Brocade Multi-Service IronWare Administration Guide (Supporting R05.6.00) - Manual (Page 163)

Multi-Service IronWare Administration Guide 145
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IEEE 802.1ag Connectivity Fault Management (CFM)
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IEEE 802.1ag Connectivity Fault Management (CFM)
IEEE 802.1ag Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) refers to the ability of a network to monitor the
health of a service delivered to customers as opposed to just links or individual bridges.
The IEEE 802.1ag CFM standard specifies protocols, procedures, and managed objects to support
transport fault management. This allows for the discovery and verification of the path, through
bridges and LANs, taken by frames addressed to and from specified network users and the
detection, and isolation of a connectivity fault to a specific bridge or LAN.
Ethernet CFM defines proactive and diagnostic fault localization procedures for point-to-point and
multipoint Ethernet Virtual Connections that span one or more links. It operates end-to-end within
an Ethernet network.
Ethernet OAM capabilities
Ethernet OAM is able to:
• Monitor the health of links (because providers and customers might not have access to the
management layer)
• Check connectivity of ports
• Detect fabric failures
• Provide the building blocks for error localization tools
• Give appropriate scope to customers, providers and operators (hierarchical layering of OAM)
• Avoid security breaches
IEEE 802.1ag purpose
Bridges are increasingly used in networks operated by multiple independent organizations, each
with restricted management access to each other’s equipment. CFM provides capabilities for
detecting, verifying and isolating connectivity failures in such networks.
There are multiple organizations involved in a Metro Ethernet Service: Customers, Service
Providers and Operators.
Customers purchase Ethernet Service from Service Providers. Service Providers may utilize their
own networks, or the networks of other Operators to provide connectivity for the requested service.
Customers themselves may be Service Providers, for example a Customer may be an Internet
Service Provider which sells Internet connectivity.
Operators will need minimal Ethernet OAM. Providers will need more comprehensive Ethernet OAM
for themselves and to allow customers better monitoring functionality.
FIGURE 7 OAM Ethernet tools