

Claims

1. A method of probing one or more Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs) in a connection oriented network, said method comprising the steps of:

configuring a SVC originator with a first set of probe parameters comprising a global probing ID before establishment of an SVC to be probed, wherein said global probing ID is globally unique throughout said network;

configuring a probing switch with a second set of probing parameters comprising said global probing ID, before establishment of said SVC to be probed;

establishing a PVC between a probing port on said probing switch and a network management station (NMS), before establishment of said SVC to be probed;

incorporating said first set of probing parameters including said global probing ID in a setup request message generated by said SVC originator upon establishment of said SVC to be probed;

establishing a first multicast connection from a port receiving traffic from said SVC originator to a port sending traffic toward said destination and said probing port;

establishing a second multicast connection from a port receiving traffic from said destination to a port sending traffic toward said SVC originator and said probing port; and

copying bidirectional traffic between said SVC originator and said destination through said first multicast connection and said second multicast connection to said network management station via said probing port and said PVC.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first set of probing parameters comprises initial probing VPI/VCI and maximum probing VPI/VCI parameters, whereby upon each successive SVC established, said SVC originator increments said VCI up to said maximum.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first set of probing parameters comprises a probing enable/disable parameter operative to turn probing off in said SVC originator.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said setup message comprises a probing Information Element (IE) comprising said global probing ID, initial probing VPI/VCI, maximum probing VPI/VCI and probing enable/disable parameters.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said SVC originator is configured utilizing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages generated by said network management station.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said probing switch is configured utilizing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages generated by said network management station.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining a table of global probing IDs when a plurality of SVC originators are present in said network.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of ceasing, on said SVC originator, to incorporate said first set of probing parameter in said setup message when a maximum probing VPI/VCI has been reached.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning, in said probing switch, odd VPI/VCI numbers for said probing port to traffic flowing in a first direction and even VPI/VCI numbers for traffic flowing in a second direction opposite that of said first direction.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning, in said probing switch, even VPI/VCI numbers for said probing port to traffic from said SVC originator.

11. An apparatus for probing one or more Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs) in a switch within a connection oriented network, comprising:

an SVC originator port for receiving a setup message from an SVC originator, wherein said SVC originator is configured before establishment of an SVC to be probed in accordance with a first set of probe parameters, said setup message and said first set of probe parameters comprising a global probing ID adapted to be globally unique throughout said network;

a probing port adapted to be configured before establishment of said SVC to be probed in accordance with a second set of probe parameters comprising said global probing ID, said probing port in communication with a Network Management System (NMS) via a Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) established before establishment of said SVC to be probed;

a first multicast connection configured from said SVC originator port to a destination port and said probing port in response to receiving said setup message from said SVC originator comprising said global probing ID;

a second multicast connection configured from said destination port to said SVC originator port and said probing port in rose to receiving said setup message from said SVC originator comprising said global probing ID; and

wherein bidirectional tic is copied between said SVC originator and said destination through said first multicast connection and said second multicast connection to said NMS via said PVC so as to enable said NMS to listen to a probed SVC in both directions, wherein bidirectional traffic between said SVC non and said destination port are copied through said multicast connection to said NMS via said probing port and said PVC.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first set of probing parameters comprises initial probing VPI/VCI and maximum probing VPI/VCI parameters, whereby upon each successive SVC established, said SVC originator increments said VCI up to said maximum.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first set of probing parameters comprises a probing enable/disable parameter operative to turn probing off in said SVC originator.

14. The apparats according to claim 11, where said setup message comprises a probing Information Element (IE) comprising said global probing ID, initial probing VPI/VCI, maximum probing VPI/VCI and probing enable/disable parameters.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said SVC originator is configured utilizing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages generated by said network management station.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said probing switch is configured utilizing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages generated by said network management station.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for maintaining a table of global probing IDs when a plurality of SVC originator are present in said network.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for ceasing, on said SVC originator, to incorporate said first set of probing parameters in said setup message when a maximum probing VPI/VCI has been reached.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for assigning, in said probing switch, odd VPI/VCI numbers for said probing port to traffic flowing in a first direction and oven VPI/VCI numbers for traffic flowing in a second direction opposite that of said first direction.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for assigning in said probing switch, even VPI/VCI numbers for said probing port to traffic from said SVC originator.

21. A method of establishing one or more probed Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs) for use in a Network Management System (NMS) within a connection oriented network, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a first command to an SVC originator before establishment of an SVC to be probed, wherein said first command comprising a first set of probe parameters including a global probing ID for inclusion in an Information Element (IE) to be sent in a setup message, wherein said global probing ID is ted to be globally unique throughout said network;

sending a second command to a probing switch before establishment of said SVC to be probed, said probing switch having one or more SVCs to be probed, said second command comprising a second set of probe parameters including said global probing ID and causing said probing switch to establish a first multicast connection from an SVC originator port to a destination port and a probing port, and a second multicast connection form said designation port to said SVC originator port and said probing port;

establishing a Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) between said NMS and said probing port on said probing switch before establishment of said SVC to be probed; and

upon establishment of said SVC receiving bi-directional communications between said SVC originator and a destination copied through said first multicast connection and said second multicast connection to said NMS via said probing port and said PVC.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said first set of probing parameters comprises initial probing VPI/VCI and maximum probing VPI/VCI parameters, whereby upon each successive SVC established, said SVC originator increments said VCI up to said maximum.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said fist set of probing parameters comprises a probing enable/disable parameter operative to turn probing off in said SVC originator.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein said setup message comprises a probing information Element (IE) comprising said global probing ID, initial probing VPI/VCI, maximum probing VPI/VCI and probing enable/disable parameters.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein said first command is transmitted to said SVC originator utilizing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages generated by said NMS.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein said second command is transmitted to said probing switch utilizing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages generated by said NMS.

27. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of maintaining a table of global probing of when a plurality of SVC originators are present in said network.

28. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of ceasing, on said SVC originator, to incorporate said first set of probing parameters in said setup message when a maximum probing VPI/VCI has been reached.

29. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of assigning, in said probing switch, odd VPI/VCI numbers for said probing port to traffic flowing in a first direction and even VPI/VCI numbers for traffic flowing in a second direction opposite that of said first direction.

30. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of assigning, in said probing switch, even VPI/VCI numbers for said probing port to traffic from said SVC originator.