1
Configuring Ethernet OAM
Overview
Ethernet Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) is a tool that monitors Layer 2 link
status and addresses common link-related issues on the "last mile." Ethernet OAM improves
Ethernet management and maintainability. You can use it to monitor the status of the point-to-point
link between two directly connected devices.
Major functions of Ethernet OAM
Ethernet OAM provides the following functions:
• Link performance monitoring—Monitors the performance indices of a link, including packet
loss, delay, and jitter, and collects traffic statistics of various types.
• Fault detection and alarm—Checks the connectivity of a link by sending OAM protocol data
units (OAMPDUs) and reports to the network administrators when a link error occurs.
• Remote loopback—Checks link quality and locates link errors by looping back OAMPDUs.
Ethernet OAMPDUs
Ethernet OAM operates on the data link layer. Ethernet OAM reports the link status by periodically
exchanging OAMPDUs between devices, so that the administrator can effectively manage the
network.
Ethernet OAMPDUs include the following types shown in Table 1.
Table 1
Functions of different types of OAMPDUs
OAMPDU type Function
Information OAMPDU
Used for transmitting state information of an Ethernet OAM entity, including the
information about the local device and remote devices, and customized
information, to the remote Ethernet OAM entity, and maintaining OAM
connections.
Event Notification
OAMPDU
Used by link monitoring to notify the remote OAM entity when it detects problems
on the link in between.
Loopback Control
OAMPDU
Used for remote loopback control. By inserting the information used to
enable/disable loopback to a loopback control OAMPDU, you can enable/disable
loopback on a remote OAM entity.
NOTE:
Throughout this document, an Ethernet OAM-enabled port is called an Ethernet OAM entity or an
OAM entity.
How Ethernet OAM works
This section describes the working procedures of Ethernet OAM.
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
