Network management system and method provisioning oam support for multicast communications sessions

Abstract

A method for monitoring a point-to-multipoint unidirectional multicast connection via exchange of OAM messages is presented. The method includes retrieving the connection record of the multicast connection from a network management system repository and determining common parent path points between the root and a selected path branch endpoint. In turning on content conveyance monitoring for a termination other than the root, the termination specific uncommon portion of the transport path is segmented if necessary, OAM compliant managed path segments are identified, and OAM configuration commands to turn on OAM functionality are issued only to uncommon path segment endpoints. In turning off content conveyance monitoring for a termination other than the root, a single OAM configuration command to turn off OAM functionality is issued only for the path branch endpoint, or if the uncommon portion of the transport path associated with the no longer participating termination is segmented, OAM configuration commands to turn off OAM functionality are issued only to uncommon path segment endpoints. Advantages are derived from a centralized multicast connection that is configurable in real-time, and reduced signaling overhead as OAM configuration commands are sent only to relevant uncommon managed path segment endpoints as needed.