Systems and methods of masking non-service affecting alarms in a communication system
According to one embodiment, a method may include detecting existence of an alarm-triggering event associated with a service at a maintenance level. The method may also include analyzing one or more parameters associated with carrier traffic for the service. The method may additionally include determining whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational based on the analysis of the one or more parameters. The method may further include masking or downgrading an alarm triggered by the alarm-triggering event in response to a determination that the data path is operational.
1. A method comprising:
detecting by a maintenance end point the existence of an alarm-triggering event associated with a service at a maintenance level;
analyzing one or more parameters associated with carrier traffic for the service;
based on the analysis of the one or more parameters, determining whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational; and
masking or downgrading an alarm triggered by the alarm-triggering event in response to a determination that the data path is operational, wherein determining whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational includes determining whether the one or more parameters indicate that a minimum performance level has been sustained for the service during a period of time associated with the alarm.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of a number of flow point packets received or transmitted for a service, a number of flow point bytes received or transmitted for a service, and total frames received for a service.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the alarm includes one of a Loss of Continuity (LOC) alarm, Mismerge alarm, Unexpected MEP (UMEP) alarm, Unexpected MEG Level (UMEGLVL) alarm, Unexpected Period (UPERIOD) alarm, and alarm indication signal (AIS) message.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the alarm is an alarm in accordance with at least one of IEEE 802.1ag and ITU Y.1731.
5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the alarm-triggering event is a failure to receive a continuity fault management message at a maintenance end point from a peer maintenance end point.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational further includes determining whether the one or more parameters indicate an error.
7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the period of time is determined by an alarm timer duration associated with the alarm.
8. A network element comprising:
a maintenance end point configured to detect existence of an alarm-triggering event associated with a service at a maintenance level; and
a master control unit configured to:
analyze one or more parameters associated with carrier traffic for the service;
based on the analysis of the one or more parameters, determine whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational; and
mask or downgrade an alarm triggered by the alarm-triggering event in response to a determination that the data path is operational, wherein determining whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational includes determining whether the one or more parameters indicate that a minimum performance level has been sustained for the service during a period of time associated with the alarm.
9. A network element according to claim 8 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of a number of flow point packets received or transmitted for a service, a number of flow point bytes received or transmitted for a service, and total frames received for a service.
10. A network element according to claim 8 , wherein the alarm includes one of a Loss of Continuity (LOC) alarm, Mismerge alarm, Unexpected MEP (UMEP) alarm, Unexpected MEG Level (UMEGLVL) alarm, Unexpected Period (UPERIOD) alarm, and alarm indication signal (AIS) message.
11. A network element according to claim 8 , wherein the maintenance end point is a Maintenance Entity Group End Point in accordance with at least one of IEEE 802.1ag and ITU Y.1731.
12. A network element according to claim 8 , wherein the alarm-triggering event is a failure to receive a continuity fault management message at the maintenance end point from a peer maintenance end point of the maintenance end point.
13. A network element according to claim 8 , the master control unit further configured to determine whether the one or more parameters indicate an error in order to determine whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational.
14. A network element according to claim 8 , wherein the period of time is determined by an alarm timer duration associated with the alarm.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions capable, when executed by a processor, to:
detect at a maintenance end point the existence of an alarm-triggering event associated with a service at a maintenance level;
analyze one or more parameters associated with carrier traffic for the service;
determine whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational based on the analysis of the one or more parameters; and
mask or downgrade an alarm triggered by the alarm-triggering event in response to a determination that the data path is operational, wherein determining whether a data path for carrier traffic associated with the service is operational includes determining whether the one or more parameters indicate that a minimum performance level has been sustained for the service during a period of time associated with the alarm.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of a number of flow point packets received or transmitted for a service, a number of flow point bytes received or transmitted for a service, and total frames received for a service.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the alarm includes one of a Loss of Continuity (LOC) alarm, Mismerge alarm, Unexpected MEP (UMEP) alarm, Unexpected MEG Level (UMEGLVL) alarm, Unexpected Period (UPERIOD) alarm, and alarm indication signal (AIS) message.
18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the alarm is an alarm in accordance with at least one of IEEE 802.1ag and ITU Y.1731.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the alarm-triggering event is a failure to receive a continuity fault management message at a maintenance end point from a peer maintenance end point.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein
the period of time is determined by an alarm timer duration associated with the alarm.