Automatic detection and configuration of Ethernet OAM protocols

1. A device used in a communication network to convey Ethernet frames from a source to a destination, the device having at least two logical communication ports; the device supporting Connectivity Fault Management “CFM” including these aspects of CFM:

monitoring selected Maintenance End Points “MEP”;

using CFM Maintenance Domain “MD” levels; and

using CFM Maintenance Association ID “MAID” names;

wherein the improvement comprises:

a Domain Listener that determines a list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC by inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information including:

CFM MD level;

CFM MAID name;

CFM CC interval; and

OAM directionality for an inspected frame for a particular CFM MD level and CFM MAID name;

a Domain Manager that turns the list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC into a local configuration;

a Peer Manager that adds a remote MEP to a remote MEP list for a relevant MEP for that device; and

a Peer Listener that inspects at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information on each remote MEP including:

MAC address; and

MEP ID.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein one entity serves as Domain Listener and the Domain Manager.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein one entity serves as Peer Listener and Peer Manager.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein one entity serves as Domain Listener, Domain Manager, Peer Listener, and Peer Manager.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein one entity serves as Domain Listener and the Peer Listener.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein one entity serves as Domain Manager and the Peer Manager.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in IEEE 802.1ag.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in ITU-T Y.1731.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is configured to limit local configurations to a particular range of at least one MD level such that a device may be concerned with MD levels of interest to a customer, vendor, or infrastructure provider.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the device receives user input to select an OAM Domain from the list of active OAM domains before creating a local configuration.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the device automatically selects an OAM Domain from the list of active OAM domains before creating a local configuration.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the device automatically selects an OAM Domain to join based upon MD level.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the device requires user input to approve the remote MEP before adding the remote MEP to the remote MEP list.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the device automatically adds the remote MEP to the remote MEP list without user input.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the Domain Listener is a terminating function.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the Domain Listener is not a terminating function.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the local configuration created by the Domain Manager is permanently stored so that the local configuration is available after the device is rebooted.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the device inspects at least some Ethernet OAM frames but limits inspection to Ethernet OAM frames with an expected digital signature.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the digital signature includes information based upon a timestamp to help protect against replay attacks.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the device sends out at least some Ethernet OAM frames with a digital signature.

21. A device used in a communication network to convey Ethernet frames from a source to a destination, the device having at least two logical communication ports; the device supporting Connectivity Fault Management “CFM” including these aspects of CFM:

monitoring selected Maintenance End Points “MEP”;

using CFM Maintenance Domain “MD” levels; and

using CFM Maintenance Association ID “MAID” names;

wherein the improvement comprises:

a Domain Listener that determines a list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC by inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain at least one CFM parameter for an active OAM domain;

a Domain Manager that turns the list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC into a local configuration;

a Peer Manager that adds a remote MEP to a remote MEP list for a relevant MEP for that device; and

a Peer Listener that inspects at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information on each remote MEP including:

MAC address; and

MEP ID.

22. A method for configuring a device used in a communication network to convey Ethernet frames from a source to a destination, the device having at least two logical communication ports; the device supporting Connectivity Fault Management “CFM” including these aspects of CFM:

monitoring selected Maintenance End Points “MEP”;

using CFM Maintenance Domain “MD” levels; and

using CFM Maintenance Association ID “MAID” names;

wherein the method comprises:

determining a list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC by inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information including:

CFM MD level;

CFM MAID name;

CFM CC interval; and

OAM directionality for an inspected frame for a particular CFM MD level and CFM MAID name;

creating a local configuration for a particular EVC based on information associated with an active OAM domain for that particular EVC;

inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information on a remote MEP including:

MAC address; and

MEP ID; and

adding the remote MEP to a remote MEP list for a relevant MEP for that device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in IEEE 802.1ag.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in ITU-T Y.1731.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising receiving user input to select an OAM Domain from the list of active OAM domains before creating a local configuration.

26. The method of claim 22 further wherein the step of creating a local configuration for a particular EVC based on information associated with an active OAM domain for that particular EVC automatically selects an OAM Domain to join based upon MD level.

27. The method of claim 22 further comprising receiving user input to approve the remote MEP before adding the remote MEP to the remote MEP list.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the remote MEP is added to the remote MEP list automatically without requiring user input.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the device inspects at least some Ethernet OAM frames but limits inspection to Ethernet OAM frames with an expected digital signature.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the digital signature includes information based upon a timestamp to help protect against replay attacks.

31. The method of claim 22 wherein the device sends out at least some Ethernet OAM frames with a digital signature.

32. A program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for storing data, the program product comprising: machine readable logic for installing computer program instructions for configuring a device used in a communication network to convey Ethernet frames from a source to a destination, the device having at least two logical communication ports; the device supporting Connectivity Fault Management “CFM” including these aspects of CFM:

monitoring selected Maintenance End Points “MEP”;

using CFM Maintenance Domain “MD” levels; and

using CFM Maintenance Association ID “MAID” names;

wherein the machine readable logic enables:

determining a list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC by inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information including:

CFM MD level;

CFM MAID name;

CFM CC interval; and

OAM directionality for an inspected frame for a particular CFM MD level and CFM MAID name;

creating a local configuration for a particular EVC based on information associated with an active OAM domain for that particular EVC;

inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information on a remote MEP including:

MAC address; and

MEP ID; and

adding the remote MEP to a remote MEP list for a relevant MEP for that device.

33. A device used in a communication network to convey Ethernet frames from a source to a destination, the device having at least two logical communication ports; the device supporting Connectivity Fault Management “CFM” including these aspects of CFM:

monitoring selected Maintenance End Points “MEP”;

using CFM Maintenance Domain “MD” levels; and

using CFM Maintenance Association ID “MAID” names;

wherein the improvement comprises:

a Peer Listener that inspects at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information on a remote MEP including:

MAC address; and

MEP ID; and

a Peer Manager that adds the remote MEP to a remote MEP list for a relevant MEP for that device.

34. The device of claim 33 wherein one entity serves as Peer Listener and Peer Manager.

35. The device of claim 33 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in IEEE 802.1ag.

36. The device of claim 33 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in ITU-T Y.1731.

37. The device of claim 33 wherein the device requires user input to approve the remote MEP before adding the remote MEP to the remote MEP list.

38. The device of claim 33 wherein the device automatically adds the remote MEP to the remote MEP list without user input.

39. A device used in a communication network to convey Ethernet frames from a source to a destination, the device having at least two logical communication ports; the device supporting Connectivity Fault Management “CFM” including these aspects of CFM:

monitoring selected Maintenance End Points “MEP”;

using CFM Maintenance Domain “MD” levels; and

using CFM Maintenance Association ID “MAID” names;

wherein the improvement comprises:

a Domain Listener that determines a list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC by inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information including:

CFM MD level;

CFM MAID name;

CFM CC interval; and

OAM directionality for an inspected frame for a particular CFM MD level and CFM MAID name; and

a Domain Manager that turns the list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC into a local configuration.

40. The device of claim 39 wherein one entity serves as Domain Listener and the Domain Manager.

41. The device of claim 39 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in IEEE 802.1ag.

42. The device of claim 39 wherein the device supports CFM as implemented in ITU-T Y.1731.

43. The device of claim 39 wherein the device is configured to limit local configurations to a particular range of at least one MD level such that a device may be concerned with MD levels of interest to a customer, vendor, or infrastructure provider.

44. The device of claim 39 wherein the device receives user input to select an OAM Domain from the list of active OAM domains before creating a local configuration.

45. The device of claim 39 wherein the device automatically selects an OAM Domain from the list of active OAM domains before creating a local configuration.

46. The device of claim 45 wherein the device automatically selects an OAM Domain to join based upon MD level.

47. The device of claim 39 wherein the Domain Listener is a terminating function.

48. The device of claim 39 wherein the Domain Listener is not a terminating function.

49. The device of claim 39 wherein the local configuration created by the Domain Manager is permanently stored so that the local configuration is available after the device is rebooted.

50. The device of claim 39 wherein the device inspects at least some Ethernet OAM frames but limits inspection to Ethernet OAM frames with an expected digital signature.

51. The device of claim 50 wherein the digital signature includes information based upon a timestamp to help protect against replay attacks.

52. The device of claim 39 wherein the device sends out at least some Ethernet OAM frames with a digital signature.

53. A device used in a communication network to convey Ethernet frames from a source to a destination, the device having at least two logical communication ports; the device supporting Connectivity Fault Management “CFM” including these aspects of CFM:

monitoring selected Maintenance Intermediate Points “MIP”;

using CFM Maintenance Domain “MD” levels; and

using CFM Maintenance Association ID “MAID” names;

wherein the improvement comprises:

a Domain Listener that determines a list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC by inspecting at least some Ethernet OAM frames to obtain information including:

CFM MD level;

CFM MAID name;

CFM CC interval; and

OAM directionality for an inspected frame for a particular CFM MD level and CFM MAID name; and

a Domain Manager that turns the list of active OAM domains for a particular EVC into a local configuration.