System and method for correlating carrier ethernet connectivity fault management events

• US 8,572,435 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Daniel J., Duggan, Matthew E., Baggott, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leibovich, Yair
• Application Number:
  US12/535,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 714/26, 714/37, 714/32, 714/33
• US Class Current: 714/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains
• 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 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for suppressing managed endpoint (MEP) child events in a network. A MEP multicast message is broadcast by an originating MEP. Responses received from peer MEPs within a selected time interval are processed to determine their respective IP address, MAC address, and VLAN. If this information is not currently stored in a table of peer MEP device information associated with the originating MEP, then it is added. The responding MEP is then marked in the peer MEP device table as having responded. Peer MEP devices that have responded to previous multicast messages, but have now failed to respond within the selected time interval, are determined. A MEP network event is generated, comprising the IP address of the device containing the MEP, the MAC address for inward-facing MEPs, the MAC address of the associated bridge, the port addresses for outward-facing MEPs, and associated VLAN information. If another MEP network event occurs, the MAC address of the MEP and its VLAN information is determined. If the VLAN associated with the current MEP network event contains a MAC address associated with a prior MEP network event, then the MEP network event is designated as a child MEP network event and suppressed. Otherwise, the MEP network event is designated as a parent MEP network.

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method for managing network connectivity faults, comprising:

generating a first set of network device identifying information related to a first receiving managed endpoint (MEP) failing to respond to a multicast message broadcast by an originating MEP within a predetermined and selectable period of time;

processing the first set of network information to generate a first set of MEP network event information, including related addresses;

generating subsequent sets of network device identifying information related to other receiving managed endpoints (MEPs) failing to respond to the multicast message within the selectable predetermined period of time;

processing the subsequent sets of network information to generate additional sets of MEP network event information, including related addresses;

performing comparison operations between the sets of MEP network event information to determine if an MEP network event is a child of said first MEP network event, the child of said first MEP network event being a sympathetic event of said first MEP network event by determining whether the first and other sets of MEP network event information are stored within a peer MEP device information repository;

storing the sets of MEP network event information within the peer MEP device information repository when the sets of MEP network event information are not stored within the peer MEP device information repository; and

avoiding an event storm by suppressing all sympathetic events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second MEP network events occur in a network using the Ethernet protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast message comprises a multicast continuity check message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of network device information are stored in a repository of MEP device and peer MEP device data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of network event information are stored in a repository of MEP network event data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is selectable by a user.

7. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer-usable medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code managing network connectivity faults and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for;

generating a first set of network device identifying information related to a first receiving managed endpoint (MEP) failing to respond to a multicast message broadcast by an originating MEP within a predetermined and selectable period of time;

processing the first set of network information to generate a first set of MEP network event information, including related addresses;

generating subsequent sets of network device identifying information related to other receiving managed endpoints (MEPs) failing to respond to the multicast message within the selectable predetermined period of time;

processing the subsequent sets of network information to generate additional sets of MEP network event information, including related addresses;

performing comparison operations between the sets of MEP network event information to determine if an MEP network event is a child of said first MEP network event, the child of said first MEP network event being a sympathetic event of said first MEP network event by determining whether the first and other sets of MEP network event information are stored within a peer MEP device information repository;

storing the sets of MEP network event information within the peer MEP device information repository when the sets of MEP network event information are not stored within the peer MEP device information repository; and

avoiding an event storm by suppressing all sympathetic events.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second MEP network events occur in a network using the Ethernet protocol.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the multicast message comprises a multicast continuity check message.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of network device information are stored in a repository of MEP device and peer MEP device data.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of network event information are stored in a repository of MEP network event data.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the predetermined period of time is selectable by a user.

13. A non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

generating a first set of network device identifying information related to a first receiving managed endpoint (MEP) failing to respond to a multicast message broadcast by an originating MEP within a predetermined and selectable period of time;

processing the first set of network information to generate a first set of MEP network event information, including related addresses;

generating subsequent sets of network device identifying information related to other receiving managed endpoints (MEPs) failing to respond to the multicast message within the selectable predetermined period of time;

processing the subsequent sets of network information to generate additional sets of MEP network event information, including related addresses;

performing comparison operations between the sets of MEP network event information to determine if an MEP network event is a child of said first MEP network event, the child of said first MEP network event being a sympathetic event of said first MEP network event by determining whether the first and other sets of MEP network event information are stored within a peer MEP device information repository; and

storing the sets of MEP network event information within the peer MEP device information repository when the sets of MEP network event information are not stored within the peer MEP device information repository; and

avoiding an event storm by suppressing all sympathetic events.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the first and second MEP network events occur in a network using the Ethernet protocol.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the multicast message comprises a multicast continuity check message.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the first and second sets of network device information are stored in a repository of MEP device and peer MEP device data.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the first and second sets of network event information are stored in a repository of MEP network event data.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the predetermined period of time is selectable by a user.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.