KR100216580B1 - Method for managing communication error status between atm exchanger and operation workstation - Google Patents

Abstract

1. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

A method for managing a communication fault condition between an operational preservation processor and a production workstation.

2. The technical problem to be solved by the invention

By checking the communication capability and connectivity through periodic monitoring and step-by-step verification methods, it is possible to identify the type of problem immediately when a problem occurs so that the operator can cope effectively.

3. Summary of Solution to Invention

Upon receiving the workstation port management service start request from the operator, transmit the end loopback message to the application loopback function block to receive a response message, and perform the end loopback test by comparing the transmitted and received messages. If it is abnormal, send a ping loopback message to receive a response message. If the received message is abnormal, the Ethernet loopback test is performed. If the test result is abnormal, the LAN network status value is read. Checking for cable shorts.

4. Important uses of the invention

Used to check the connection between the operating device and the exchange period in the exchange system.

Description

How to manage communication failure status between Asynchronous Transfer Mode Switch and operating workstation

The present invention relates to a method of periodically monitoring the connection state of an Ethernet port to check the communication capability and connectivity between an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switch and an operation workstation. In particular, the asynchronous transfer mode switch and operating workstation that checks the communication capability between the switch, the maintenance preservation processor and the operating workstation, indicates the status, and identifies whether the problem is a software problem or a hardware problem when a communication problem occurs. It relates to a communication failure state management method.

In general, when a communication problem occurs, it is difficult to distinguish whether it is a software problem or a hardware problem, and it is difficult to distinguish whether it is a problem of a transmitter or a receiver. Therefore, the countermeasures and solutions for this problem are vague and difficult to take, and there is a problem that the cause must be found after a considerable test or several steps of confirmation.

Therefore, the present invention devised to solve the above problems of the prior art shows the connectivity between the current exchange and the operating workstation at all times through the periodic monitoring and step-by-step confirmation method, the communication capability of each step through the test by the operator The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method of managing a communication failure state between an asynchronous delivery mode switch and an operating workstation to identify the type of problem immediately and to enable an operator to effectively deal with it by checking connectivity.

1 is a connection structure diagram between an ATM switch and an operating workstation to which the present invention is applied;

2 is a software functional block diagram to which the present invention is applied;

3 is an operating workstation port management state transition flowchart according to the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a workstation port management service start and end processing according to the present invention;

5 is an application loopback processing flowchart according to the present invention;

6 is a workstation port state monitoring process flow diagram according to the present invention;

7 is a workstation port termination loopback processing flow chart according to the present invention;

8 is a workstation port Ethernet loopback processing flow chart according to the present invention;

9 is a workstation port LAN hardware check processing flow chart according to the present invention;

10 is a processing flow diagram of an operation maintenance processor for a request of an operation workstation according to the present invention;

11A and 11B are operational workstation port test procedure flow diagrams in accordance with the present invention;

12 is a hierarchical state graphic output configuration diagram.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: ATM Switch

2: production workstation server

3: ATM Local Exchange Subsystem (ALS)

4: Call Connection Control Processor (CCCP)

5: ATM Central Switching Subsystem (ACS)

6: Operation preservation processor (OMP)

7: workstation

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for managing a communication failure state between an operation maintenance processor and an operation workstation, which is applied to a network management system. The first step of requesting a response to the application loopback function block of the operation preservation processor to receive a response, setting the initial state of the workstation port, and outputs a service start message to the operator; A second step of setting a monitoring period after performing the first step, transmitting an end loopback message to the application loopback function block to receive a response message, and comparing the transmission and reception messages to perform an end loopback test; A third step of receiving an acknowledgment message by transmitting a ping loopback message if the test result is abnormal in the second step, checking whether the received message is normal, and performing an Ethernet loopback test; And a fourth step of performing a local area network state check by reading a local area network state value and checking whether there is a cable short-circuit if the test result is abnormal in the third step.

The present invention is layered into three stages under the Ethernet connection structure between the ATM exchange management preservation processor and the operating workstation server to perform periodic monitoring centering on the upper stages, and to perform in-depth analysis on the lower stages when an error occurs, It can check the connectivity and manage the status to improve the efficiency of operation.

The first step is to perform end-to-end loop back between the application module of the operating workstation and the application module of the exchange operation preservation processor to check the communication capability of the application module and show the status. The second stage shows the current Ethernet communication capability by performing a ping loop back to check the communication capability between Ethernet servers in case of a loopback message error or no response of the other party in the first stage. In the second step, in order to check the local area network (LAN) hardware when the other party's non-response or error occurs, it checks the LAN status register and outputs the status so as to identify the detailed cause of the problem.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described an embodiment of the present invention;

1 is a diagram illustrating a connection structure between an ATM switch and an operation workstation server (OWS) to which the present invention is applied, in which 1 is an ATM switch, 2 is an operation workstation server, and 3 is an ATM local switching subsystem (ALS). : ATM Local Switch subsystem (4), 4 is Call Connection Control Processor (CCCP), 5 is ATM Central Switch subsystem (ACS), 6 is Operation and Maintenance Processor (OMP). And 7 represent workstations, respectively.

The ATM switch 1 has a plurality of ATM Local Switching Subsystems (ALS) 3 connected to the ATM Central Switching Subsystem (ACS) 5, and the Call Connection Control Processor (CCCP) 4 has its respective ATM local. Each is connected to an exchange subsystem (ALS) 3 to collect call connection control and status of each ALS 3.

The Operational Preservation Processor (OMP) 6 is connected to the ATM Central Switching Subsystem (ACS) 5 to handle the overall operation and maintenance of the ATM switch, and communicates with the Call Connection Control Processor (CCCP) 4 inter-processor. (IPC: Inter-Processor Communication) to send and receive information.

In addition, an OMP 6 and a workstation 7 are connected using Ethernet as a physical layer. The communication entity used at the application process level communicates between the two systems using an IPC server on the OMP side and an IPC daemon on the OWS side. This is a function that ported the IPC function used at the exchange side to the production workstation, and converts the packet transmitted / received through the Ethernet server into IPC format to provide an interface with the application process. Can be programmed as if it were a processor inside the exchange.

The operation workstation server 2 transmits the operator's command to the operation preservation processor 6 via Ethernet, receives and outputs the result of the execution, and the status data or alarm data output from the exchange is frequently operated via Ethernet. Passed to workstation and printed out.

2 is a software functional block diagram of an operation workstation server and an operation maintenance processor used in the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating protocol layer-specific entities of a block for monitoring and testing an Ethernet port between an exchange operation maintenance processor and an operation workstation server. Explain.

The first layer consists of Ethernet cable 27, the second layer consists of LAN controller 21, and the third layer consists of Ethernet server 22, IPC server 25, and IPC daemon 23. Layer 4, the application layer, is a workstation port management function (WSPMF) block 24 located on the production workstation server and an application loopback function (APLBF) located on the OPM. Function) block 26.

Layer 1 through Layer 3 Ethernet servers follow the TCP / IP protocol, and the IPC daemon and IPC server are interprocessor communication methods applied at the exchange.

The workstation port management function (WSPMF) block 24 and the application loopback function (APLBF) block 26 perform application loopback functions using IPC messages, thereby confirming communication connectivity between application ends. When a groupback message is sent by the workstation port management function (WSPMF) block 24, it is received by the application loopback function (APLBF) block 26 and retransmitted to the workstation port management function block 24.

3 is a flowchart of a management workstation port management state transition according to the present invention, which includes an initialization state 31, a normal state 32, an abnormal state 33, a block state 35, and a failure state 34.

If the initialization is normally performed in the initialization state 31, the state transitions to the normal state 32, and otherwise, the state transitions to the abnormal state 33. If a malfunction occurs by the periodic monitoring function in the steady state 32, the state transitions to the abnormal state 33. On the contrary, if a normal state is found in the abnormal state 33, the state transitions to the normal state 32. However, if a critical alarm condition occurs in the abnormal state 33, it is regarded as a failure and transitions to the fault state 34. At this time, an alarm is issued to inform the operator of the fault condition.

After the operator takes action in the fault state 34, the test transitions to the normal state 32 when normal is determined. The block state 35 is transitioned when the operator terminates the service and is only possible in the normal state 32 and the fault state 34. In the block state 35, it is possible to transition to the normal state 32 by the start of the service and to the superimposed state 31 by the restart of the module. These states can be divided into a use state and a management state. The use states are initialization, normal and abnormal states, and the management states are block and fault states.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing in a workstation port management function (WSPMF) block for initiation and termination of a workstation port management service according to the present invention.

Upon receipt of a service start signal by an operator request (41), the current workstation port status is read (42) to confirm authorization in service (43).

As a result of the check (43), if the service is in service, the Ethernet port of the workstation is now in service (44), and if it is not in service, it sends a response request signal to the APLBF block and then responds to the response request. In order to receive the result, the reception wait timer is set (46), and the reception wait state is entered (47).

When the response signal is received from the APLBF block in the reception standby state 47 (48), the workstation port state is changed to normal and the service start message is output (49).

When the timeout signal is received in the reception standby state 47 (50), an unresponsive message is output (51), and the process ends.

When the service end signal is received by the operator (52), the workstation port state is changed to the block state (53), and the workstation port service end message is output (54) and terminated.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an application loopback response request of an application loopback function block according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the application loopback function (APLBF) block receives an application loopback function response request signal when a service is started from a workstation port management function (WSPMF) block. Upon receipt (55), a response signal is transmitted to the workstation port management function block (56).

6 is a flowchart of a workstation port status monitoring process in a workstation port management function block according to the present invention. Once the monitor is created, the following procedure is permanently performed.

The watchdog starts with the watch initialization state, goes through the watch standby state, and then repeats the watch initialization state. This repetition period is dependent on the monitoring period and can be changed by the operator's command.

In the monitoring initialization state, after setting the monitoring request timer by reading the monitoring cycle from the performance monitoring and control relation stored in the database (61), it enters the monitoring waiting state to wait for the monitoring request signal (62).

When the watch request timeout signal is received in the watch standby state 62 (63), it is checked whether the workstation port is in the block state (64). The procedure proceeds (65) and returns to the watchdog initialization state.

7 illustrates a workstation port end-to-end loopback processing flow diagram in a workstation port management function block according to the present invention.

When the end-to-end loopback procedure is initiated, an end loopback IPC message is configured (66), sent to the APLBF block (67), and then a listen timer is set for the response message. (68), and enters the reception standby state (69).

When the end loopback IPC response signal is received in the reception waiting state (70) (70), the transmission / reception message is checked (71). If the transmission / reception message is the same, the workstation port state is changed to normal, and the state change message is output (72). Terminate the end loopback procedure.

If the transmit / receive message is different (71), the workstation port state is changed to abnormal, the state change message is output (73), and the Ethernet loopback procedure is called to check the third layer (74). Here, the status change message outputs an abnormal state, a cause, and a content to be corrected.

When the timeout signal is received in the reception waiting state 69 (75), the workstation port state is changed to abnormal, and after outputting a non-response message (76), the Ethernet loopback procedure is called (74).

8 is a flowchart illustrating a workstation port Ethernet loopback process in a workstation port management function block according to the present invention.

At the beginning of the Ethernet Loopback procedure, a ping loopback message can be configured (77) to send a ping loopback message to the Ethernet server (78), and then a listening timer to receive the response message. It sets (79) and enters a reception standby state (80).

If the ping loopback response signal is received in the reception waiting state (81) (81), the received message is checked (82). If the received message is normal, an IPC Daemon abnormal message is output, and the cause is the IPC daemon. As a corrective action, print the IPC daemon restart (83), report the workstation port alarm as a minor error (84), and terminate the Ethernet loopback procedure.

If the received message is abnormal (82), the LAN status checking process is called (85) to confirm the second layer.

When the timeout signal is received in the reception wait state 80 (86), after outputting a ping loopback non-response message (87), the LAN status check procedure is called (85).

9 shows a workstation port LAN hardware check process flow diagram in a workstation port management function block according to the present invention.

First, the LAN status register is read (88) and the data analyzed (89) to determine if there is a problem with the LAN hardware (90) to see if it is a cable short circuit (90).

If the cable is short, change the workstation port status to Fault, print a message about the cause and action (91), report the workstation port alarm as a Critical fault (92), and then proceed with the procedure. Quit.

If it is not a cable short (90), change the workstation port status to Abnormal, print a message about the cause and action (93), then report the workstation port alarm as a major failure ( 94), the procedure is terminated.

Fig. 10 shows a flowchart of an operating workstation port monitoring process in an application loopback function block according to the present invention.

Upon receiving the end-to-end loopback IPC request signal from the workstation port management function block (WSPMF) in the watch standby state (101), the sender processor checks and increments the loopback counter (102). After transmitting the end-to-end loopback IPC response signal (103), it enters a watch-standby state.

When an end-to-end loopback counter request signal is received from the workstation port management function block (WSPMF) in the monitor standby state (104), the loopback counter is read (105) and the terminal loopback counter message signal is transmitted. After 106, it enters the watch standby state.

11A and 11B are operational workstation port test process flow charts according to the present invention, including end-to-end loopback test, Ethernet server loopback test, and LAN hardware (H / W) state check test. Represents a procedure for

When an end-to-end loopback test request is received from the operator (111), parameters for the number of tests and the message size are initialized (112), the end loopback IPC message is configured (113), and the number of tests is checked. (114).

If the number of tests is not zero, the terminal loopback IPC message is transmitted (115), the number of tests is reduced, the reception timer is set (116), and the receiver enters a reception standby state (117).

When receiving the termination loopback IPC response signal from the application loopback function block in the reception standby state 117 (118), the transmission and reception message is checked (119).

Check result 119, if the transmission and reception messages are the same, record the test result normal (120), if the transmission and reception messages are different, record the test result abnormal (data error) (121), then return to the end loopback IPC message configuration and perform the next number of tests Perform.

When the timeout is received in the reception standby state 117 (122), the test result is recorded in an abnormality (123), and the process returns to the end loopback IPC message configuration and performs the next number of tests.

If the number of tests is zero (114), since the test is finished, the test result message recorded so far is output (124) and the test is terminated.

When the LAN hardware status check test request signal is received (125), the LAN status register is read (126), the data is analyzed (127), and the cable is shorted out (128).

If the cable short-circuit outputs a test result abnormal (cable short) message (129), if the cable short-circuit outputs a normal test result message (130), the procedure is terminated.

Upon receiving the Ethernet server loopback test request signal (131), construct a ping loopback message (132), send a ping loopback message to the Ethernet server (133), and then receive a response message. A reception wait time is set (134), and a reception wait state is entered (135).

If a ping loopback response signal is received in the reception standby state (135) (136), the received message is checked (137). If it is normal, the Ethernet server loopback test result is outputted (138). (Ethernet) Server loopback test result outputs an abnormal message (139) and terminates.

When the timeout signal is received in the reception waiting state 135 (140), an Ethernet server loopback non-response message is output (141) and ends.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state graphic output for each layer. The communication entities for each layer are represented by ellipses, communication capabilities are represented by arrows, and causes and actions are output at the bottom.

The communication entities belonging to the OMP are LAN hardware (H / W) 201, Ethernet server 202, IPC server 203, application loopback function (APLBF) from bottom to top. The entity belonging to the operation workstation server (OWS), represented by the block 204, includes a LAN hardware (H / W), an Ethernet server, an IPC daemon 205, and a workstation port management function ( WSPMF) block 206, each layer of the operations preservation processor and the production workstation server correspond one-to-one to each other, and the communication capability is indicated by the color of the arrow between the correspondences, where green 207 is normal and red (208). ) Is abnormal.

In case of abnormality, the cause 209 and the action 210 are displayed at the bottom, which is according to the failure cause and action table of [Table 1].

[Table 1] is a relation including causes and measures when a failure occurs. Cause 209 indicates a cause of failure by hierarchy, and action 210 is an action to be handled by an operator when a cause occurs.

cause Action Cable short circuit Check the cable connector Ethernet server failure Restart Daemon failure Daemon restart Work station port management function block failure Workstation port management function block restart Application loopback function block failure Application loopback function block restart

The present invention described above is capable of various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention for those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and thus is limited to the above-described embodiments and drawings. It is not.

The present invention made as described above has the following unique effects.

First, it automatically alerts the operator by periodic monitoring when communication function is paralyzed, thus enabling rapid maintenance.

Second, periodic monitoring ensures that the communication capacity between the current exchange and the operating workstation is always available.

Third, it is possible to test the communication function of each layer, thus providing the ability to confirm the problems of each layer.

Fourth, when communication problems occur, the cause of the problem is identified and measures are taken, so it is possible to respond quickly and provide operational efficiency.

Fifth, it can be applied to other large exchange systems.

Claims (10)

In the communication failure state management method between the operation maintenance processor and the operating workstation applied to the network management system, When the workstation port management service start request is received from the operator, the workstation port management function block requests a response from the application group back function block of the operation preservation processor, and upon receiving the response, sets the initial state of the workstation port and starts service to the operator. A first step of outputting a message; A second step of setting a monitoring period after performing the first step, transmitting an end loopback message to the application loopback function block to receive a response message, and comparing the transmission and reception messages to perform an end loopback test; A third step of receiving an acknowledgment message by transmitting a ping loopback message if the test result is abnormal in the second step, checking whether the received message is normal, and performing an Ethernet loopback test; And If the test result is abnormal in the third step, the communication failure state management method between the operation maintenance processor and the operating workstation comprising a fourth step of performing a local area network status check by reading the local network status value to check the presence of a cable short circuit . The method of claim 1, When the workstation port management service termination signal is received from the operator to change the workstation port block (block) state, and outputs the workstation port service termination message further comprises the operation maintenance processor and the operating workstation How to manage communication failure status The method according to claim 1 or 2, The first step is, Receiving a workstation port management service start request from an operator, the workstation port management function block reading a current workstation port state data to confirm whether it is in service; A sixth step of notifying that the workstation port is currently in service if in service in the fifth step, requesting a response from the application loopback function block if not in service, and waiting to receive a response message thereto; A seventh step of setting a state of a workstation port to a normal state when a response message is received from the application loopback function block of the operation preservation processor in the standby state, and outputting a service start message to an operator; And And an eighth step of outputting a non-response message when the waiting time is terminated in the standby state. The method of claim 3, wherein The second step, Setting a watch request timer by reading a watch cycle and identifying a workstation port state when a watch request timeout occurs in a watch wait state; Performing a process of setting a watch request timer by reading a watch cycle if the workstation port state is in a block state; If the workstation state is not in a block state, constructing an end loopback message to transmit an end loopback message to an application loopback function block, and waiting to receive a response message thereto; Comparing the transmission / reception message when the termination loopback response message is received in the standby state; If the transmission and reception messages are the same, changing the workstation port state information to normal and outputting a state change message; Changing the workstation port state information abnormally, outputting a state change message, and requesting an Ethernet loopback test if the transmission / reception message is different; And When the time-out in the standby state is changed to the workstation port status information abnormally, and outputting a non-response message, the communication failure between the operation maintenance processor and the operating workstation comprising the step of requesting Ethernet loopback test State management method. The method of claim 4, wherein Management of communication failure state between the operation maintenance processor and the operating workstation, characterized in that the transmission and reception message is changed to an abnormal state after outputting the state change message, including the cause and the action for the abnormal state Way. The method of claim 4, wherein The third step, Constructing and sending a ping loopback message if the end loopback test result is abnormal and waiting to receive a response message; Checking whether a received message is normal when a ping loopback response message is received in the standby state; If the received message is normal, outputting an IPC (Inter-Processor Communication) daemon abnormal message and generating a workstation port alert; Performing a local area network check if the received message is abnormal; And And outputting a ping loopback non-response message when the timeout occurs in the reception standby state, and performing a local area network state check. The method of claim 6, If the received message is normal, output the IPC Daemon (abnormal) abnormal message, the cause of the communication between the operation maintenance processor and the operating workstation, characterized in that the IPC Daemon error, and outputs an IPC Daemon restart message in response thereto How to manage fault status. The method of claim 6, The fourth step, If the result of the Ethernet loopback test is abnormal, reading the value of the local area network and analyzing the read data, and then checking whether there is a cable short circuit; Changing the workstation port state to a failure if the cable is shorted, and generating a workstation port alarm; And And if the cable is not shorted, changing the workstation port state to an abnormal state, and generating a workstation port alarm. The method of claim 8, And if the cable is short, change the workstation port state to failure, and cause a cable short message and output a cable confirmation message as a result of the action. The method of claim 8, If the cable is not shorted, the workstation port state is changed to an abnormal state, and as a result, an Ethernet server error and a network restart are output as the corrective action.