Method of performing ethernet gateway switch trouble diagnostics

• US 8,107,381 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Qian, Zhiqiang, Bajpay, Paritosh, Csupor, Anamaria, Liu, Jackson, Morales, Carlos, Zinnikas, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, XAVIER S
• Application Number:
  US11/945,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 370/242, 370/244, 370/250, 370/395.53, 370/400, 370/401, 709/224, 709/225
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• 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 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications

Abstract

A service provider unit automatically diagnoses problems in an Ethernet network that are associated with layers 1, 2, and/or 3 and determines whether there is a problem associated with an Ethernet gateway switch EGS. Further diagnostics can be performed to determine the layer, type, and/or location of the problem(s) based on whether there is a problem with the EGS. The diagnostic process followed depends on the types of problem(s) in the network. Once the problems have been diagnosed, an operator can be notified of the location and/or type of problem.

Claims

1. An automated method of diagnosing a computer network problem comprising:

determining whether an alarm is associated with an Ethernet gateway switch coupled between a provider edge router and a third party service provider network;

identifying whether a problem associated with a port of the Ethernet gateway switch has occurred in response to determining the alarm is associated with the Ethernet gateway switch;

determining a physical port status of the port of the provider edge router in response to an absence of an alarm associated with the Ethernet gateway switch;

identifying whether there is a customer facing alarm between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider in response to determining no problem is associated with the port of the Ethernet gateway switch and the alarm is associated with the Ethernet gateway switch; and

determining an access technology associated with the customer in response to identifying that there is a customer facing alarm between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying whether a problem associated with a virtual local area network of the Ethernet gateway switch has occurred in response to the physical port status of the port of the provider edge router being identified as operating properly.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a layer 1 test in response to the access technology being a Synchronous Optical Network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising checking a network facing facility between the Ethernet gateway switch and the provider edge router for a problem.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising checking a customer facing facility between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider network in response to there being no problem detected associated with the network facing facility.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a computing device that diagnoses problems in a computer network by:

determining whether an alarm is associated with an Ethernet gateway switch coupled between a provider edge router and a third party service provider network;

identifying whether a problem associated with a port of the Ethernet gateway switch has occurred in response to determining the alarm is associated with the Ethernet gateway switch;

determining a physical port status of the port of the provider edge router in response to an absence of an alarm associated with the Ethernet gateway switch;

identifying whether there is a customer facing alarm between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider in response to determining no problem is associated with the port of the Ethernet gateway switch and the alarm is associated with the Ethernet gateway switch; and

determining an access technology associated with the customer in response to identifying that there is a customer facing alarm between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, further comprising instructions executable by a computing device that diagnoses problems in a computer network by identifying whether a problem associated with a virtual local area network of the Ethernet gateway switch has occurred in response to the physical port status of the port of the provider edge router being identified as operating properly.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, further comprising instructions executable by a computing device that diagnoses problems in a computer network by performing a layer 1 test in response to the access technology being Synchronous Optical Network.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions executable by a computing device that diagnoses problems in a computer network by checking a network facing facility between the Ethernet gateway switch and the provider edge router for a problem.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions executable by a computing device that diagnoses problems in a computer network by checking a customer facing facility between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider network in response to there being no problem detected associated with the network facing facility.

11. A system configured to diagnose network problems comprising:

an Ethernet gateway switch coupled between a service provider edge router and a third party service provider of a network; and

a service provider unit operatively coupled to the network, the service provider unit configured to;

determine whether an alarm is associated with the Ethernet gateway switch;

identify whether a problem associated with a port of the Ethernet gateway switch has occurred in response to determining the alarm is associated with the Ethernet gateway switch;

determine a physical port status of the port of the provider edge router in response to an absence of an alarm associated with the Ethernet gateway switch;

identify whether there is a customer facing alarm between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider in response to determining no problem is associated with the port of the Ethernet gateway switch and the alarm is associated with the Ethernet gateway switch, and

determining an access technology associated with the customer in response to identifying that there is a customer facing alarm between the Ethernet gateway switch and the third party service provider.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the service provider unit determines whether a problem associated with a virtual local area network of the Ethernet gateway switch has occurred in response to the physical port status of the port of the provider edge router being identified as operating properly.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the service provider unit performs a layer 1 test in response to the access technology being Synchronous Optical Network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the service provider unit checks a network facing facility between the Ethernet gateway switch and the provider edge router for a problem.