TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to computer processing environments and, in some embodiments, more particularly to processor-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed in a distributed computing environment.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Aspects of this disclosure relate to sectionalization of a communication network for the purpose of improving the isolation of faults and the collection of performance monitoring metrics with modified Two-Way Active Measurement Protocol (TWAMP) requests and replies and without requiring explicit layer-3 addressing information of the devices implementing the reflector function in the context of an Operations Administration and Maintenance (OAM) framework. Additional information can be found, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/557,138, which was filed on Jul. 24, 2012, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/552,063, which was filed on Jul. 18, 2012, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its respective entirety and for all purposes.

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method of establishing service operations administration and maintenance (OAM) sessions between an actuator and a plurality of reflectors for the purpose of collecting performance metrics. The collected performance metrics can then be used to sectionalize a network for the purpose of improving the isolation of faults and performance problems.

A further aspect of this disclosure is directed to a method of reaching a plurality of reflectors with a single test packet where a test packet is forwarded by a reflector to a next reflector in the downstream direction along a test path and where each reflector replies directly to the actuator with the requested performance metrics. In order to simplify the installation and the operation of the reflectors, these reflectors do not require unique layer-3 addressing information. Instead, they borrow the IP address of another device downstream to the last reflector along the test path.

According to an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a system is disclosed for assigning a test reply from a reflector to the appropriate reflector where a sequence number is redefined to include a unique reflector identifier. The reflector identifier is either assigned statically for each reflector or it can be dynamically determined.

Aspects of the present disclosure are also directed to a method of establishing service operations administration and maintenance (OAM) sessions between an actuator and a plurality of reflectors in a communication network. The method includes: continuously monitoring, by one or more of the reflectors, any test packets transmitted by the actuator; transmitting by the actuator a test packet to a first one of the reflectors; forwarding, by the first reflector, the test packet to a second one of the reflectors next along a test path with respect to the first reflector; generating, by each of the first and second reflectors, a test reply to the actuator, each of the test replies generated back to the actuator incorporating a unique reflector identifier; and, using the test replies to the test packet to sectionalize the communication network to isolate faults and performance problems.

In some embodiments, each unique reflector identifier is defined automatically by the reflector, for example, via a signaling exchange which may include a TWAMP control plane or via a configuration method, such as CLI, web-based configuration, and/or XML.

In some embodiments, each unique reflector identifier can be created by repurposing an uplink sequence number and using some of the bits of an uplink sequence number to encode a unique reflector identifier.

Other aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a system for establishing service operations administration and maintenance (OAM) sessions between an actuator and a plurality of reflectors in a communication network.

Additional aspects are directed to non-transient computer-readable storage media with processor-executable instructions for carrying out any of the methods disclosed herein.

The above summary is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the summary merely provides an exemplification of some of the novel features presented herein. The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

