Network Failure Isolation via Topology-Based Indicator Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting and isolating network problems across different layers of the OSI model are either resource-intensive or rely on manual processes, leading to inefficiencies and increased network downtime, as they cannot effectively correlate indicators from components operating on different layers.
Innovation Solution
A method that automatically correlates indicators generated by network components to detect and isolate failures across different OSI model layers by using a topology table to link device failures and setting time windows to filter out temporary issues, thereby avoiding the need for resource-consuming software.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operations, administration, and maintenance software is used to detect and isolate network problems across different layers, then problem detection capability is improved, but network performance deteriorates due to consumption of valuable processing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problem detection and isolation functionality from resource-consuming network components (routers and switches) and relocates it to a dedicated network management system. The NMS collects existing indicators from various layers and performs correlation analysis externally, eliminating the need for OAM software to reside on network components and thus preserving their processing resources for core network functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a network management system as an intermediary between network components and problem detection functions. This mediator collects indicators from multiple layers, correlates them using topology information, and isolates failures without requiring the network components themselves to perform resource-intensive correlation operations.
2Productivity
If manual detection and isolation methods are used for network problems, then resource consumption is reduced, but network downtime increases due to slow response time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated self-service capability where the network management system automatically collects indicators, correlates them using stored topology information, and isolates failures without human intervention. This automated process eliminates the time-consuming manual troubleshooting steps while maintaining resource efficiency by using existing indicators rather than generating new ones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-storing network topology information in the network management system before failures occur. When failures happen, the system can immediately correlate indicators using this pre-prepared topology data, significantly reducing the time required for problem isolation compared to manual methods.
3Productivity
If existing indicators from network components are monitored, then resource consumption is minimized, but failures across different layers cannot be detected due to lack of correlation capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal correlation mechanism in the network management system that can handle indicators from multiple OSI layers (layer 2, layer 3, and beyond). The topology-based correlation engine is designed to work with various indicator types from different layers, enabling unified multi-layer failure detection without requiring separate specialized systems for each layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of having each network component run its own OAM software with an information-based approach where a centralized system correlates data from all layers. This substitution enables multi-layer failure detection by processing indicator information centrally rather than requiring distributed software on each device.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus includes automatically correlating indicators already generated by network components to detect and isolate failures that are caused by or related to network components operating on different layers of the open system interconnect (OSI) model. Failure indicators that persist for longer than a specified time window are automatically detected and correlated with one another based on a topology table. The method uses indicators already generated by the network components, obviating the need for software that typically resides on and consumes valuable processing time of network components.