A method of characterizing noise associated with a DSL link, comprising: receiving data indicative of a level of stability of a DSL link; determining whether the data indicates a level of stability of the DSL link that is above or below a first minimum threshold; comparing noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure with noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure in response to determining the level of stability of the DSL link is below the first minimum threshold, wherein a difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure that exceeds a second threshold is characterized as a stationary noise associated with the DSL link, and a difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure is below the second threshold is characterized according to an additional determination of whether the failure is associated with a loss of power to the DSL link or whether the failure is associated with a severe impulse noise event; and recording (440, 450, 460) the characterization of the difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure in response to determining the level of stability of the DSL link is below the first minimum threshold. receiving data indicative of a level of stability of a DSL link; determining whether the data indicates a level of stability of the DSL link that is above or below a first minimum threshold; comparing noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure with noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure in response to determining the level of stability of the DSL link is below the first minimum threshold, wherein a difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure that exceeds a second threshold is characterized as a stationary noise associated with the DSL link, and a difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure is below the second threshold is characterized according to an additional determination of whether the failure is associated with a loss of power to the DSL link or whether the failure is associated with a severe impulse noise event; and a difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure that exceeds a second threshold is characterized as a stationary noise associated with the DSL link, and a difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure is below the second threshold is characterized according to an additional determination of whether the failure is associated with a loss of power to the DSL link or whether the failure is associated with a severe impulse noise event; and recording (440, 450, 460) the characterization of the difference between the noise associated with the DSL link before a time of failure and the noise associated with the DSL link after the time of failure in response to determining the level of stability of the DSL link is below the first minimum threshold.