Nortel Networks Corporation

Walter Collins

Martin Soukup

Sharon Chisholm

Chris Ramsden

John Paul McGrotty

April Pennisi

Doug Trump

James Alves

Charles Gale

Data for inclusion in a probable cause field of a telecommunications network alarm indication message is structured to comprise first and second delimited data elements respectively indicating first and second predetermined (ie standardized) probable cause codes, the first and second predetermined probable cause codes relating to one or more characteristics of an event occurring or having occurred in a telecommunications network. Methods, apparatus and computer programs for generating and for processing such data is provided as well as signals representing such data.

Probable cause fields in telecommunications network alarm indication messages

A first aspect of the invention provides a system for prioritising faults in a transport network comprising network elements arranged to transport data signals comprising respective overhead data and payload data. The system comprises one or more first network elements arranged to include in said overhead data a priority indicator indicating the relative importance of the respective payload data. The system further includes one or more second network elements arranged to examine the respective priority indicator of data signals in respect of which a fault is detected. Detected faults are prioritised using the respective value of the priority indicator and hence on the relative importance of the information carried by the faulty signal.

Identification of priority faults in a transport network

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Hillsborough, United Kingdom

Walter Collins