Dependability measurement schema for communication networks

A dependability measurement system comprising;

• performance measurement means for measuring performance parameters between a first location and a second location in a communications network at sufficient frequency to detect service-affecting failures and time-of-occurrence;
• service-affecting event computation means for analyzing performance parameters measured by the performance measurement means;
• equipment event measurement means for monitoring network elements of the communications network for the occurrence of network element events;
• population calculator means for determining components within the communications network which are related to dependability metrics to be reported upon and calculating in-service time information for the components;
• dependability metric calculator means for calculating, analyzing and reporting dependability parameters and dependability metrics using information output from the service-affecting event computation means, equipment event measurement means and population calculator means;
• and
• a user interface for supplying the dependability measurement system with system parameters and control information;
• wherein the service-affecting event computation means further comprises;
• means for analyzing at least one measured performance parameter using temporal sliding window analysis means to determine if the at least one measured performance parameter exceeds a user-specified dependability threshold;
• means for determining for how long the at least one measured performance parameter exceeds a user-specified dependability threshold;
• and
• means for storing dependability parameter information resulting from analyzing the at least one measured performance parameter.

A method for use in a dependability measurement system of a communications network comprising;

• measuring performance parameters between a first location and a second location in a communications network;
• analyzing measured performance parameters;
• monitoring network elements of the communications network for the occurrence of network element events;
• determining equipment within the communications network related to dependability metrics to be reported upon and calculating in-service time information for the equipment;
• and
• calculating, analyzing and reporting dependability parameters and dependability metrics using information resulting from analyzing measured performance parameters, monitoring network element events and calculating the in-service time information for the equipment related to dependability metrics to be reported upon;
• wherein calculating and analyzing comprises correlating information resulting from analyzing measured performance parameters and monitoring network element events.

A method for use in a dependability measurement system of a communications network comprising;

• measuring performance parameters between a first location and a second location in a communications network;
• analyzing measured performance parameters;
• monitoring network elements of the communications network for the occurrence of network element events;
• determining equipment within the communications network related to dependability metrics to be reported upon and calculating in-service time information for the equipment;
• and
• calculating, analyzing and reporting dependability parameters and dependability metrics using information resulting from analyzing measured performance parameters, monitoring network element events and calculating the in-service time information for the equipment related to dependability metrics to be reported upon;
• wherein the analyzing measured performance parameters step further comprises;
• analyzing at least one measured performance parameter using temporal sliding window analysis means to determine if the at least one measured performance parameter exceeds a user-specified dependability threshold;
• determining for how long the at least one measured performance parameter exceeds a user-specified dependability threshold;
• and
• storing dependability parameter information resulting from analyzing the at least one measured performance parameter.

A communications network capable of operating a dependability measurement system, the communications network comprising:

• a plurality of network elements comprising:
• performance measurement means for measuring performance parameters between a first location and a second location in a communications network at sufficient frequency to detect service-affecting failures and time-of-occurrence;
• service-affecting event computation means for analyzing performance parameters measured by the performance measurement means;
• and
• equipment event measurement means for monitoring network elements of the communications network for the occurrence of network element events;
• communication links established between the plurality of network elements;
• an operation service system comprising:
• population calculator means for determining components within the communications network which are related to dependability metrics to be reported upon and calculating in-service time information for the components;
• and
• dependability metric calculator means for calculating, analyzing and reporting dependability parameters and dependability metrics using information output from the service-affecting event computation means, equipment event measurement means and population calculator means, the operation service system having a memory storage device and an user interface;
• wherein the dependability metric calculator means comprises information correlation means for correlating information from the service-affecting event computation means and the equipment event measurement means or the plurality of network elements;
• and
• a communication link between the plurality of network elements and the operation service system.

A computer readable medium for use with a computer usable medium, the computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for execution by a computer processor for operating an operational service system of a dependability measurement system, the computer readable code means comprising:

• code means for interfacing with network elements that measure point-to-point performance parameters along a service path between at least two locations to determine an occurrence of a network event and collect and store network event information;
• code means for interfacing with network elements that monitor individual network elements for an occurrence of a network element event and collect and store network element event information;
• code means for calculating dependability parameters based on network event information and network element event information, wherein the code means for calculating dependability parameters comprises code means for correlating network event information and network element event information;
• code means for calculating dependability metrics based on measured network events and network element events over a user-defined time period;
• and
• code means for reporting dependability parameters and dependability metrics.