Communication resilience in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12301406-B2
Application number	US-202218270703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2022
Priority date	Jan 6, 2021
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

Methods and systems for resilient network communication are provided. In one aspect, a network includes multiple West NEs, spine elements, and East NEs. Each element has multiple physical communication interfaces. A working communication path connects the West NE to the East NE through a spine element. A protection communication path connects that West NE to that East NE through a different spine element. The working and protection communication paths terminate at the West NE and East NE at maintenance end points. A protection group is formed of the working communication path and the protection communication path. The protection group maintains a state designating an active path and a standby path. Maintenance groups at the spine elements monitor continuity messaging for their associated maintenance end points to determine network health. Faults between the West NEs and East NEs are detected through RDI and CCM.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A communication resilient network, comprising:
one or more data processing apparatus configured to execute instructions that cause the one or more data processing apparatus to provision:
a core network element;
a first edge network element;
a second edge network element;
a maintenance domain comprising a mechanism to detect edge to edge faults on the communication resilient network;
wherein a first port of the first edge network element connects to the core network element and a first port of the second edge network element connects to the core network element;
wherein a first maintenance domain entity is provisioned at the first port of the first edge network element and a second maintenance domain entity is provisioned at the first port of the second edge network element;
wherein a uni-directional fault between the first edge network element and the second edge network element is detected by the first edge network element based on the first edge network element (i) receiving a remote defect indication from the second edge network element and (ii) continuing to receive continuity check messages (CCMs) from all maintenance domain entities in a maintenance entity group of a transport entity that logically connects the first edge network element and the second edge network element, wherein the continued receipt of the CCMs by the first edge network element prevents three missed CCM messages in a row from being used to detect the uni-directional fault.

2. The communication resilient network of claim 1 wherein the detection of a uni-directional fault triggers a failover.

3. The communication resilient network of claim 1 wherein the detection of a uni-directional fault triggers a timer, wherein if the uni-directional fault condition remains at expiration of the timer, a failover is triggered.

4. A method of communication resilience in a network, comprising:
provisioning a core network element;
provisioning a first edge network element;
provisioning a second edge network element;
establishing a maintenance domain comprising a mechanism to detect edge to edge faults in the network;
establishing a connection between a first port of the first edge network element and the core network element
establishing a connection between a first port of the second edge network element and the core network element;
provisioning a first maintenance domain entity at the first port of the first edge network element
provisioning a second maintenance domain entity at the first port of the second edge network element; and
detecting a uni-directional fault between the first edge network element and the second edge network element based on receiving at the first edge network element a remote defect indication from the second edge network element while the first edge network element continues to receive continuity check messages (CCMs) from all maintenance domain entities in a maintenance entity group of a transport entity that logically connects the first edge network element and the second edge network element, wherein the continued receipt of the CCMs by the first edge network element prevents three missed CCM messages in a row from being used to detect the uni-directional fault.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the continuity check messages originate from one or more of: the second edge network element and a third edge network element.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the detection of a uni-directional fault triggers a failover.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the detection of a uni-directional fault triggers a timer, wherein if the uni-directional fault condition remains at expiration of the timer, a failover is triggered.

8. A communication resilient network, comprising:
one or more data processing apparatus configured to execute instructions that cause the one or more data processing apparatus to provision:
a spine network element;
a first edge network element;
a second edge network element;
a maintenance domain comprising a mechanism to detect edge to edge faults on the communication resilient network;
wherein a first port of the first edge network element connects to the spine network element and a first port of the second edge network element connects to the spine network element;
wherein a first maintenance domain entity is provisioned at the first port of the first edge network element and a second maintenance domain entity is provisioned at the first port of the second edge network element;
wherein a uni-directional fault between the first edge network element and the second edge network element is detected by the first edge network element based on the first edge network element (i) receiving a remote defect indication from the second edge network element and (ii) continuing to receive continuity check messages (CCMs) from all maintenance domain entities in a maintenance entity group of a transport entity that logically connects the first edge network element and the second edge network element, wherein the continued receipt of the CCMs by the first edge network element prevents three missed CCM messages in a row from being used to detect the uni-directional fault.

9. The communication resilient network of claim 8 wherein the detection of a uni-directional fault triggers a failover.

10. The communication resilient network of claim 8 wherein the detection of a uni-directional fault triggers a timer, wherein if the uni-directional fault condition remains at expiration of the timer, a failover is triggered.

Assignees

• Adtran Inc

Inventors

• Goodson Richard Lee
• Gieger Darrin L
• Ruble Andrew T
• Priddy Brent

Classifications

• H04L41/0677

  Localisation of faults · CPC title

• H04L41/0627

  by acting on the notification or alarm source · CPC title

• H04L41/0663 Primary

  Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements · CPC title

• H04L41/0654 Primary

  using network fault recovery (ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437) · CPC title