Self-healing network initiating fault restoration activities from nodes

Abstract

In a self-healing communications network of meshed topology, wherein a group of network nodes form part of the network and support a communication route, a delay time period is established for each network node of the group in response to the occurrence of a failure in the communication route, the delay time period of each network node of the group being different from the delay time periods of other network nodes of the group. A self-healing fault restoration activity is initiated from each of the network nodes of the group when the amount of time elapsed from the time of occurrence of the failure equals the delay time period established for each network node. As a result, self-healing fault restoration activities are initiated from several network nodes at successively delayed instants, and control traffic is time-dispersed, preventing traffic concentration of fault restoration messages.