Patent ID: 8180882
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for sharing network status data between an element management system (EMS) server and a plurality of other EMS servers in an optical communication network wherein each EMS server in the network manages associated network elements and wherein the network status data for each EMS server in the network includes data forwarded to the EMS server from the network elements associated therewith, said method comprising: providing a data structure in said EMS server, said data structure including network status data associated with all said EMS servers in said network; receiving at least one message in said EMS server, said received message being sent by at least one of said other EMS servers and said received message including network status data associated with all said EMS servers in said network; updating said data structure in said EMS server with updated network status data from said received message; updating said data structure in said EMS server with updated network status data obtained by said EMS server when performing EMS functions; transmitting at least one message from said EMS server to all of said other EMS servers at a predetermined time, said at least one transmitted message including said updated data structure, said updated data structure comprising network status data associated with all said EMS servers in said network; providing a list of said other EMS servers in said EMS server, wherein transmitting said at least one message includes transmitting said message to a neighboring one of said EMS servers as according to an order defined by said list of EMS servers; determining if a predetermined timeout time for receiving said message from a neighboring server has expired; broadcasting an availability status request message to said other EMS servers if said predetermined timeout time for receiving said message has expired to determine which of said other EMS servers are available EMS servers; and transmitting said message to at least one of said available EMS servers.