Troubleshooting Frame Relay using Visual UpTime™ Toolsets

When a troubled access line has been identified using the Event Processor, the ops staff often makes use of the Troubleshooting toolset to identify the trouble source. The ops staff use Access Line statistics and summary graphical displays from this toolset to help determine exactly what is wrong with an access line.

Figure 7. Loss of V.35 signal on access line

From this tool, the ops staff can obtain information regarding:

• V.35 signals (e.g., data terminal ready, ready/clear to send),
• DDS access line status (e.g., carrier signal present), and
• T1 access line status (e.g., carrier or alarm signal present).

When two-hour and two-day histories of these signals are viewed using the summary window, a graph depicting the percentage of errored to normal seconds over a time is used to conclude whether a certain error condition is transient or has been occurring frequently enough to warrant further investigation (see Figure 8).

When the ops staff places a call to the telco, they identify the troubled access line using customer data and circuit failure terminology the telco understands. This is a win situation for all parties: when Frame Relay users provide complete circuit and service identification and a detailed diagnosis of a service failure to the FR provider, they typically reduce the time required to restore service.

Figure 8. Persistent loss of carrier signal on access line

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