End-to-end data path integrity validation at layer 2

An apparatus configured for end-to-end data path integrity validation of a service with a data path at Layer 1 and Layer 2, the apparatus comprising:

• circuitry configured to:
• send a check message to verify network elements in the data path are ready to begin a test cycle, responsive to receipt of a command to initiate a test by the apparatus;
• and
• message to the network elements in the data path, responsive to receipt, by the apparatus, of a reply message from each of the network elements in the data path, to coordinate defect and statistics collection messages sent at each of the network elements in the data path,
• wherein the network elements include two endpoints and at least one intermediate node,
• wherein each of the other of the two endpoints and the at least one intermediate node sends a corresponding reply message, and
• wherein the defect and statistics collection is at a plurality of layers including a data link layer and one or more of a Media Access Control (MAC), a Reconciliation Sublayer (RS) layer, an Ethernet Physical Coding Sublayer (PCS), and a Physical (PHY) layer;
• circuitry configured to receive results for the defect and statistics collection from each of the network elements in the data path;
• and
• circuitry configured to summarize the received results to form a consolidated report for the test across all of the network elements and across all of the plurality of layers in the data path,
• wherein the consolidated report includes defects and alarms per node correlated across the data path at all of the plurality of layers,
• wherein the received results comprise statistics for each interface in the data path, wherein the summarizing comprises correlating the received results to provide a single view across the data path, and
• wherein the messaging is performed using an encapsulation protocol such that control frames take the same data path as the service.

A network element configured for end-to-end data path integrity validation of a service with a data path at Layer 1 and Layer 2, the network element comprising:

• one or more ports and a switch fabric configured to switch packets between the one or more ports;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more ports and the switch fabric,
• wherein the controller is configured to
• send a check message to verify network elements in the data path are ready to begin a test cycle;
• message to the network elements in the data path via the one or more ports, responsive to receipt of a reply message from each of the network elements in the data path, to coordinate defect and statistics collection messages sent at each of the network elements in the data path,
• wherein the network elements include two endpoints including the network element and at least one intermediate node,
• wherein each of the other of the two endpoints and the at least one intermediate node sends a corresponding reply message, and
• wherein the defect and statistics collection is at a plurality of layers including a data link layer and one or more of a Media Access Control (MAC),a Reconciliation Sublayer (RS) layer, an Ethernet Physical Coding Sublayer (PCS), and a Physical (PHY) layer,
• receive results for the defect and statistics collection from each of the network elements in the data path, and
• summarize the received results to form a consolidated report for the test across all of the network elements and across all of the plurality of layers in the data path,
• wherein the consolidated report includes defects and alarms per node correlated across the data path at all of the plurality of layers,
• wherein the received results comprise statistics for each interface in the data path, and wherein the summarizing comprises correlating the received results to provide a single view across the data path, and
• wherein the messaging is performed using an encapsulation protocol such that control frames take the same data path as the service.