Automated Fault Isolation System for Network Alarm Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern communication networks face challenges in quickly identifying and resolving faults due to the overwhelming volume of alarm reports, which can lead to prolonged downtime and significant financial losses, especially as organizations lack end-to-end visibility and automated processes for fault detection and recovery.
Innovation Solution
An automated fault isolation and resolution system that generates workflow events for alarms, correlates them with maintenance events, and differentiates handling based on correlation, using a workflow engine and automation engine to transmit and process alarm information, thereby reducing manual intervention and enhancing fault detection and recovery capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual processing of alarm reports is used, then network monitors can analyze alarm causes, but the volume of alarms overwhelms network surveillance engineers and prolongs restoration time
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through automated alarm processing. The network management system automatically correlates alarms, identifies root causes, and initiates resolution actions without requiring manual intervention from surveillance engineers for each alarm, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining analysis capability and improving restoration speed
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring alarm correlation rules, root cause analysis templates, and automated response procedures. When alarms occur, the system has already prepared the analytical framework and resolution pathways, enabling rapid automated processing while maintaining thorough analysis capabilities
2Adaptability or versatility
If organizations perform their own network monitoring, then they have direct control over fault resolution, but they lack end-to-end visibility and are ill-equipped to diagnose problems caused by third parties
Solution Approach 1:
The network management system provides multi-functional capabilities that work across different network domains and third-party systems. It can monitor customer premises equipment, access provider networks, and interface with multiple maintenance management systems, giving organizations end-to-end visibility while maintaining their control over resolution processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between the organization and third-party maintenance systems. It correlates alarms from external sources with internal network events, providing the organization with visibility into third-party issues while maintaining their ability to control and coordinate the overall fault resolution process
3Measurement precision
If alarm correlation with maintenance events is performed manually, then detailed analysis is possible, but the process is too slow for rapid fault isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical analysis processes with automated computational methods. Computer algorithms automatically correlate alarm data with maintenance event data, perform root cause analysis, and generate diagnostic results, achieving both high precision and rapid processing speeds that cannot be achieved through manual methods
Data Source
AI summary
An approach for supporting automated fault isolation and recovery is provided. A workflow event corresponding to an alarm indicative of a fault within a customer network is generated. Recovery from the fault is automated according to the workflow event. Alarm information is transmitted to a maintenance management system, wherein the alarm information specifies information about the alarm. A maintenance event information from the maintenance management system is received in response to the transmitted alarm information. Additionally, it is determined whether the alarm is correlated to a maintenance event based on the maintenance event information. Automated handling of the alarm is differentiated based on the correlation.