Replicated Alarm Suppression Table for Packet Network Fault Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for alarm indication and propagation in packet-based networks, such as IEEE802.1ag/D4.1, face issues with congestion and incomplete fault notification in multipoint networks, where periodic AIS messages flood the administrative domain and newly added nodes may not receive failure messages.
Innovation Solution
A Replicated Alarm Suppression Table (RAST) is dynamically set up in provider edge nodes to determine whether an AIS message should be propagated or suppressed, allowing customer nodes to check the RAST for the cause of connectivity failures and decide on alarm reporting, thereby suppressing secondary alarms and utilizing alternative paths when primary connections fail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If periodic AIS messages are sent to all nodes in an administration domain, then fault notification is provided, but network congestion and excessive traffic occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective alarm suppression where different nodes receive different treatments for AIS messages based on their specific conditions. The RAST maintains suppression rules for specific customer nodes, allowing the system to locally adapt message propagation decisions rather than applying a uniform periodic transmission approach to all nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of sending AIS messages to all nodes periodically (excessive action), the patent uses the RAST to determine partial action by checking whether suppression is needed for each customer node. This selective approach sends messages only where necessary, reducing overall message volume while maintaining adequate fault notification.
2Quantity of substance
If AIS messages are suppressed to reduce traffic, then network congestion is reduced, but newly added nodes may not receive failure messages
Solution Approach 1:
The RAST is dynamically updated to reflect current network conditions and node states. When a new customer node is added or network topology changes, the RAST can be updated with appropriate suppression rules or removals, allowing the system to adapt its message suppression decisions dynamically rather than using static periodic transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where nodes report their status and the RAST is updated based on this information. This allows the system to learn about newly added nodes and adjust suppression decisions accordingly, ensuring that failure messages are delivered to nodes that need them while suppressing redundant messages.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If alarm suppression is implemented in packet-based networks, then secondary alarms are reduced, but accurate fault cause identification becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The RAST acts as an intermediary mechanism between alarm generation and alarm propagation. It mediates the decision-making process by storing suppression rules and providing a structured method to determine whether to suppress alarms, thereby reducing secondary alarms while maintaining systematic fault cause identification through the rule-based approach.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for passive alarm propagation and suppression in a communication network is disclosed. The system includes a packet based network including one subset of network providing connectivity to other set(s) of network. The network includes a first edge node and a second edge node; a first customer node connecting to the first edge node and a second customer node connecting to the second edge node; and a replicated alarm suppression table (RAST) residing in the first provider edge node.