METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FAULT CONDITIONS IN A NETWORK

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for detecting a fault condition in a network, making use of standard parameter data generated by a network termination device of a user of the network, the method comprising, in a training phase, the remote retrieval of selected parameters from a predetermined set of users' network termination devices in order to generate one or more representative models of expected operational status using the retrieved parameters and, in a monitoring phase, determining a measure of operational status for the set of users at some future time and comparing that with a corresponding expected model measure. Parameter retrieval takes place over substantially the same path through the network as used to supply services to a respective network termination device so that the models are generated in respect of communications over those elements of network infrastructure likely to affect operational status of the respective set of users in the event of a fault condition. Any significant variation from model measures may be indicative of a fault condition. Preferred measures of operational status include connectivity status and service status.

主权项

1. A method for detecting a fault condition in a network, the network having a plurality of network users each having, linked to the network, a network termination device for accessing services over the network, the method comprising the steps:
(i) in a training phase, remotely establishing a connection through the network to a network termination device of each of a predetermined set of users, said connection following substantially the same path through the network as that used by the respective network termination device to access said services over the network, thereby to retrieve parameter data generated by the device comprising values of a first predetermined set of parameters indicative of a measure of connectivity status of the device with respect to the network; (ii) applying one or more types of analysis to the retrieved parameter data thereby to generate one or more models of expected device connectivity for the network termination devices of the set of users; and (iii) in a monitoring phase, remotely retrieving values for said first predetermined set of parameters from a network termination device of a selected user and comparing the measure of connectivity status derived from the retrieved parameter values for the selected user with an expected measure of device connectivity indicated by a corresponding model of device connectivity generated at step (ii) thereby to identify a variation in connectivity status for the selected user's device indicative of a fault condition in the network.