METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SOLVING COMMUNICATION FAILURE AND TRAFFIC LOSS IN SERVICE PROTECTION NETWORKS
A method for solving communication failure includes transmitting user traffic over an automatic protection switching (“APS”) connection between a near network node and a far network node, determining that a protect path on the APS connection has failed, sending a message to the far network node that the protect path has failed, and switching user traffic to the working path at the near network node.
1 . A method for solving communication failure, comprising:
transmitting user traffic over an automatic protection switching (“APS”) connection between a near network node and a far network node;
determining that a protect path on the APS connection has failed;
sending a message to the far network node that the protect path has failed; and
switching user traffic to the working path at the near network node.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the far network node:
compare the received message against previously received instructions;
determine to follow the received message over the previously received instructions; and
switch user traffic to the working path at the far network node.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the protect path on the APS connection has failed further comprises:
monitoring the protect path for APS message traffic;
resetting a countdown timer upon receipt of an APS message on the protect path;
decrementing the countdown timer upon no receipt of an APS message on the protect path; and
determining that the protect path on the APS connection has failed in response to the countdown timer expiring.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the time period of the countdown timer is five seconds.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the time period of the countdown timer is a determined multiple of the APS communication period.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the message includes an SF-P event within an APS message.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sending a message to the far network node that the protect path has failed is performed without knowledge of the state of the far network node.
8 . An article of manufacture comprising:
a computer readable medium; and
computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:
transmit user traffic over an automatic protection switching (“APS”) connection between a near network node and a far network node;
determine that a protect path on the APS connection has failed;
send a message to the far network node that the protect path has failed; and
switch user traffic to the working path at the near network node.
9 . The article of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further caused to, at the far network node:
compare the received message against previously received instructions;
determine to follow the received message over the previously received instructions; and
switch user traffic to the working path at the far network node;
10 . The article of claim 8 , wherein causing the processor to determine that the protect path on the APS connection has failed further comprises causing the processor to:
monitor the protect path for APS message traffic;
reset a countdown timer upon receipt of an APS message on the protect path;
decrement the countdown timer upon no receipt of an APS message on the protect path; and
determine that the protect path on the APS connection has failed in response to the countdown timer expiring.
11 . The article of claim 8 , wherein the message includes an SF-P event within an APS message.
12 . The article of claim 8 , wherein sending a message to the far network node that the protect path has failed is performed without knowledge of the state of the far network node.
13 . A switch system comprising:
a near switch comprising a computer readable medium and a processor coupled to the computer readable medium;
an automatic protection switching (“APS”) connection communicatively coupled to the near switch; and
computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by the processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:
transmit user traffic over the APS connection between the near switch and a far switch;
determine that a protect path on the APS connection has failed;
send a message to the far network node that the protect path has failed; and
switch user traffic to the working path at the near network node.
14 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising the far switch, the far switch configured to:
compare the received message against previously received instructions, and determining to follow the received message over the previously received instructions; and
switch user traffic to the working path at the far network node;
15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein causing the processor to determine that the protect path on the APS connection has failed further comprises causing the processor to:
monitor the protect path for APS message traffic;
reset a countdown timer upon receipt of an APS message on the protect path;
decrement the countdown timer upon no receipt of an APS message on the protect path; and
determine that the protect path on the APS connection has failed in response to the countdown timer expiring.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the time period of the countdown timer is five seconds.
17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the time period of the countdown timer is a determined multiple of the APS communication period.
18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the message includes an SF-P event within an APS message.
19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein configuring the processor to send a message to the far network node that the protect path has failed is performed without knowledge of the state of the far network node.