Fault detection, isolation, and reporting

Overview

Alcatel-Lucent 1665 DMX continuously monitors incoming signals and internal system conditions.

Incoming signals

Incoming signals are monitored at the line level for loss of signal (LOS), loss of frame (LOF), and Alarm Indication Signal (AIS), and BER threshold crossings. Incoming signals are monitored at the path level for loss of pointer (LOP), Alarm Indication Signal (AIS), unequipped (UNEQ), and BER threshold crossings.

At the OTS and OCH levels, Alcatel-Lucent 1665 DMX monitors for and reports on loss of signal - path (LOS-P) alarms.

At the OTUk level, Alcatel-Lucent 1665 DMX monitors for and reports on loss of signal - path (LOS-P), backward defect indicator (BDI), signal Degrade (DEG), loss of frame (LOF), loss of multiframe (LOM), and server signal failed (SSF) alarms. (AIS is not reported as the reported SSF is sufficient.)

At the ODUk level, Alcatel-Lucent 1665 DMX monitors for and reports on backward defect indicator (BDI), signal Degrade (DEG), locked (LCK), open connection indication (OCI), and server signal failed (SSF) alarms. AIS is detected but not reported.

The BER threshold crossings are detected for DS1, DS3, E1, EC-1, VT1.5, OC-3, OC-12, OC-48, OC-192, STS-1, STS-3c, STS-12c, STS-48c, , and STS-192c signals.

Fault detection

In addition to detecting line and path faults, the system also detects internal circuit pack faults. When an internal fault is detected, automatic diagnostics isolate the faulty circuit pack. Faults are reported to local technician and OSs so that technician dispatch and repair decisions can be made. If desired, OS personnel and local technicians can use the CIT to gain more detailed information on the fault condition.

Fault isolation

All detected fault conditions are stored and are available to be reported on demand. In addition, a history of past alarm and status conditions and events is maintained and available for on-demand reporting. Each event is real-time and date stamped.

Fault reporting

Alcatel-Lucent 1665 DMX reports all detected alarm and status conditions through the appropriate office alarm relays, SYSCTL faceplate LEDs, transmission circuit pack LEDs, and TL1 interfaces.

Alarm masking

In order to minimize the number of alarm conditions reported by the NE, Alcatel-Lucent 1665 DMX automatically masks (suppresses the reporting of) alarms of the same root cause. Alarms/status conditions of the same root cause are arranged in a hierarchical order. When more than one alarm or status condition in a hierarchical group exists in a single NE, only the top level condition in that hierarchy is reported.