SONET/SDH data link administration and management

• US 20030101248A1
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Canada Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Katz, Felix, Li, Jizong, Tofinetti, Michael Nicholas, Zhan, Jane, Janes, Trevor Dale, Falkenham, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 7,116,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0042 Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0057 Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0067 Resource management and allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0082 Interaction of SDH with non-ATM protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/085 for ring networks, e.g. SDH/SONET rings, self-healing rings, meashed SDH/SONET networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1617 carrying packets or ATM cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks

Abstract

A network management and administration system provisioning data links in an optical networking environment is provided. The network management and administration system makes use of connectivity information in establishing and monitoring data links. The connectivity information includes data link termination specifications. Data link termination specifications include port and channel specifications. Each port may have a channelized or an unchannelized configuration. A virtual channel having a data transport capacity substantially equal to that of a corresponding unchannelized port is defined therefor. The advantages include a standardized, concise and comprehensive provisioning and presentation of data links.

Claims

1. A management and administration system for a Packet over Synchronous Optical Network data network comprising:

a. a first body of data link connectivity information holding connectivity information for a plurality of data links established in the associated data network, the connectivity information specifying data link terminations including channel specifications; and

b. a display interface showing a current state of the data network including established data links

wherein the connectivity information regarding data link terminations also specifies ports on which each data link of the plurality of data links terminates, the ports having a one of a channelized and unchannelized configuration, the channel specification for each unchannelized port including a virtual channel specification associated therewith.

2. A management and administration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first body of connectivity information further comprises a data link record.

3. A management and administration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first body of connectivity information further comprises a plurality of nodal data link records, each one of the nodal data link records being associated with a corresponding data network node in the data network.

4. A management and administration system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second body of connectivity information enabling the selection of data link terminations for the establishment of data links in the data network.

5. A management and administration system as claimed in claim 4, wherein connectivity information held in the second body of connectivity information specifies data link terminations down to a channel specification

wherein the connectivity information regarding data link terminations also specifies ports on which each data link terminates, the ports having a one of a channelized and unchannelized configuration, the channel specification for each unchannelized port including a virtual channel specification associated therewith.

6. A method of provisioning a data link in a data networking environment comprising the steps of:

a. selecting a first and a second data link terminations from a selection group of data link terminations, specifications of the first and second data link terminations including channel specifications;

b. validating the selected first and second data link terminations; and

c. establishing a data link between the first and second data link terminations.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein selecting the first data link termination having the channel specification, the method further comprises a step of selecting a first channel of a first channelized port corresponding to the first termination.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein selecting the first data link termination having the channel specification, the method further comprises a step of selecting a first virtual channel of a first unchannelized port corresponding to the first termination.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein prior to the selection of the first virtual channel of the first unchannelized port, the method further comprises a step of assigning a virtual channel to the first unchannelized port, the virtual channel having a data transport capacity substantially equal to the data transport capacity of the first unchannelized port.

10. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein selecting the second data link termination having the channel specification, the method further comprises a step of selecting a second channel of a second channelized port corresponding to the second termination.

11. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein selecting the second data link termination having the channel specification, the method further comprises a step of selecting a second virtual channel of a second unchannelized port corresponding to the second termination.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein prior to the selection of the second virtual channel of the second unchannelized port, the method further comprises a step of assigning a virtual channel to the second unchannelized port, the virtual channel having a data transport capacity substantially equal to the data transport capacity of the second unchannelized port.

13. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein validating the selected first and second data link terminations, the method further comprises steps of checking for a match with respect to at least one of a data link capacity and a data transport protocol.

14. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein upon the establishment of the data link, the method further comprises a step of recording connectivity information regarding the established data link in a body of data link connectivity information.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein subsequent to the establishment of the data link, the method further comprises a step of displaying the data link on a management and administration interface.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein displaying the data link on the management and administration interface the method further comprises steps of:

a. determining a first data network node corresponding to the first data link termination;

b. determining a second data network node corresponding to the second data link termination; and

c. displaying a schematic representation of the established data link between schematic representations of the first and the second data network nodes.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein determining the first data network node corresponding to the first data link termination, the method further comprises a step of examining the body of connectivity information.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein determining the second data network node corresponding to the second data link termination, the method further comprises a step of examining the body of connectivity information.

wherein A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein displaying a schematic representation of the established data link between the fist and the second data network nodes, the method further comprises a step of displaying a aline connecting representations of the fist and the second data network nodes.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein displaying a schematic representation of the established data link between the fist and the second data network nodes, the method further comprises a step of displaying data link identification information.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein displaying a schematic representation of the established data link between the fist and the second data network nodes, the method further comprises a step of displaying data link data transport capacity information.