Monitoring and control of an Ethernet link using pseudo-wire interfaces

A communication system uses an Ethernet link to provide services to a user. The services have service priorities and bandwidth allocations on the Ethernet link. A pseudo-wire interface exchanges user communications for the services over the Ethernet link and transfers performance information indicating the performance of the Ethernet link. A management system processes the performance information and the service priorities to determine if a bandwidth adjustment should be made. The management system processes the performance information, the service priorities, and any bandwidth adjustment to determine if a status message should be transferred to the Ethernet service provider and to determine a message priority for the status message. The speed of response by the Ethernet service provider to the status message is indicated by the message priority.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

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FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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MICROFICHE APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is related to the field of communications, and in particular, to the monitoring and control of an Ethernet link by using a pseudo-wire interface.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Many communication service providers now provide Ethernet links to end-users and telecommunication networks. In some cases, the telecommunication network may use these third-party Ethernet links to connect customers with their network. The telecommunication network may also use the Ethernet links to connect remote systems together, such as base stations and switching centers.

Pseudo-wire interfaces are used to access the Ethernet link. For example, two pseudo-wire interfaces could be coupled to opposite ends of an Ethernet link provided by a third-party. One pseudo-wire interface could be located at a user site, and the other pseudo-wire interface could be located in the telecommunication network. On the user side and on the network side, the pseudo-wire interfaces exchange user traffic in numerous formats, such as packet and time division multiplex. The pseudo-wire interfaces exchange this user traffic with one another over the third-party Ethernet link.

The pseudo-wire interfaces monitor the performance of the Ethernet link. Unfortunately, effective techniques for controlling the pseudo-wire interfaces to maintain quality-of-service on the Ethernet link at the service level are not available. In addition, effective status messaging between the telecommunication network and the Ethernet service provider to maintain quality-of-service on the Ethernet link at the service level is not available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Examples of the invention include communication systems and their methods of operation. In some examples of the invention, a communication system is configured to use an Ethernet link provided by an Ethernet service provider to provide a first service and a second service to a user. The first service has a first service priority and a first bandwidth allocation on the Ethernet link. The second service has a second service priority and a second bandwidth allocation on the Ethernet link. The communication system comprises a pseudo-wire interface and a management system. The pseudo-wire interface is configured to exchange user communications for the first service and for the second service over the Ethernet link. The pseudo-wire interface is configured to transfer performance information indicating the performance of the Ethernet link. The management system is configured to receive and process the performance information and the service priorities to determine if a bandwidth adjustment should be made to at least one of the first bandwidth allocation and the second bandwidth allocation. The management system is configured to process the performance information, the service priorities, and the bandwidth adjustment if any to determine if a status message should be transferred to the Ethernet service provider and to determine a message priority for the status message. The speed of response by the Ethernet service provider to the status message is indicated by the message priority for the status message.

In some examples of the invention, the management system is configured to transfer a control message indicating the bandwidth adjustment and the pseudo-wire interface is configured to receive and process the control message to adjust at least one of the first bandwidth allocation and the second bandwidth allocation.

In some examples of the invention, the management system is configured to transfer the status message indicating the message priority and the performance information to the Ethernet service provider.

In some examples of the invention, the performance information indicates a problem on the Ethernet link and wherein the bandwidth adjustment indicates a reduction in the second bandwidth allocation.

In some examples of the invention, the performance information indicates that a problem on the Ethernet link has been corrected and wherein the bandwidth adjustment indicates an increase in the second bandwidth allocation.

In some examples of the invention, the first service comprises voice communications and the second service comprises Internet communications.

In some examples of the invention, the bandwidth adjustment comprises a reduction in one of the bandwidth allocations for one of the services having the lowest priority.

In some examples of the invention, the pseudo-wire interface includes physically separate ports and is configured to exchange the user communications for the first service with the user through a first one of the ports and to exchange the user communications for the second service with the user through a second one of the ports.

In some examples of the invention, the pseudo-wire interface includes physically separate ports and is configured to exchange the user communications for the first service with a first service system through a first one of the ports and to exchange the user communications for the second service with a second service system through a second one of the ports.

In some examples of the invention, the user comprises a base station that exchanges the user communications in a wireless format with wireless communication devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Communication System Configuration

FIG. 1illustrates communication system100in an example of the invention. Communication system100includes user site110, Ethernet service provider120, and network130. User site110includes user voice system111, user Internet system112, and pseudo-wire interface113. Pseudo-wire interface113includes ports114-115which are physically separate from one another. Ethernet service provider120includes Network Operation Center (NOC)121, Ethernet link control system122, and Ethernet link123. Network130includes pseudo-wire interface131, network voice system134, network Internet system135, and Network Management System (NMS)136. Pseudo-wire interface131includes ports132-133which are physically separate from one another.

At user site110, user voice system111and port114of pseudo-wire interface113exchange user communications for the voice service over user link116. User Internet system112and port115of pseudo-wire interface113exchange user communications for the Internet service over user link117. Note that pseudo-wire interface113physically separates the services on the user side by using physically separate ports114-115for each service. Links116-117typically include sub-links and components that are not shown for clarity.

In network130, port132of pseudo-wire interface131and network voice system134exchange user communications for the voice service over network link137. Port133of pseudo-wire interface131and network Internet system135exchange user communications for the Internet service over network link138. Note that pseudo-wire interface131physically separates the services on the network side by using physically separate ports132-133for each service. Links137-138typically include sub-links and components that are not shown for clarity.

Pseudo-wire interface113and pseudo-wire interface131exchange the user communications for the voice service and the Internet service over Ethernet link123. Ethernet link123typically includes sub-links and components that are not shown for clarity. Ethernet link control system122controls Ethernet link123by controlling these sub-links and components. NOC121provides instructions to Ethernet link control system122over control link124.

User voice system111at user site110exchanges user communications for the voice service with network voice system134in network130over interfaces113and131and links116,123, and137. Network voice system134processes the user communications to provide a voice service, such as telephony or push-to-talk, to user voice system111. User Internet system112at user site110exchanges user communications for the Internet service with network Internet system135in network130over interfaces113and131and links117,123, and138. Network Internet system135processes the user communications to provide an Internet service, such as Internet access, to user Internet system112. Other services, such as private data services, could be provided in a similar fashion.

The voice service has a first bandwidth allocation on Ethernet link123, and the Internet service has a second bandwidth allocation on Ethernet link123. For example, Ethernet link123may have a bandwidth of 10 gigabit per second, and the voice service may have a bandwidth allocation of 4 gigabits per second, and the Internet service may have a bandwidth allocation of 6 gigabits per second. In addition, the voice service has a first priority, and the Internet service has a second priority. For example, on a priority scale of one through ten with one being high, the voice service may have a high priority of two, and the Internet service may have a lower priority of seven.

In some variations, user site110represents a customer site for a customer of network130. In some variations, user site110represents a wireless base station that exchanges user communications in a wireless format with wireless communication devices.

Communication System Operation

FIG. 2illustrates the operation of communication system100in an example of the invention. The reference numbers onFIG. 2are indicated parenthetically below. The operation starts with the establishment of service priorities and bandwidth allocations for the services (201). For example, the voice service may get a service priority of two and a bandwidth allocation of 4 gigabits per second, and the Internet service may get a priority of eight and a bandwidth allocation of 6 gigabits per second.

Pseudo-wire interfaces113and131monitor the performance of Ethernet link123in Ethernet service provider120(202). Pseudo-wire interfaces113and131transfer performance information indicating the monitored performance of Ethernet link123to NMS136over respective links118and139(202). Performance monitoring could entail measurements for packet loss, packet delay, jitter, and bit error rates, although other types of performance monitoring could be used.

NMS136receives and processes the performance information and the service priorities to determine if a bandwidth adjustment should be made to at least one of the bandwidth allocations (203-204). To make this determination, NMS136could compare performance data for packet loss, packet delay, jitter, and bit error rates to various thresholds to identify problems or opportunities. Logical combinations of thresholds could be used, such as packet delay exceeding a first threshold and a bit error rate exceeding a second threshold. NMS136could also factor in the service priorities. For example, no bandwidth reductions may be allowed for services with a high priority of one or two, but bandwidth adjustments may always be available for services with a low priority of nine or ten. Thus, the bandwidth adjustments can be correlated to both link performance and service priorities.

If NMS136determines that an adjustment to a bandwidth allocation is needed (204), then NMS136transfers control messages to pseudo-wire interfaces113and131indicating the bandwidth adjustment (205) over links118and139. Pseudo-wire interfaces113and131receive and process the control messages to make the bandwidth adjustment in response to the control messages (206). For example, NMS136could reduce the bandwidth allocation for the Internet service from 6 gigabits per second to 4 gigabits per second, because the packet delay and bit error rate both exceed their thresholds for the voice service, thus possibly having a negative effect on voice service, and because the Internet service priority is eight (which is lower than a service priority of two as in the voice service example). In response to the control messages, pseudo-wire interfaces113and131would limit the bandwidth for the Internet service to 4 gigabits per second by limiting the bandwidth through ports115and133, which are physically assigned to the Internet service. Hopefully, the reduction in bandwidth for the Internet service will help the quality of service for the higher priority voice service—without reducing the bandwidth allocation to the higher priority voice service.

In another example, NMS136could increase the bandwidth allocation for the Internet service from 4 gigabits per second back to 6 gigabits per second, because packet delay and bit error rates both drop below their thresholds. In response to the control messages, pseudo-wire interfaces113and131would increase the bandwidth for the Internet service back to 6 gigabits per second by increasing the bandwidth through ports115and133, which are physically assigned to the Internet service. The increase in bandwidth for the Internet service should not impair the quality of service for the higher priority voice service given the improved performance of Ethernet link123.

After the bandwidth adjustment (205-206) or if no bandwidth adjustment is made (204), NMS136processes the performance information, the service priorities, and any bandwidth adjustment to determine if a status message should be transferred to Ethernet service provider120(207-208). To make this determination, NMS136could compare performance data for packet loss, packet delay, jitter, and bit error rates to various thresholds to identify problems. Logical combinations of thresholds could be used, such as packet delay exceeding a first threshold and a bit error rate exceeding a second threshold. For example, a status message may be needed where the performance information indicates that two performance measurements have exceeded their given thresholds and where a service on the link has a priority greater than three. If a bandwidth adjustment has been made to solve a temporary problem, then no status message may be required.

If NMS136determines that a status message having a selected message priority should be sent to Ethernet service provider120(209), then NMS136transfers the status message to NOC121in Ethernet service provider120over link140, where the status message indicates the message priority and the performance information (210). NOC121in Ethernet service provider120receives and process the status message to respond within the time period indicated by the message priority (211). The response or action taken by Ethernet service provider120could be to get Ethernet link123within predetermined performance tolerances within the time frame set by the message priority. For example, NOC121could immediately allocate more bandwidth to Ethernet link123in response to a status message having a message priority of one. NOC121could implement such a response by sending instructions to Ethernet link control system122over link124. Ethernet link control system122could apply conventional control techniques to implement the instructions provided by NOC121.

After sending a status message (210) or if no status message is sent (208), NMS136logs the performance information, any bandwidth adjustments, and any status message, and the process returns to performance monitoring (202).

In some variations, the status message comprises a trouble report that is transferred to Ethernet service provider120. In some variations, Ethernet service provider120could be a separate business entity from network130. Thus, NMS136could automatically transfer trouble reports (status messages) to a third-party Ethernet service provider in response to performance problems in the third-party Ethernet network.

Communication System Advantages

The communication system is able to directly control the Ethernet link by using the pseudo-wire interfaces to adjust bandwidth at the service level. The communication system is able to indirectly control the Ethernet link by messaging the Ethernet service provider. This status messaging indicates a message priority to help the Ethernet service provider respond in the proper timeframe. Advantageously, the communication system correlates bandwidth adjustments and prioritized status messaging with one another and with both link performance and service priorities.

If the performance information indicates a problem on the Ethernet link, such as jitter exceeding a threshold, then the bandwidth allocated to the lowest priority service can be reduced to help the quality-of-service for higher-priority services on the problematic Ethernet link. When the performance information indicates that the problem on the Ethernet link has been corrected, then the reduced bandwidth allocated to the lowest priority service can be increased back to its former allocation.

Thus, the pseudo-wire interfaces and NMS effectively integrate performance monitoring with service priorities to control bandwidth allocations through a third-party Ethernet service provider that is ignorant of the services and their service priorities. The pseudo-wire interfaces and NMS also provide prioritized status messaging to the Ethernet service provider that takes into account the performance monitoring, service priorities, and any bandwidth adjustments. Advantageously, the above-described communication system allows a network to use cost-effective third-party Ethernet links but to maintain effective quality-of-service at the service level for the services that utilize the Ethernet link.