Summarizing Alarm Indication Signals in MPLS Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In network environments, the generation of excessive Alarm Indication Signals (AIS) leads to significant signaling overhead, particularly in Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) architectures, where hundreds of tunnels are affected by a single link failure, resulting in thousands of AIS messages being sent, causing processing burdens on end nodes and inefficient protection switching.
Innovation Solution
A communication system that summarizes AIS messages into a single message per end node, using a globally unique link identifier, allowing for intelligent protection switching based on link identifiers, reducing the need for multiple AIS messages and enabling proactive protection switching without waiting for tunnel-level failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional AIS messaging is used to notify all affected end nodes of a link failure, then reliable failure notification is achieved, but excessive signaling overhead is generated causing processing burdens on end nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple AIS messages into a single summarized AIS message that contains a list of affected end nodes. Instead of sending separate AIS messages to each end node, the system sends one consolidated message that notifies all affected nodes simultaneously, thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining reliable failure notification.
Solution Approach 2:
The summarized AIS message serves multiple functions simultaneously: it notifies all affected end nodes of the link failure, provides a list of affected nodes for processing, and enables protection switching decisions. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for multiple separate messages while maintaining comprehensive failure information.
2Loss of information
If traditional per-tunnel AIS messaging is used, then detailed failure information is provided, but processing loads on end nodes increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines detailed failure information about multiple tunnels into a single summarized AIS message. The message includes a list of affected end nodes and link identifiers, providing comprehensive failure information while avoiding the processing burden of multiple separate per-tunnel messages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the failure information into key components: the summarized AIS message itself, the list of affected end nodes, and link identifiers. This segmentation allows end nodes to process only the necessary information (the list and identifiers) rather than processing multiple complete tunnel-level messages, improving processing efficiency while retaining essential failure details.
3Measurement precision
If traditional AIS messaging waits for tunnel-level failures to trigger protection switching, then accurate failure detection is achieved, but response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by sending the summarized AIS message immediately upon detecting the link failure, before any tunnel-level failures are detected. The message includes a list of affected end nodes and link identifiers, enabling end nodes to proactively initiate protection switching without waiting for individual tunnel failures to trigger the response.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method includes detecting a failure at a first network element, the failure is associated with a link between the first network element and a second network element. The method also includes generating a list of network elements to be notified based on the failure, the second network element is included on the list. The method further includes generating an alarm indication signal (AIS) message, the AIS message identifies a plurality of tunnels affected by the failure. The AIS message is communicated to the second network element. In more detailed embodiments, each link between the first network element and the second network element includes a globally unique link identifier, which includes an associated autonomous system number. The globally unique link identifier can represent a string to be associated with the plurality of tunnels, the globally unique link identifier includes a source address and a destination address.