IP Library Granted Patent US 12,531,776
Granted Patent B2
US 12,531,776 · App. 17/865,952 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Extending active measurement protocol with OAM channel

Inventors: Christian Schmutzer (Weinviertel, AT); Patrice Brissette (Gatineau, CA); Rakesh Gandhi (Stittsville, CA)
Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
H04L41/0654H04L43/0823
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,531,776
App. No.
17/865,952
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one example, techniques are provided for extending an active measurement protocol with an Operations, Administration and Management/Maintenance (OAM) channel. A first Provider Edge (PE) node obtains from or provides to a second PE node, over a packet-switched network via an overlay, OAM data in an OAM channel of the active measurement protocol. The OAM data relates to a networking issue. The network issue is automatically resolved responsive to the OAM data.

Claims (46)

1 . A method performed by a first provider edge (PE) node connected to a packet switched network (PSN) of a hybrid network that includes a time-division multiplexing TDM) optical transport network connected to the PSN through gateway nodes, the method comprising:

establishing, over the hybrid network, circuits that include a working circuit and a protect circuit to a second PE node that is connected to the TDM optical transport network;

exchanging, with the second PE node over the circuits, Operations, Administration and Management/Maintenance (OAM) packets in an OAM channel of an active measurement protocol, each OAM packet having a sub-type, length, value (sub-TL V) that carries OAM data mapped from a TDM format of the TDM optical transport network to an active measurement protocol format for the PSN, wherein exchanging includes:

receiving, from the second PE node for a loopback test, a first sub-TL V carrying a lock signal, mapped from the TDM format, to indicate the first sub-TLV does not carry client traffic; and

receiving, from the second PE node, a second sub-TLV, mapped from the TDM format, which indicates a failure on the working circuit; and

responsive to the second sub-TLV, automatically switching from the working circuit to the protect circuit.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second sub-TLV indicates one of a signal fail or a signal degraded.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sub-TLV indicates a backwards failure directed toward the second PE node on the working circuit in the TDM optical transport network.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first PE node and the second PE node are connected to a first customer edge node and a second customer edge node, respectively.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the active measurement protocol involves a sender and a receiver, wherein the sender is configured to provide a measurement test packet to the receiver, and wherein the receiver is configured to, responsive to the measurement test packet, provide a measurement test reply packet to the sender.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

exchanging includes exchanging the OAM packets over an overlay of the PSN that includes a pseudowire.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

exchanging includes receiving the OAM packets over an overlay of the PSN that includes an Internet Protocol tunnel.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

exchanging further includes exchanging a third sub-TLV that indicates a 1+1 path protection scheme.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

exchanging further includes exchanging a third sub-TLV that indicates a wait to restore for automatically switching.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first PE node and the second PE node are connected to first customer equipment that generates a first payload type and second customer equipment that generates a second payload type, and the method further comprises, by the first PE node:

receiving, from the second PE node, a third sub-TLV that indicates the second payload type; and

upon determining that the second payload type and the second payload type are mismatched, sending a payload mismatch alarm to the second PE node.

11 . An apparatus comprising:

a network interface of a first provider edge (PE) node and configured to communicate to a packet switched network (PSN) of a hybrid network that includes a time-division multiplexing (TDM) optical transport network connected to the PSN through gateway nodes; and

a processor of a first provider edge node coupled to the network interface, wherein the processor is configured to perform:

establishing, over the hybrid network, circuits that include a working circuit and a protect circuit to a second PE node that is connected to the TDM optical transport network;

exchanging, with the second PE node over the circuits, Operations, Administration and Management/Maintenance (OAM) packets in an OAM channel of an active measurement protocol, each OAM packet having a sub-type, length, value (sub-TL V) that carries OAM data mapped from a TDM format of the TDM optical transport network to an active measurement protocol format for the PSN, wherein exchanging includes:

receiving, from the second PE node for a loopback test, a first sub-TLV carrying a lock signal, mapped from the TDM format, to indicate the first sub-TL V does not carry client traffic; and

receiving, from the second PE node, a second sub-TLV, mapped from the TDM format, which indicates a failure on the working circuit; and

responsive to the second sub-TLV, automatically switching from the working circuit to the protect circuit.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second sub-TLV indicates one of a signal fail or a signal degraded.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the active measurement protocol involves a sender and a receiver, wherein the sender is configured to provide a measurement test packet to the receiver, and wherein the receiver is configured to, responsive to the measurement test packet, provide a measurement test reply packet to the sender.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to perform:

exchanging by receiving the OAM packet over an overlay of the PSN that includes a pseudowire or an Internet Protocol tunnel.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to perform exchanging, with the second PE node, a third sub-TLV that indicates a 1+1 path protection scheme.

16 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to perform exchanging, with the second PE node, a third sub-TLV that indicates a wait to restore for automatically switching.

17 . One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first provider edge (PE) node connected to a packet switched network (PSN) of a hybrid network that includes a time-division multiplexing (TDM) optical transport network connected to the PSN through gateway nodes, cause the processor to perform:

establishing, over the hybrid network, circuits that include a working circuit and a protect circuit to a second PE node that is connected to the TDM optical transport network;

exchanging, with the second PE node over the circuits, Operations, Administration and Management/Maintenance (OAM) packets in an OAM channel of an active measurement protocol, each OAM packet having a sub-type, length, value (sub-TL V) that carries OAM data mapped from a TDM format of the TDM optical transport network to an active measurement protocol format for the PSN, wherein exchanging includes:

receiving, from the second PE node for a loopback test, a first sub-TL V carrying a lock signal, mapped from the TDM format, to indicate the first sub-TLV does not carry client traffic; and

receiving, from the second PE node, a second sub-TLV, mapped from the TDM format, which indicates a failure on the working circuit; and

responsive to the second sub-TLV, automatically switching from the working circuit to the protect circuit.

18 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the second sub-TL V indicates one of a signal fail or a signal degraded.

19 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the active measurement protocol involves a sender and a receiver, wherein the sender is configured to provide a measurement test packet to the receiver, and wherein the receiver is configured to, responsive to the measurement test packet, provide a measurement test reply packet to the sender.

20 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 17 , further comprising instructions to cause the processor to perform exchanging, with the second PE, a third sub-TL V that indicates a 1+1 path protection scheme.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2022
From: SCHMUTZER, CHRISTIAN; BRISSETTE, PATRICE; GANDHI, RAKESH
To: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 060523/0898 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240022467A1 · Jan 18, 2024
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