Network fault correlation

Apparatus for indicating a fault within a network, the apparatus comprising:

• an identification circuit to identify a network event as being a first type of event;
• a counter to maintain a count of network events identified by the identification circuit as being the first type of event;
• a comparator to determine when the count of network events within a first predetermined time period equals or transcends a threshold value;
• and
• an indicator to indicate a fault within the network when the count of network events within the first predetermined time period equals or transcends the threshold value;
• wherein the counter maintains a count of further network events which occur after the indicator has indicated a fault, and which are identified by the identification circuit as being the first type of event;
• wherein the comparator determines when the count of further network events, within a second predetermined time period, equals or transcends an escalation threshold value;
• and
• wherein the indicator indicates an escalation fault identifying an increased severity level of the fault when the count of further network events, within the second predetermined time period, equals or transcends the escalation threshold value.

A method of indicating a fault within a network, the method including the computer-implemented steps of:

• detecting the occurrence of an event within the network;
• identifying the event as being a first type of event;
• determining whether a threshold number of events identified as being the first type of event have occurred within a predetermined time period;
• if the threshold number of events have occurred within the predetermined time period, then indicating a fault within the network;
• in response to the step of identifying the event as being the first type of event, indicating a first network device as being in a first state;
• detecting the occurrence of a further event within the network;
• determining whether the further event is a second type of event;
• and
• indicating the first network device as being in a second state, if the further event is of the second type of event.

An apparatus for indicating a fault within a network, the apparatus comprising:

• an identification circuit to identify a network event as being a first type of event;
• a counter to maintain a count of network events identified by the identification circuit as being the first type of event;
• a comparator to determine when the count of network events within a predetermined time period equals or transcends a threshold value;
• and
• an indicator to indicate a fault within the network when the count of network events within the predetermined time period equals or transcends the threshold value;
• wherein the indicator indicates a first network device as being in a first state when the network event is identified as being the first type of event;
• wherein the identification circuit identifies a further event within the network as being a second type of event;
• and
• wherein the indicator indicates the first network device as being in a second state, if the further event is identified as being the second type of event.