Implementing Multicast Link Trace Connectivity Fault Management in an Ethernet Network
AssigneeAvaya Inc.
InventorsSrikanth Keesara, Deborah Ellen Fitzgerald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Multicast link trace Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) is implemented in an Ethernet network by causing nodes on the network which perform Reverse Path Forwarding Check (RPFC) based on packet Source Address (SA) to not update the packet SA when updating the content of the CFM message. Alternatively multicast CFM is implemented by causing nodes on the network to update the packet SA when the content of the CFM message is updated, but cause a secondary RPFC process to be implemented by a control process in connection with processing the CFM message. The secondary RPFC process is based on a combination of source and content contained in the payload of the CFM message.
Claims19
A method of implementing multicast link trace connectivity fault management in an Ethernet network, the method comprising:
- receiving a connectivity fault management link trace message by a node;
- updating a payload portion of the connectivity fault management link trace message with an identifier of the node to create an updated connectivity fault management link trace message;
- and
- forwarding the updated connectivity fault management link trace message without updating a source address of the connectivity fault management link trace message.
A method of implementing multicast link trace connectivity fault management in an Ethernet network, the method comprising:
- receiving a connectivity fault management link trace message by a node;
- performing reverse path forwarding check in the forwarding plane by comparing an port on which the connectivity fault management link trace message was received with an expected port;
- passing the connectivity fault management link trace message and information about the port on which the connectivity fault management link trace message was received to a control process;
- performing a secondary reverse path forwarding check in the control process by determining a source of the connectivity fault management link trace message and comparing the information about the port on which the connectivity fault management link trace message was received with expected port information for source of the connectivity fault management link trace message.
A network element, comprising:
- a forwarding plane configured to implement a Reverse Path Forwarding Check (RPFC) on multicast packets based on source addresses of the multicast packets;
- and
- an updating module configured to create updated connectivity fault management link trace messages by adding network element identification information to connectivity fault management link trace messages;
- wherein the forwarding plane is further configured to forward the updated connectivity fault management link trace messages without changing the source addresses of the multicast packets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.