Operating state control in redundancy protection systems

A method comprising:

• selecting one of first communication equipment and second communication equipment of a redundant pair to be in an In-Service operating state in the redundant pair, the redundant pair providing redundancy protection for communication traffic associated with an apparatus;
• and
• controlling operating states of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment by transmitting, to only the selected one of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment, live communication traffic including content for further transmission from the one of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment, the live communication traffic causing the selected one of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment to transition to the In-Service operating state and absence of the live communication traffic at the other of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment causing the other of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment to transition to a Standby operating state in the redundant pair,
• the method further comprising:
• transmitting maintenance signals to the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment,
• wherein selecting comprises selecting one of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment to be in the In-Service operating state based on responses to the maintenance signals by the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment,
• wherein transmitting the live communication traffic to only the selected one of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment comprises including in the live communication traffic a first indication that the live communication traffic includes content for further transmission from the one of the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment,
• wherein transmitting the maintenance signals comprises including in each of the maintenance signals a second indication that the maintenance signal includes no content for further transmission from the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment,
• wherein the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment respond to the maintenance signals with either the second indication or, if the communication equipment has been selected to be in the In-Service operating state by another apparatus for which the redundant pair provides redundancy protection, with a third indication that the communication equipment has been selected by the other apparatus to be in the In-Service operating state.

An apparatus comprising:

• an interface that enables communications with communication equipment for which the apparatus, in combination with a further apparatus in a redundant pair, provides redundancy protection;
• and
• a state module operatively coupled to the interface, the state module determining that the apparatus is to transition to an In-Service operating state in the redundant pair where communication traffic received from the communication equipment is live communication traffic that includes content for further transmission from the apparatus, and determining that the apparatus is to transition to a Standby operating state in the redundant pair where the received communication traffic includes no content for further transmission from the apparatus,
• wherein the state module further causes responses to maintenance signals received from the communication equipment to be transmitted from the apparatus to the communication equipment, the responses being for use by the communication equipment in determining whether to select the apparatus to be in the In-Service operating state,
• wherein the live communication traffic that includes content for further transmission from the apparatus comprises a first indication,
• wherein the maintenance signals comprise a second indication that the maintenance signals include no content for further transmission from the apparatus and the further apparatus,
• wherein the responses to the maintenance signals comprise either the second indication or, if the apparatus has been selected to be in the In-Service operating state by further communication equipment for which the redundant pair provides redundancy protection, a third indication that the apparatus has been selected by the further communication equipment to be in the In-Service operating state.

A method comprising:

• receiving, at an apparatus, communication traffic from communication equipment for which the apparatus, in combination with a further apparatus in a redundant pair, provides redundancy protection;
• determining that the apparatus is to transition to an In-Service operating state in the redundant pair where the communication traffic received from the communication equipment is live communication traffic that includes content for further transmission from the apparatus;
• and
• determining that the apparatus is to transition to a Standby operating state in the redundant pair where the received communication traffic includes no content for further transmission from the apparatus,
• the method further comprising:
• receiving maintenance signals from the communication equipment;
• and
• transmitting responses to the maintenance signals from the apparatus to the communication equipment, the responses being for use by the communication equipment in determining whether to select the apparatus to be in the In-Service operating state,
• wherein the live communication traffic that includes content for further transmission from the apparatus comprises a first indication,
• wherein the maintenance signals comprise a second indication that the maintenance signals include no content for further transmission from the apparatus and the further apparatus,
• wherein the responses to the maintenance signals comprise either the second indication or, if the apparatus has been selected to be in the In-Service operating state by further communication equipment for which the redundant pair provides redundancy protection, a third indication that the apparatus has been selected by the further communication equipment to be in the In-Service operating state.