Method to stabilize a ring during link flapping

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

• monitoring metrics relating to link flapping and link errors associated with a physical link between a local node and a neighboring node in the ring network in which network management traffic is transported via a first virtual local area network (VLAN) and customer data traffic is transported via a second VLAN;
• and
• maintaining a signal fail state for the ring network based on the monitored metrics and reducing frequency of switching between the signal fail state and an idle state by:
• responsive to detecting a first condition associated with the first VLAN over the physical link, disallowing the customer data traffic on the second VLAN over the physical link;
• responsive to detecting a second condition associated with the monitored metrics over the physical link;
• disallowing the network management traffic on the first VLAN over the physical link;
• and
• disallowing, if not currently disallowed, the customer data traffic on the second VLAN over the physical link, which places the ring network in the signal fail state;
• responsive to the second condition no longer being met, allowing the network management traffic on the first VLAN over the physical link;
• and
• responsive to the first condition no longer being met, allowing the customer data traffic on the second VLAN over the physical link, which places the ring network in the idle state.

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a storage device storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
• monitoring metrics relating to link flapping and link errors associated with a physical link between a local node and a neighboring node in the ring network in which network management traffic is transported via a first virtual local area network (VLAN) and customer data traffic is transported via a second VLAN;
• and
• maintaining a signal fail state for the ring network based on the monitored metrics and reducing frequency of switching between the signal fail state and an idle state by:
• responsive to detecting a first condition associated with the first VLAN over the physical link, disallowing the customer data traffic on the second VLAN over the physical link;
• responsive to detecting a second condition associated with the monitored metrics over the physical link:
• disallowing the network management traffic on the first VLAN over the physical link;
• and
• disallowing, if not currently disallowed, the customer data traffic on the second VLAN over the physical link, which places the ring network in the signal fail state;
• responsive to the second condition no longer being met, allowing the network management traffic on the first VLAN over the physical link;
• and
• responsive to the first condition no longer being met, allowing the customer data traffic on the second VLAN over the physical link, which places the ring network in the idle state.