Cisco Technology, Inc.

Xiaopin Nie

Paul M Elliott

Phu Son Le

Philippe J Daniel

Keith Eric Neuendorff

Brian Rushka

Jin Huai

Wanq-Der Lee

A network element receives frames from multiple ring networks. Each ring network linked to the network element is supported by a designated support program. The received frames are monitored for conditions indicative of a failure in one of the ring networks. Upon detection of a failure condition, the designated support program for the failing ring network is determined and notified. The designated support program then addresses the failure condition by, for example, switching to a backup link. In one example, the multiple ring networks are SONET BLSR networks.

Multiple ring support within a single network element

A method for automatically detecting bi-directional link switched ring link provisioning errors. The method includes receiving an opaque link state advertisement containing bi-directional link switched ring ID and link information at a local node of the ring and checking ring IDs of neighbor nodes of the local node. If the ring IDs of the local node and neighbor nodes do not match a ring ID mismatch alarm is raised.

Method and system for detecting ring link provisioning mismatch

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Petaluma, CA, United States of America

Xiaopin Nie