A method and apparatus for identifying faults in a network that has generated a plurality of fault alarms

摘要

There is described a method for identifying faults in a network that has generated a plurality of fault alarms. In the method a plurality of object/alarm pairs are generated, each pair comprising a respective one of the fault alarms and a respective network object responsible for that fault alarm. A respective identification vector is assigned to each respective object/alarm pair of the plurality of object alarm pairs; and the plurality of object/alarm pairs are processed in dependence upon a set of network fault alarm propagation rules to generate for each respective object/alarm pair an alarm propagation vector that identifies that object/alarm pair together with any other object/alarm pairs from the plurality of object/alarm pairs whose alarm may potentially have arisen as a result of that object/alarm pair. The plurality of alarm propagation vectors are processed to determine which object/alarm pairs have alarm propagation vectors that are not sub vectors of any of the alarm propagation vectors of the other object/alarm pairs. Any object/alarm pairs thus determined are identified as being linked to potential root causes of network problems.