Scalable selective alarm suppression for data communication network

Abstract

Scalable selective alarm suppression is achieved through a new class of management packet, such as a new class of Ethernet management frame, adapted to convey a reachability relationship between a lower level maintenance point and a single higher level maintenance point, and more particularly adapted to convey to a first higher level maintenance point that receives the packet an identity of a single second higher level maintenance point that will become unreachable to the first higher level maintenance point in the event of a loss of continuity involving the lower level maintenance point. Once the first higher level maintenance point has learned a totality of operative reachability relationships through receipt of such packets and is notified of a loss of continuity involving the lower level maintenance point, the first higher level maintenance point can reference the learned reachability relationships and readily determine under what circumstances it should suppress an alarm in response to a detected loss of continuity with a higher level maintenance point.