IP, Ethernet and MPLS Networks: Resource and Fault Management

Conclusion

Network operation quality has been analyzed for Internet Protocol (IP), Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), and Ethernet technologies. Network operation quality is ensured by implementing network resource and fault management. Resource management allows limits to be fixed regarding packet loss, delay, and jitter. Fault management determines the network’s availability level.

The amount of protocols described in this book might suggest that the topic has been comprehensively addressed. A certain lag can be observed, however, between the publication of standards and actual deployment in public or private networks.

Fault management constitutes the most straightforward part. It is currently obtained in an implicit manner, through other mechanisms that are necessary to the proper running of a network:

– for IP and MPLS networks: routing protocols allow routing tables to be automatically populated and simultaneously carry out network reconfiguration;

– for Ethernet network: STP and RSTP enable the construction of a logical spanning tree to limit the circulation of frames, and also fulfill the function of securing the network.

Attention is currently focused on the network reconfiguration time. The aforementioned solutions do not satisfy public operators, who recall the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) network’s performance (50 ms reconfiguration time). Such a value may be considered too low, as it generates significant traffic in the network. A value ranging from 200 to ...