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Displaying SONET Alarms and Errors

Action

To display SONET alarms and errors, use the following Junos OS command-line interface (CLI) operational mode command:

user@host> show interfaces so-fpc/pic/port extensive

Sample Output

user@host> show interfaces so-1/1/1 extensive
[...Output truncated...]
  Active alarms  : None
  Active defects : None
  SONET PHY:            Seconds        Count  State
    PLL Lock                  0            0  OK
    PHY Light                 0            0  OK
  SONET section:
    BIP-B1                    0            0
    SEF                       0            0  OK
    LOS                       0            0  OK
    LOF                       0            0  OK
    ES-S                      0
    SES-S                     0
    SEFS-S                    0
  SONET line:
    BIP-B2                    0            0
    REI-L                     0            0
    RDI-L                     0            0  OK
    AIS-L                     0            0  OK
    BERR-SF                   0            0  OK
    BERR-SD                   0            0  OK
    ES-L                      0
    SES-L                     0
    UAS-L                     0
    ES-LFE                    0
    SES-LFE                   0
    UAS-LFE                   0
  SONET path:
    BIP-B3                    0            0
    REI-P                     0            0
    LOP-P                     0            0  OK
    AIS-P                     0            0  OK
    RDI-P                     0            0  OK
    UNEQ-P                    0            0  OK
    PLM-P                     0            0  OK
    ES-P                      0
    SES-P                     0
    UAS-P                     0
    ES-PFE                    0
    SES-PFE                   0
    UAS-PFE                   0
[...Output truncated...]

Meaning

The sample output shows where you find SONET alarms and errors. SONET alarms and errors fall into three different areas of the output: section, line, and path.

Section, line, and path errors occur over different spans of the SONET network and between different pieces of equipment. Figure 1 shows an example of a SONET network with the section, line, and path areas delimited. Figure 1 also shows the different pieces of equipment that comprise a SONET network:

  • A router, usually a path-terminating equipment (PTE)
  • An add/drop multiplexer (ADM), usually a line-terminating equipment (LTE)
  • A repeater, usually a section-terminating equipment (STE)

Figure 1: Example of a SONET Network

Example of a SONET Network

SONET Section

The SONET section is the connection between two STEs. The STE performs the simple regeneration of the SONET signal to the next SONET equipment span between itself, the PTE, and the ADM. For example, Repeater 1 (STE) regenerates the SONET signal between itself and ADM1, and the section between itself andRouter 1 (PTE). The STE checks to make sure that the incoming SONET frame, arriving from a directly connected neighbor, is good. An STE does not have any knowledge of the rest of the span.

An STE looks at the section overhead bytes of the SONET frame even though it can rewrite the other overhead bytes if an alarm is generated.

SONET Line

The SONET line is the span between two LTEs. The LTE pays particular attention to the line overhead bytes of the SONET frame, can add and remove payload, and has more knowledge of the SONET network than the STEs. The LTE does not do the final processing of the SONET payload as does the PTE. The ADM is an LTE.

SONET Path

The SONET path is the span between two PTEs. The PTE is the final destination where the SONET frame is terminated and the payload it carries is processed. A PTE pays particular attention to the path overhead bytes of the SONET frame.

SONET System Hierarchy

The SONET system hierarchy is comprised of PTEs, LTEs, and STEs. The characteristics of each are as follows:

  • The main role of a PTE is to read the path overhead bytes. However, it also reads the line overhead bytes and the section overhead bytes. Therefore the PTE also plays the role of an LTE and an STE.
  • The main role of an LTE is to read the line overhead bytes. However, it also reads the section overhead bytes. Therefore the LTE also plays the role of an STE.
  • An STE reads only the section overhead bytes of the SONET frame. (See Figure 2.)

Upstream and Downstream

The terms upstream and downstream are used in defining SONET alarms and errors. The terms are meaningful when viewed from the point of view of the failure in the circuit.

For example, in Figure 2 the failure occurs in the section between ADM 1 and ADM 2. The signal is transmitted from Router 2 in the direction of Router 1(from right to left). In this example, Router 1, Repeater 1, and ADM 1 are downstream from the failure. ADM 2, Repeater 2, and Router 2 are upstream from the failure.

Figure 2: Example of an Upstream or Downstream Failure

Example of an Upstream or Downstream
Failure

The failure sends an alarm from ADM 1 to Router 1 in the direction of the signal transmission (downstream). Alarms are also sent from ADM1 to ADM2 and from Router1 to Router2 in the opposite direction of the signal transmission (upstream).

In Figure 3, the failure is also between ADM 1 and ADM 2. However, the signal is transmitted from Router 1 in the direction of Router 2 (from left to right). Router 2, Repeater 2, and ADM 2 are downstream from the failure. ADM 1, Repeater 1, and Router 1 are upstream from the failure.

Figure 3: Another Example of an Upstream or Downstream Failure

Another Example of an Upstream or
Downstream Failure

This failure sends an alarm from ADM 2 to Router 2 in the direction of the signal transmission (downstream). Alarms are also sent from ADM 2 to ADM 1 and from Router 2 to Router 1 in the opposite direction of the signal transmission (upstream).

All diagnostics are from the perspective of the PTE (the Juniper Networks router). Although the exact source of the problem can be difficult to find without having access to the LTE or the STE, you can at least determine from the PTE output whether the problem is remote or local.

Published: 2012-12-10