JP2003188876A - Network failure management device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network failure management device which informs a maintenance person of the extent of the effective influence of a network failure. <P>SOLUTION: The network failure management device which estimates a failure location on the basis of the occurrence information of the failure on the logical path and/or physical path of the network and which outputs failure information including the identification of a user network related with the failure holds the index of the influence extent corresponding to the failure location by coordinating the index with the identification of the user network. In occurrence of the failure, the index of the influence extent corresponding to the identification of the user network is extracted and this is outputted together with the failure information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a fault monitoring device for a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, FTTH (Fiber To The Home) or F
TTB (Fiber To The Business) is used.
FIG. 1 shows a form in which a user network is connected to the Internet network by an optical fiber network. Here, each of the user networks 1a to 1c is a user's own network in a company or home such as an intranet, and is configured by, for example, a LAN by Ethernet (registered trademark), and via the access network terminators 2a to 2c. It is connected to the access network 5. The access network 5 is usually a star type network extending for each user, that is, each subscriber, and has a role of connecting with the core network 4 as a subscriber line. The connection between the access network 5 and the core network 4 is made by the connection devices 3a to 3c. Normally, the connection devices 3a to 3c are ISPs (Internet Service Pro).
ATM (Asynchronous Transfer M) installed in the vider
ode) It is realized by a connecting device such as a router.

The network fault management device 10 is connected to various communication devices existing in a distributed manner in the access network 5, including an access network termination device 2 and a connection device 3. Each of these communication devices has a function of constantly monitoring the failure of its own physical path and logical path, and if a failure related to the physical path and the logical path occurs, these communication devices are autonomous. It has a function of notifying the network failure management device 10 of the occurrence of a failure. Upon receiving the failure notification, the network failure management device 10 estimates the failure information including the component device information for each physical path and logical path, the failure location, and the related user based on the notified failure notification from the communication device. However, it has a function of notifying the maintenance person, that is, the operator. Based on this fault information, the operator restores the faulty part or contacts the related user.

However, although the conventional network fault management apparatus can recognize the occurrence of a fault and the existence of the related users who are affected by the fault, it can recognize how much the fault actually causes. There wasn't. For example, physical and / or physical access to a user network used by a large number of users such as a large-scale user network.
Or, when a failure occurs in the communication device on the logical path and the user network with few users or the user network with a low network usage rate, the urgency and the importance of the failure are greatly different, and naturally the maintenance person, that is, Operator response is also different. However, conventionally, if the fault content is the same, the operator may recognize that the fault is at the same level, and may erroneously determine the priority for fault recovery. As described above, in the conventional network failure management device, the operator can grasp the failure location and the related user, but it is not possible to sufficiently inform the effective degree of the failure occurrence.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a network capable of letting a maintenance person know the degree of effective influence of a network failure. It is to provide a fault management device.

[0006]

A network fault management apparatus according to the present invention estimates a fault location based on a fault occurrence notification on a logical route and / or a physical route of a network,
A network failure management device that outputs failure information including identification of a user network related to the failure, and holds an index of the degree of influence corresponding to the failure location in association with the identification of the user network. Holding means, and an influence degree output means for extracting an influence degree index corresponding to the identification of the user network from the influence degree holding means, and outputting this together with the output of the failure information. And

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is an embodiment of the present invention and shows a configuration of a network fault management device according to the present invention. Here, the network failure management device 10
Is an access network failure estimation unit 11, an access network failure location / related user estimation information 12, a user influence degree information 13, and a user influence degree information setting unit 14.
A user influence degree information acquisition unit 15, an operator notification unit 16 for notifying an operator (maintenance person) of a failure estimation result and a user influence degree, and information setting for setting the user influence degree information according to an instruction from the operator. And tool 17.

The access network failure estimating section 11 is
Various communication devices distributed in the access network, for example, a fault notification from an access network termination device is received, and based on the access network fault location / related user estimation information 12, specific fault device configuration information and It has a function of estimating a failure point and estimating a user (hereinafter referred to as a related user) who is affected by the influence of the estimated failure of the failure point. The fault location / related user estimation information 12 has the configuration information of the access network device, user information, and an algorithm for estimating the fault location, which are necessary for the fault estimation unit 11 to identify the fault location and the related user. The user influence degree information setting unit 14 has a function of setting and changing the value of the user influence degree information 13. The user impact degree information acquisition unit 15 fetches the impact degree corresponding to the relevant user from the user impact degree information 13 based on the fault location and the related user information from the access network fault estimation unit 11, and the operator notice unit 16 It has the function of transmitting to. The user influence degree information 13 holds the influence degree of each user network connected to the access network.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a table structure of user influence degree information. Here, the degree of influence on a failure corresponding to the identification of a plurality of user networks, that is, each of A to D, is “low”, “medium”, and “high” as in the example shown in the figure.
It is set by the notation. For example, the user with the user network identification “D” is a large-scale user network such as an office where many users exist, and the impact degree is set to “high”, and the user with the user network identification “A” is only on holidays. It is assumed to be a small-scale user network such as a home to be used, and the impact level is set to "low". These settings can be done by the maintenance person in advance by the information setting tool 17
Is set by the user influence degree information setting unit 14.

FIG. 4 shows a processing procedure of the network fault management apparatus in FIG. The network fault management device 10 receives a fault notification from communication devices scattered in the access network (step S1). Next, based on this failure notification, the failure location and the user affected by this failure, that is, the related user are estimated, and the identification of the corresponding user network is obtained (step S2). Using this user network identification as a key, the user influence degree information is searched and the corresponding influence degree is fetched (step S
3). Then, the value of the influence degree thus taken is notified to the maintenance person together with the failure information (step S4).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the network failure management device is provided with the user influence degree acquisition unit, the influence degree to the user is added together with the fault information and the notification of the related user, and the operator is added. Can be notified. As a result, the operator can carry out the recovery work with an appropriate scale or speed, or can give an appropriate explanation to the user.

FIG. 5 shows a modified example of the present invention, showing the configuration of a network fault management apparatus. Here, unlike the case of the above-described embodiment, the network failure management device 10 further includes an impact degree change time management unit 21, a date / time generation device 23, and impact degree time management information 22. The influence degree change time management unit 21 has a function of managing a change with time of the user influence degree based on the calendar information fetched from the date and time generation device 23. The date and time generator 23 has a function of generating normal date information and calendar information such as holidays and public holidays. The influence degree time management information 22 holds information that changes the influence degree with time for each user network identification.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the table structure of the user influence degree information reflecting the change over time in the structure shown in FIG. Here, referring to (a) influence time management information, a date / time range (schedule) such as a day of the week and time and an influence degree in the date / time range are set corresponding to each user network identification. For example, regarding the user A, the degree of influence is set to be “low” from Monday to Friday and “medium” on Sunday. On the other hand, referring to (B) influence degree information (holiday), the influence degree at the time of holiday is set corresponding to each user network identification. For example, regarding the user A, the degree of influence is set to “medium” on holidays. The change between these two tables is made by the influence degree change time management unit 21 (see FIG. 5).

FIG. 7 shows a processing procedure of the network fault management device in the configuration shown in FIG. The influence degree change time management unit shown on the left side of the figure first initializes the influence degree table (step S21). In this initial setting, a default value before making a change with time is set. Then, the influence degree change time management unit monitors the date and time (step S22). The date and time is monitored by the date and time generator 23 (see FIG. 5) based on the calendar information. Then, according to the management information given to the influence time management information, it is determined whether it is the date and time to make the change (step S23). If it is not the date and time of the change, step S22 is repeated for time monitoring. If it is the modification date and time, the table of the impact degree information is modified (step S24).

On the other hand, looking at the operation of the user impact degree information acquisition unit shown on the right side of the figure, the user impact degree information acquisition unit of the network fault management apparatus 10 receives a fault notification from communication devices scattered in the access network. Yes (step S25). Next, based on this failure notification, the failure location and the user affected by this failure, that is, the related user are estimated, and the identification of the corresponding user network is obtained (step S26). Using the user network identification as a key, the user influence degree information is searched and the corresponding influence degree is fetched (step S27). Next, the operator (maintenance person) is notified of the acquired influence level value together with the failure information (step S28).

According to this modification, for example, a large-scale user network such as an office in which many users exist is an office and the like, and therefore the degree of influence on the user is
A change from “high” to “medium” or the like, and a small-scale user network such as a home used only on holidays is changed from “low” to “medium” on holidays. As described above, in the present modification, since the influence degree change time management unit is provided,
In addition to the effects of the above-described embodiment, a more accurate effect on the user when a failure occurs in the access network composed of the physical path / logical path connected to the user network, the effect level of which changes with time It is possible to notify the operator by adding a degree. Then, the operator can perform more appropriate recovery work and more appropriate explanation to the user.

FIG. 8 is a further modification of the present invention and shows the configuration of a network fault management device. here,
The network failure management device 10 further includes a user availability information acquisition unit 31 unlike the modification described above. The user availability information acquisition unit 31 has a function of fetching the network usage rate data measured by the access network terminating device installed in the user's house, which is one of the components of the access network. The network usage rate is the availability of the access network for the user network, and gives the time ratio in which the user terminal included in the user network uses and occupies the connected access network. As a result, the setting of the influence degree information in the above-described embodiment and modification is set regardless of the network usage rate of the user, but in this modification, when a failure occurs, the value of the network usage rate of the user is changed. It is possible to extract the degree of influence of the user who has been used.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a table structure of user influence degree information reflecting the network utilization rate in the structure shown in FIG. Here, referring to (a) influence degree information, each influence degree can be set corresponding to each user network identification and according to a plurality of network usage rate values.
For example, regarding the user network A, the network usage rate is 30.
"Low" for less than%, "Medium" for more than 30%
Is set. On the other hand, (B) influence degree information (holiday)
Referring to, the degree of influence at the time of holiday is set corresponding to each user network identification and network utilization value. For example, regarding the user network A, “low” is set in correspondence with the network usage rate of less than 10%, and “medium” is set in correspondence with the network usage rate of 10% or more. The change between these two tables is made by the influence change time management unit 21 (see FIG. 8). Explaining the specific operation status, for example, assuming that the user network D is an office, the degree of influence on the user is changed from “high” to “medium” on a holiday, and the user A is at home. Therefore, the impact level should be changed from “low” to “medium”. However, there is a possibility that some users will have a particularly high usage rate even on holidays, and conversely, there may be small users who have a low usage rate even on holidays. A change in the degree of influence can be set.

FIG. 10 shows a processing procedure of the network fault management device in the configuration shown in FIG. The user influence degree information acquisition unit of the network fault management device 10 receives a fault notification from communication devices scattered in the access network (step S31). Next, based on this failure notification, the failure location and the user affected by this failure, that is, the related user are estimated, and the identification of the corresponding user network is obtained (step S32). Then
The network usage rate is fetched from the access network termination device of the user network (step S33).

On the other hand, the influence degree change time management unit of the network failure management apparatus 10 changes the influence degree over time (step S34). Network fault management device 1
The user influence degree information acquisition unit of 0 retrieves the user influence degree information by using the fetched network usage rate and user network identification as keys, and fetches the corresponding influence degree (step S35). Then, the operator (maintenance person) is notified of the value of the degree of influence taken in together with the failure information (step S36).

Explaining a concrete operation situation, for example,
When a failure related to the user network A occurs,
When the acquisition result of the network usage rate is 0%, the degree of impact is
Not "medium" but "low". Further, when a failure related to the user network D occurs, and when the acquisition result of the network usage rate is 90%, the operator is notified that the degree of influence is “high” instead of “medium”.

According to the third embodiment described above, in addition to the effects of the first and second embodiments, the user availability information acquisition unit and the influence degree change time management unit change the influence degree with time, and In the event of a failure in the access network consisting of physical and / or logical paths connected to the user network that changes depending on the user's network usage rate, a more accurate impact on the user is added to the operator. It becomes possible to notify the operator, so that the operator can appropriately perform the recovery work and explain to the user more appropriately.

Incidentally, in the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications,
Although the index of the degree of influence is a simple three-stage index consisting of “high”, “medium”, and “low”, more diverse degree-of-impact information may be set. For example, information such as the number of affected user terminals and expected return time based on the network usage rate can be considered.

[0024]

As described above, according to the network failure management apparatus of the present invention, when a failure occurs in a logical path and / or a physical path to a user network, an index giving an effective degree of influence is a maintenance person. In addition to the information on the location of the failure, the maintenance person can grasp the urgency and importance of the failure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional network configuration.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a network fault management device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a table configuration example of user influence degree information in the configuration of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the network failure management device in the configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a network fault management device, which is a modified example of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of user influence degrees in which changes over time are reflected in the structure shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the network failure management device in the configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a network failure management apparatus, which is a further modification of the present invention.

9 is a diagram showing an example of a user influence degree table configuration in which the network usage rate is reflected in the configuration shown in FIG. 8;

10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the network failure management device in the configuration shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 User Network 2 Access Network Termination Device 3 Connection Device 4 Core Network 5 Access Network 10 Network Failure Management Device 11 Access Network Failure Estimator 12 Access Network Failure Location / Related User Estimation Information 13 User Impact Information 14 User Impact Information Setting Unit 15 User Impact Level Information Acquisition Unit 16 Operator Notification Unit 17 Information Setting Tool 21 Impact Level Change Time Management Unit 22 Impact Level Time Management Information 23 Date and Time Generation Device 31 User Availability Information Acquisition Unit

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5K030 JA10 LE16 LE17 MB09 MB20                       MC07 MC09                 5K035 AA06 BB03 DD01 JJ01 JJ05                       KK01 KK04                 5K051 AA09 BB01 BB02 CC01 CC02                       DD11 FF01 LL02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A network fault management device for estimating a fault location based on a fault occurrence notification on a logical route and / or a physical route of a network and outputting fault information including identification of a user network related to the fault. In addition, in association with the identification of the user network, an impact degree holding unit that retains an impact degree index corresponding to the failure location, and an impact degree index corresponding to the identification of the user network And a degree-of-impact output means for extracting the degree information from the degree holding means and outputting the degree information together with the output of the fault information. 2. The influence degree holding means further includes means for generating calendar information including a current date and time, and the held influence degree is changed according to the generated calendar information. The network failure management device according to item 1. 3. A usage rate acquisition unit for acquiring a usage rate of the user network with respect to the network is further included, and the impact level output unit includes an impact level according to the value of the acquired utilization rate and the failure location. The network failure management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the index is output.