Systems and methods for load balancing of management traffic over a link aggregation group

1. A network element comprising:

one or more network interfaces including, in the aggregate, a plurality of physical ports configured as member ports of a link aggregation group, wherein the link aggregation group is:

configured to communicate management traffic originating from a plurality of maintenance entities communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group; and

configured to communicate carrier traffic originating from other network elements communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group; and

logic communicatively coupled to the one or more network interfaces, the logic configured to assign individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to balance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports.

2. A network element according to claim 1 , wherein the logic is further configured to balance management traffic among the plurality of physical ports such that the management traffic communicated via each physical port is substantially equal.

3. A network element according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of maintenance entities includes a Maintenance Entity Group End Point (MEP).

4. A network element according to claim 1 , wherein the logic is further configured to reassign individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to rebalance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports in response to occurrence of an event.

5. A network element according to claim 4 , wherein the event includes at least one of: addition of another maintenance entity configured to communicate management traffic via the link aggregation group, deletion of one of the plurality of maintenance entities, increase in bandwidth requirement of one or the plurality of maintenance entities, another member port of the link aggregation group becoming active, and one of the plurality of ports becoming inactive.

6. A network element according to claim 4 , the logic further configured to reassign a maintenance entity from the physical port with the highest bandwidth utilization to the physical port with the lowest bandwidth utilization.

7. A network element according to claim 6 , wherein the maintenance entity reassigned is the maintenance entity with the highest bandwidth utilization that is assigned to the physical port with the highest bandwidth utilization.

8. A network element according to claim 1 , wherein the logic comprises a master control unit.

9. A method comprising:

configuring a plurality ports as member ports of a link aggregation group;

configuring the link aggregation group to:

communicate management traffic originating from a plurality of maintenance entities communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group; and

communicate carrier traffic originating from other network elements communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group; and

assigning individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to balance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein assigning individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group includes balancing maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports such that the management traffic communicated via each physical port is substantially equal.

11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of maintenance entities includes a Maintenance Entity Group End Point (MEP).

12. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising reassigning individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to rebalance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports in response to occurrence of an event.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the event includes at least one of: addition of another maintenance entity configured to communicate management traffic via the link aggregation group, deletion of one of the plurality of maintenance entities, increase in bandwidth requirement of one or the plurality of maintenance entities, another member port of the link aggregation group becoming active, and one of the plurality of ports becoming inactive.

14. A method according to claim 12 , wherein reassigning individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group includes reassigning a maintenance entity from the physical port with the highest bandwidth utilization to the physical port with the lowest bandwidth utilization.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein reassigning individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group includes further includes reassigning the maintenance entity with the highest bandwidth utilization that is assigned to the physical port with the highest bandwidth utilization.

16. A network comprising:

a plurality of maintenance entities;

a network element communicatively coupled to the maintenance entities, the network element comprising:

one or more network interfaces including, in the aggregate, a plurality of physical ports configured as member ports of a link aggregation group, wherein the link aggregation group is:

configured to communicate management traffic originating from the plurality of maintenance entities; and

configured to communicate carrier traffic originating from other network elements communicatively coupled to the network element;

wherein the network element is configured to assign individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to balance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports.

17. A network according to claim 16 , wherein the network element is further configured to balance management traffic among the plurality of physical ports such that the management traffic communicated via each physical port is substantially equal.

18. A network according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of maintenance entities includes a Maintenance Entity Group End Point (MEP).

19. A network according to claim 16 , wherein the network element is further configured to reassign individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to rebalance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports in response to occurrence of an event.

20. A network according to claim 19 , wherein the event includes at least one of: addition of another maintenance entity configured to communicate management traffic via the link aggregation group, deletion of one of the plurality of maintenance entities, increase in bandwidth requirement of one or the plurality of maintenance entities, another member port of the link aggregation group becoming active, and one of the plurality of ports becoming inactive.

21. A network according to claim 19 , the network element further configured to reassign a maintenance entity from the physical port with the highest bandwidth utilization to the physical port with the lowest bandwidth utilization.

22. A network according to claim 21 , wherein the maintenance entity reassigned is the maintenance entity with the highest bandwidth utilization that is assigned to the physical port with the highest bandwidth utilization.