Scalable Ethernet OAM Connectivity Check in an Access Network

An access node, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, where said processor retrieves instructions from said memory and processes those instructions to enable an interworking function to perform the following operations:
• receive continuity check messages from at least one of a plurality of end devices;
• poll the received continuity check messages to ascertain the connectivity of each end device;
• and
• if at least one continuity check message is detected as missing from one of the end devices during the polling step, then sending an alarm message indicating a loss of connectivity to the one end device.

A method for proactively monitoring a connectivity of a plurality of end devices within an access system which also includes an edge router and an access node, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving continuity check messages at the access node, where the continuity check messages are sent from at least one of the plurality of end devices;
• polling the received continuity check messages at the access node to ascertain the connectivity of each end device;
• and
• if at least one continuity check message is detected as missing from one of the end devices during the polling step, then sending an alarm message from the access node to the edge router, where the alarm message indicates a loss of connectivity to the one end device.