Temporary VCG Member Disabling via LCAS Control Messages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS) methods cannot temporarily disable a member of a Virtual Concatenation Group without permanently removing it, which is inadequate for planned network rerouting and management, as it risks channel mismatch and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method involving management commands to temporarily disable and re-enable members by sending specific control messages between the source and sink sides, allowing for hitless operations and maintaining member identity for rerouting purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a member is permanently removed from the Virtual Concatenation Group using existing LCAS methods, then the VCG capacity is reduced, but the member cannot be easily re-added and channel mismatch may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic temporary disabling mechanism that allows VCG members to be temporarily taken out of service and re-added without permanent removal. The management system can dynamically control member status between enabled and disabled states, maintaining the member's identity and configuration while adjusting VCG capacity temporarily. This resolves the contradiction by providing both capacity adjustability and channel consistency through reversible operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a recoverable disabling mechanism where disabled members are preserved in the system's member list and can be recovered (re-enabled) without permanent removal. The management system maintains records of disabled members and their original configurations, allowing them to be restored to the VCG. This ensures channel consistency while providing temporary capacity adjustment, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
2Productivity
If a member is permanently removed and later re-added to the VCG, then capacity can be adjusted, but channel mismatch and inefficiency occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by maintaining a record of disabled members' identities and configurations before they are removed from active service. The management system preserves member information in a disabled state, so when re-adding members to the VCG, the original channel identities are restored without mismatch. This preliminary preservation of member information resolves the contradiction between productivity and information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a logical copy or record of the disabled member's configuration and identity information. When the member is re-added to the VCG, this preserved information is used to restore the exact original channel configuration, ensuring no channel mismatch occurs. This copying mechanism maintains channel identity while allowing temporary capacity adjustment, resolving the contradiction between productivity and information loss.
3Ease of operation
If existing LCAS methods are used for temporary disabling, then operational flexibility is reduced, but system complexity is minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the existing LCAS control mechanism to serve multiple functions: permanent removal, temporary disabling, and re-enabling of VCG members. The same management interface and control protocols are used for all these operations, providing operational flexibility without requiring separate complex control systems. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A member of a Virtual Concatenation Group (VCG) can be temporarily disabled under control of a Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS). The VCG comprises a number of link members, in which payload data are transmitted. A management command (MLOCKOUT) is transmitted from a management system to at least one of the source and sink side for one member requesting the member to be temporarily disabled. In response to the management command a forward control message is transmitted from the source side comprising a message (FDNU) indicating that payload data of the member shall not be used, and transmission of payload data for the member is discontinued. In this way temporary disabling of a VCG member is provided, in which it is ensured that the same member is enabled again when the operation requiring the disabling is completed, and which can be handled as a separate function by the management system.