Method and apparatus for providing internet protocol call signaling network assurance

• US 9,344,322 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US13/888,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20130242724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-253, 370351-357, 379 101- 35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0661 by reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A method and apparatus for alarming on all signaling protocol messages that fail in substantial numbers on any particular routes within an IP network are disclosed. For example, upon receiving these alarms, the network will attempt to identify, and to correct the error producing conditions to prevent further call signaling message failures.

Claims

1. A method for performing a corrective action in a communication network, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a processor, a health status of a plurality of network elements and a plurality of network routes that are interconnecting the plurality of network elements in the communication network, wherein the communication network is a voice over Internet protocol network, wherein the health status of each of the plurality of network elements and each of the plurality of network routes is monitored via signaling failure alarms that are generated by the plurality of network elements and sent from the plurality of network elements, wherein each of the plurality of network elements is used to support a call initiated by a subscriber in the communication network, wherein each of the plurality of network elements comprises a call signaling network element, and wherein each of the plurality of network routes comprises a call signaling path, wherein the health status of each of the plurality of network elements and the network routes is monitored by a network management system;

determining, by the processor, whether a number of the signaling failure alarms received for a network element of the plurality of network elements exceeds a predefined alarm threshold, wherein the predefined alarm threshold is a ratio of a number of blocked calls against a call volume in a predefined period of time;

analyzing, by the processor, the signaling failure alarms after it is determined that the predefined alarm threshold is exceeded; and

performing, by the processor, the corrective action in the communication network, wherein the corrective action comprises recommending a replacement of a network link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined alarm threshold is a configurable parameter set by a network provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing comprises:

identifying a root cause of the alarm threshold being exceeded; and

performing the corrective action on a network element that is identified as the root cause of the alarm threshold being exceeded.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the corrective action further comprises:

failing over to a redundant network element.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for performing a corrective action in a communication network, the operations comprising:

monitoring a health status of a plurality of network elements and a plurality of network routes that are interconnecting the plurality of network elements in the communication network, wherein the communication network is a voice over internet protocol network, wherein the health status of each of the plurality of network elements and each of the plurality of network routes is monitored via signaling failure alarms that are generated by the plurality of network elements and sent from the plurality of network elements, wherein each of the plurality of network elements is used to support a call initiated by a subscriber in the communication network, wherein each of the plurality of network elements comprises a call signaling network element, and wherein each of the plurality of network routes comprises a call signaling path, wherein the health status of each of the plurality of network elements and the network routes is monitored by a network management system;

determining whether a number of the signaling failure alarms received for a network element of the plurality of network elements exceeds a predefined alarm threshold, wherein the predefined alarm threshold is a ratio of a number of blocked calls against a call volume in a predefined period of time;

analyzing the signaling failure alarms after it is determined that the predefined alarm threshold is exceeded; and

performing the corrective action in the communication network, wherein the corrective action comprises recommending a replacement of a network link.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the predefined alarm threshold is a configurable parameter set by a network provider.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the performing comprises:

identifying a root cause of the alarm threshold being exceeded; and

performing the corrective action on a network element that is identified as the root cause of the alarm threshold being exceeded.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the corrective action further comprises:

failing over to a redundant network element.

9. An apparatus for performing a corrective action in a communication network, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

monitoring a health status of a plurality of network elements and a plurality of network routes that are interconnecting the plurality of network elements in the communication network, wherein the communication network is a voice over Internet protocol network, wherein the health status of each of the plurality of network elements and each of the plurality of network routes is monitored via signaling failure alarms that are generated by the plurality of network elements and sent from the plurality of network elements, wherein each of the plurality of network elements is used to support a call initiated by a subscriber in the communication network, wherein each of the plurality of network elements comprises a call signaling network element, and wherein each of the plurality of network routes comprises a call signaling path, wherein the health status of each of the plurality of network elements and the network routes is monitored by a network management system;

determining whether a number of the signaling failure alarms received for a network element of the plurality of network elements exceeds a predefined alarm threshold, wherein the predefined alarm threshold is a ratio of a number of blocked calls against a call volume in a predefined period of time;

analyzing the signaling failure alarms after it is determined that the predefined alarm threshold is exceeded; and

performing the corrective action in the communication network, wherein the corrective action comprises recommending a replacement of a network link.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the predefined alarm threshold is a configurable parameter set by a network provider.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the performing comprises:

identifying a root cause of the alarm threshold being exceeded; and

performing the corrective action on a network element that is identified as the root cause of the alarm threshold being exceeded.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the corrective action further comprises:

failing over to a redundant network element.