Method and apparatus for supporting mismatch detection

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a network node for service instance management in telecommunications network. According to the method a plurality of network paths are monitored. A number of network paths form a protection group associated with a service instance or group of service instances. The monitoring of the network paths includes periodic transmission of CCMs on the network paths. To facilitate detection of mismatches related to protection switching, some CCMs include a mismatch information element that specifies traffic status of a working network path and of a protection network path for a set of protection groups. The set of protections groups includes the protection groups which the monitored network path is a member of. A CCM that includes the mismatch information element also includes an indication bit that indicates presence of the mismatch information element in the CCM.

1 . A method for service instance management in a first network node of a communication network, the method comprising
 monitoring a plurality of bidirectional and distinct network paths for carrying a number of service instances from the first network node to a second network node, wherein a number of said network paths form a protection group associated with a respective service instance or group of service instances, said monitoring including:   continuously and periodically sending Continuity Check Messages, CCMs, on a monitored network path to the second network node;   in response to occurrence of a predetermined event, including an indication bit in the CCMs, which are sent on said monitored network path for a predetermined first period of time after the occurrence of said predetermined event, wherein the indication bit indicates presence of a mismatch information element in the CCM that includes the indication bit, wherein the mismatch information element includes information that specifies, for each protection group that said monitored network path is a member of, traffic status of a working network path and of a protection network path of the protection group.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said number of service instances are backbone services and said plurality of network paths are Traffic Engineering Service Instances, TESIs. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said number of service instances are TESIs and said plurality of network paths are Infrastructure Segments. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined event is a state transition in a state machine for controlling traffic status of said plurality of network paths. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said mismatch information element is a type-length-value, TLV, element comprising, for each protection group that said monitored network path is a member of, an identity of the protection group, a bit indicating traffic status for said working network path of the protection group and a bit indicating traffic status for said protection network path of the protection group. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said first node is a bridge or a switch of an Ethernet network. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 detecting a mismatch if at least one of said mismatch information elements, which is included in a sent CCM, specifies conflicting traffic status of the working network path and of the protection network path of at least one protection group; and   notifying a Network Management System, NMS, or an operator of the detected mismatch.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 receiving a number of CCMs from the second network node;   for each received CCM: reading a mismatch information element from the received CCM, if the received CCM includes an indication bit that indicates presence of the mismatch information element in the received CCM and comparing the mismatch information element of the received CCM with the mismatch information element included in a sent CCM;   detecting a mismatch if the compared mismatch information elements differ during a predetermined second period of time, and   notifying a Network Management System, NMS, or an operator of the detected mismatch.   
     
     
         9 . A network node for use in a communication network, the network node comprising a number of Operation, Administration and Management, OAM, entities configured to monitor a plurality of bidirectional and distinct network paths for carrying a number of service instances from the network node to another network node, wherein a number of said network paths form a protection group associated with a respective service instance or group of service instances, wherein said number of OAM entities are further configured to
 continuously and periodically send Continuity Check Messages, CCMs, on a monitored network path to the other network node;   in response to occurrence of a predetermined event, include an indication bit in the CCMs, which are sent on said monitored network path for a predetermined first period of time after the occurrence of said predetermined event, wherein the indication bit indicates presence of a mismatch information element in the CCM that includes the indication bit, wherein the mismatch information element includes information that specifies, for each protection group that said monitored network path is a member of, traffic status of a working network path and of a protection network path of the protection group.   
     
     
         10 . The network node according to  claim 9 , wherein said number of service instances are backbone services and said plurality of network paths are Traffic Engineering Service Instances, TESIs. 
     
     
         11 . The network node according to  claim 9 , wherein said number of service instances are TESIs and said plurality of network paths are Infrastructure Segments. 
     
     
         12 . The network node according to  claim 9 , wherein said predetermined event is a state transition in a state machine for controlling traffic status of said plurality of network paths. 
     
     
         13 . The network node according to  claim 9 , wherein said mismatch information element is a type-length-value, TLV, element comprising, for each protection group that said monitored network path is a member of, an identity of the protection group, a bit indicating traffic status for said working network path of the protection group and a bit indicating traffic status for said protection network path of the protection group. 
     
     
         14 . The network node according to  claim 9 , wherein said network node is a bridge or a switch of an Ethernet network. 
     
     
         15 . The network node according to  claim 9 , wherein said number of OAM entities are further configured to
 detect a mismatch if at least one of said mismatch information elements, which is included in a sent CCM, specifies conflicting traffic status of the working network path and of the protection network path of at least one protection group; and to   notify a Network Management System, NMS, or an operator of the detected mismatch.   
     
     
         16 . The network node according to  claim 9 , wherein said number of OAM entities are further configured to
 receive a number of CCMs from the other network node;   for each received CCM: read a mismatch information element from the received CCM, if the received CCM includes an indication bit that indicates presence of the mismatch information element in the received CCM and compare the mismatch information element of the received CCM with the mismatch information element included in a sent CCM;   detect a mismatch if the compared mismatch information elements differ during a predetermined second period of time, and to   notify a Network Management System, NMS, or an operator of the detected mismatch.