Users Guide

802.1ag

Ethernet operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) are a set of tools used to install, monitor,

troubleshoot, and manage Ethernet infrastructure deployments. Ethernet OAM consists of three main areas:

• Service layer OAM — IEEE 802.1ag connectivity fault management (CFM)

• Link layer OAM — IEEE 802.3ah OAM

• Ethernet local management Interface — (MEF-16 E-LMI)

Topics:

• Ethernet CFM

• Maintenance Domains

• Maintenance Points

• Maintenance End Points

• Implementation Information

• Configuring the CFM

• Enable Ethernet CFM

• Creating a Maintenance Domain

• Creating a Maintenance Association

• Create Maintenance Points

• Continuity Check Messages

• Sending Loopback Messages and Responses

• Sending Linktrace Messages and Responses

• Enabling CFM SNMP Traps

• Displaying Ethernet CFM Statistics

Ethernet CFM

Ethernet CFM is an end-to-end per-service-instance Ethernet OAM scheme which enables: proactive

connectivity monitoring, fault verification, and fault isolation.

The service-instance with regard to OAM for Metro/Carrier Ethernet is a virtual local area network (VLAN).

This service is sold to an end-customer by a network service provider. Typically the service provider contracts

with multiple network operators to provide end-to-end service between customers. For end-to-end service

between customer switches, connectivity must be present across the service provider through multiple

network operators.

Layer 2 Ethernet networks usually cannot be managed with IP tools such as internet control message

protocol (ICMP) Ping and IP Traceroute. Traditional IP tools often fail because:

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