Communications system and related method for reducing continuity check message (CCM) bursts in connectivity fault management (CFM) maintenance association (MA)
AssigneeAdtran, Inc.
InventorSean M. Osborne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with a non-limiting example, a system and method minimizes collisions between transmitted connectivity fault management (CFM) packets. Maintenance association endpoints are formed from a plurality of network switch elements to form a maintenance association. The clocks between each network switch element within the maintenance association are synchronized. A unique transmission window is assigned to each maintenance association endpoint as part of the maintenance association. A respective CFM packet is transmitted as a continuity check message (CCM) within the unique transmission window.
Claims23
A communications system comprising:
- a plurality of Maintenance Association End Points (MEP) arranged to form a Maintenance Association within the Maintenance Association have a clock synchronized with other respective clocks;
- and
- each MEP having a unique transmission window in the Maintenance Association to transmit from the MEP a respective Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) packet as a multicast Continuity Check Message (CCM).
A method comprising:
- synchronizing a clock of a network switch element configured as a Maintenance Association End Point (MEP) with clocks of other MEP's within a Maintenance Association;
- assigning the MEP a unique transmission window in the Maintenance Association;
- and
- transmitting from the MEP a Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) packet as a Continuity Check Message (CCM) within the unique transmission window.
A device, comprising:
- a network switch element configured as a Maintenance Association End Point (MEP), the MEP operable to form a Maintenance Association with a plurality of other MEP's;
- the MEP comprising a clock and operable to synchronize the clock with other respective clocks in the Maintenance Association and to determine a unique transmission window in the Maintenance Association to transmit from the MEP a Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) packet as a multicast Continuity Check Message (CCM).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.