Fixed length data processing apparatus

A fixed length data processing apparatus for processing fixed length data used for an asynchronous communication network, said fixed length data having transmission route identification information, said transmission route identification information being different depending upon a transmission route, said fixed length data processing apparatus comprising:

• a registration information holding unit for commonly holding for a plurality of transmission routes registration information necessary to identify fixed length data that is an object of a processing corresponding to a transmission route;
• and
• a data processing unit for identifying whether received fixed length data is fixed length data that is an object of a processing or not on the basis of at least said registration information in said registration information holding unit, to perform a data processing for fault management correspondingly to said transmission route in said asynchronous communication network on the basis of said fixed length data when identifying that said fixed length data is fixed length data that is an object of a processing, including:
• a termination information holding unit for holding termination information necessary to identify fixed length data that is to be terminated corresponding to a transmission route;
• an identifying unit for identifying whether received fixed length data is data that is at least an object of the processing and an object of termination, and is alarm data for notifying of an alarm state of a transmission route and identifying in correspondence to said transmission route on the basis of the information in said registration information holding unit and said termination information holding unit;
• an alarm managing unit for holding and managing alarm state information corresponding to said transmission route on the basis of said alarm data when said identifying unit identifies that said fixed length data is said alarm data;
• an alarm data generating unit for generating alarm data to be notified to another fixed length data processing apparatus on the basis of said alarm state information held and managed in correspondence to said transmission route in said alarm managing unit;
• and
• an inserting process unit for inserting said alarm data generated by said alarm data generating unit to an empty region in a flow of fixed length data that is identified by said identifying unit as fixed length data not required to be terminated and should be passed through toward said another fixed length data processing apparatus.