KR20030097208A - method of reporting network element failure in NGN - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for reporting the fault of a network element in an NGN(Next Generation Network) is provided to quickly treat a fault necessary for being urgently processed and prevent an overload in a VOP-EMS(Voice Over Packet-Element Management System) or a packet network by adjusting a time or a condition for reporting the fault to a network manager according to the process urgency of the fault when the fault is generated in the network element. CONSTITUTION: If a network element is operated, a self-diagnosis program is executed and a system is monitored(S51). If a fault is generated during the operation of the system(S52), a kind of the fault is discriminated and the fault grade of the corresponding fault is confirmed(S53). If the first grade fault is generated(S54), a report message is generated as soon as the fault is generated and the generated report message is transmitted to a VOP-EMS(S55). The generated report message is stored in a database(S55). If the second grade fault or the third grade fault is generated(S54), only the fault generation fact is stored in the database without transmitting the report message(S56).

Description

{Method of reporting network element failure in NGN}

The present invention relates to a next generation network (NGN), and more particularly, in the next generation network, a central network manager and a plurality of network elements share information about a failure, and when a failure occurs in a network element, By adjusting the timing and conditions of reporting to the central network manager, the present invention relates to a method for reporting a failure of a network element in a next-generation network such that the central network manager or the packet network is not excessively burdened even if a prompt response is required.

The existing service network has a separate network for each service such as wired voice, wireless voice, and data. However, NGN is a network that supports traffic such as voice, video, fax, and data through the same link, and separates networks such as PSTN network, cable network, wireless network, and IP network. It is a net. Structures and network elements for next generation networks are defined for the purpose of integration and classification of functional layers.

Next-generation network elements include a softswitch 11 for call control as shown in FIG. 1, a protocol processing and media conversion for connection with the softswitch 11 by accommodating various subscriber stations. Various gateways (12, 13, 14, 15), central network manager (VOP-EMS: Voice of Packet-element management system) (16) that manages the operation of the entire next generation network, and an application server that provides various services to subscribers (Not shown), and a media server (not shown) for storing and providing resources required for various subscriber services, and a billing server 17 for processing information related to billing. Each of these network elements transmits various information through the packet network. An operation terminal 18 is connected to the central network manager 16 so that the operator monitors the network operation state through the operation terminal 18 and takes necessary measures for the failed network element.

That is, the central network manager 16 collects failure information generated in each network element by performing operational interfacing with the network elements 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. In a general network, the central network manager collects fault information of network elements by polling method, or connects remote operation terminals of each network element to the central operating station and monitors each network element for failure.

2 is a diagram illustrating an example of applying a method of collecting fault information of a network element using a general polling method to a next generation network. The central network manager periodically accesses the network elements under management in sequence (①-> ②-> ③-> ④-> ⑤) to provide various data information (fault information, billing information, other system information, etc.) from the network elements. Collect). The information collection method using this polling method was mainly used for statistical analysis of existing distributed network elements over a certain period.

The network element information collection method using this polling method is that the central network manager collects data information by accessing the lower network elements one by one. Therefore, if the number of sub network elements managed by the central network manager is small, it takes less time and load to collect data, but the number of network elements managed by the central network manager such as next generation network (NGN) is tens or hundreds. In the case of the individual, it takes a long time to collect data, and in the process of collecting data, there is a problem of overloading the central network manager and the packet network.

In addition, the network element information collection method using polling method is effective when the central network manager periodically collects data and applies it to statistical processing. However, even if a failure that requires urgent processing is required for the lower network element, it must wait until the next access time. It is difficult to process quickly. In particular, when the number of network elements managed by the central network manager such as next generation network (NGN) is large, it takes much time to access all network elements at once, thus responding quickly and appropriately to the troubles requiring urgent processing. There is a problem that is difficult to do.

3 is a network diagram illustrating an example of applying a method of monitoring a network element failure using a remote operation terminal to a next generation network. This method is to collect the operating terminal 31 for monitoring the operating status of the network element in the remote central operating station 30 to be monitored by one operator. This method can monitor the status of multiple network elements with minimal manpower when the number of network elements is small, but remote operation for each network element when there are dozens or hundreds of network elements such as next generation network (NGN). It is not possible to connect the terminals one by one and collect and monitor them at once. In addition, the process of collecting data must be added separately for statistical processing of network elements.

As described above, a method of collecting network element information by a polling method commonly used in a network or a method of monitoring a failure of each network element by connecting a remote operation terminal of each network element to a central operating station. When applied directly to (NGN), it is difficult to monitor the state of each network element and it is difficult to quickly and properly respond to a failure requiring urgent processing.

The object of the present invention devised to solve the above problems of the prior art is to classify the faults occurring in the network element into a plurality of classes according to the urgent need of processing, and if a fault occurs that requires urgent treatment to any network element, The network element directly accesses the central network manager to report the failure, and when a failure occurs that does not require urgent processing of the network element, the central network manager periodically accesses the central network manager to report the failure. In order to provide a failure reporting method by reporting data when collecting data, the central network manager's load is not excessively increased while responding promptly and appropriately to a problem requiring urgent processing.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a general next generation network;

2 is a network configuration diagram showing an example of applying a method of collecting fault information of network elements using a general polling method to a next generation network;

3 is a network configuration diagram showing an example of applying a method for monitoring the occurrence of a failure of a network element using a remote operation terminal to the next generation network,

4 is a system configuration diagram of a next generation network to which a failure reporting method according to the present invention is applied;

5 is an operation flowchart illustrating a failure reporting method in a lower network element according to the present invention.

※ Explanation of code about main part of drawing ※

40: central network manager 41: soft switch

42: signaling gateway 43: trunk gateway

44, 45: access gateway

In the next-generation network according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the fault reporting method of a network element comprises a plurality of network elements, the network element identifier information and location information of the plurality of network elements In the next generation network including the central network manager to manage the operation of

A first step in which said network element shares with the central network manager information about a fault comprising a fault type, a fault number, and a fault grade;

A second step of detecting, by the network element, a kind of failure and a failure level when the failure occurs in the network element;

If the failure level occurred in the network element is the worst failure level that requires urgent processing, the network element generates an immediate failure report message including information about the network element and information on the failure, and then sends it to the central network manager. And a third step of delivering.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in more detail "failure reporting method of network elements in the next generation network" according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a system configuration diagram of a next generation network to which a failure reporting method according to the present invention is applied. It consists of a central network manager (VOP-EMS) 40 and a number of lower network elements 41, 42, 43, 44, 45. In the embodiment of the present invention, only five lower network elements (soft switch 41, signaling gateway 42, trunk gateway 43, and first and second access gateways 44 and 45) are exemplarily illustrated. However, in actual next generation network, dozens or hundreds of lower network elements are connected to one central network manager 40.

Various types of failures can occur in these lower network elements. In the present invention, three types of failures are classified according to the urgency of failure handling. Level 1 failures are catastrophic effects on services due to lethal effects on system functions. These include call processing failures, charging failures, protocol failures, interface failures, and database failures. Class 2 failures are those that cause significant disruption to the service of the system or malfunction or failure of major circuits, and Class 3 failures are those that do not seriously affect service or subscribers or significantly affect the call processing function. In addition, each fault is assigned a unique number, and the central network manager 40 and all subnetwork elements share information about the fault (including fault name, fault number, fault level, etc.).

The central network manager 40 stores in advance the information on the lower network element operated by the user together with the above-described information on the failure. The information about this network element includes information such as network element identifier (ID), network element type, and location of the network element. The network element identifier parameter indicates the IP address of the network element, and the network element type parameter indicates whether the network element is an access gateway, trunk gateway, signaling gateway, softswitch, or other network element. .

In addition, the central network manager 40 stores in advance the procedure that the operator must deal with each failure. Then, when a failure occurs from the lower network element, the type of failure is detected and the operator is informed of the occurrence of the failure and the countermeasure according to the failure. Operators should follow the fault response procedures provided by the central network manager and take the necessary actions for faults.

In FIG. 4, a failure occurs in both the trunk gateway 43 and the second access gateway 45, but a first grade failure occurs in the trunk gateway 43 and a second grade failure occurs in the second access gateway 45. At this time, the trunk gateway 43 directly accesses the central network manager 40 to report a failure, but the second access gateway 45 does not directly access the central network manager 40.

5 is an operation flowchart illustrating a method for processing failure information in a lower network element according to the present invention.

In general, when the network element operates, the self-diagnostic program operates to monitor the magnetic system (S51). If a failure occurs during system operation (S52), first determine what kind of failure has occurred and determine the failure level of the failure (S53). As a result of the check, when a first-class failure occurs (S54), a report is generated immediately after the failure is generated and transmitted to the central network manager, and the failure is stored in its own database (S55). As a result of checking in step S53, when a failure occurs in the second to third grade (S54) (S54) does not immediately report the failure occurs, and stores only the fact of failure in its own database (S56).

The database that stores the fault and the immediate report of the fault include information such as the network element identifier (network element IP), fault number, fault level, occurrence history, fault end time, and fault location. The underlying network element reports failures to the central network manager using X.25 or Extensible Markup Language (XML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), etc. over Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP).

On the other hand, the central network manager who receives the immediate report of failure from the lower network element reads the network element identifier (network element IP) of the immediate report of the failure and recognizes the system that has the failure, and reads the failure number and failure level. Disability type and urgency are identified. In addition, to inform the operator of the occurrence of the failure, the monitor displays and generates an alarm, searches for a countermeasure according to the failure number, and presents it to the operator.

Thereafter, the central network manager periodically outputs a failure report command to each lower network element for statistical processing. When the lower network element receives a failure history report command from the central network manager (S57), the fault is stored in its own database. Report the occurrence history to the central network manager (S58). Failure collection for periodic failure report orders can be performed at the minimum or when necessary.

The process by which the central network manager issues a failure history report command and the lower network element responds to the failure history report command, and the central network manager statistically processes the faults collected from the lower network element are processed using the conventional polling method. Element collection method can be used.

While the invention has been described above based on the preferred embodiments thereof, these embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, or adjustments to the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims, and should be construed as including all such changes, modifications or adjustments.

As described above, according to the present invention, when a failure that requires urgent processing for any network element occurs, the corresponding network element directly accesses the central network manager to report a failure, and when a failure does not require urgent processing for the network element, the corresponding network element occurs. Because the element does not directly access the central network manager to report failures, but reports the failure when the central network manager periodically collects data, it responds promptly and appropriately to failures requiring urgent processing, Load has the advantage of improving the traffic rate and profit by managing it leisurely without excessively increasing it.

Claims (2)

In a next-generation network including a plurality of network elements and a central network manager for operating and managing the plurality of network elements having network element identifier information and location information of the plurality of network elements, the network element is the central network manager. In how to report a disorder to A first step in which said network element shares with the central network manager information about a fault comprising a fault type, a fault number, and a fault grade; A second step of detecting, by the network element, a kind of failure and a failure level when the failure occurs in the network element; If the failure level occurred in the network element is the worst failure level that requires urgent processing, the network element generates an immediate failure report message including information about the network element and information on the failure, and then sends it to the central network manager. Disability reporting method of the network element comprising the step of transmitting. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: a fourth step of storing the failure history in its own database if the failure level occurring in the network element is not the worst failure level requiring urgent processing; When a failure history report command is input from the central network manager, the network element further includes a fifth step of reporting a failure occurrence history including the information on the own network element and the information on the failure to the central network manager. Method of reporting failure of network element.