DEFINITY ECS Release 8.2 Maintenance for R8.2csi
555-233-119 Issue 1
April 2000
Maintenance for csi systems
1-15Alarm and Error Reporting
1
Alarm and Error Reporting
During normal operations, software or fir mware may detect error cond itions
relevant to specific MOs. The system attemp ts to either fix or circumvent these
problems automatically. However, if a hardware c omponent incurs too many
errors, an alarm is raised. Errors are detected in two ways:
■For “in-line” errors, firmware on the comp onent detects the
occurrence of an error d uring ongoing op erations.
■For other types of errors, a “period ic test” or a “sc heduled test”
started by the software detec ts the error. The technician can run
these tests on demand by using the maintenance commands
described in Chapter 2, ‘‘Maintenance Commands’’, and the
maintenance objects in Chapter 3, ‘‘Maintenance Objects’’.
When an error is detected, the maintenanc e software puts the error in the Error
Log and increments the error c ounter for that error. When an error counter is
“active” (g reater than zero), there is a maintenance record for the M O.
Alarms are classified dep ending on their effec t on system operation:
— MA JOR alarms identify failures that cause a cr itical degrad ation of
service. These alarms require immediate attention.
— MINO R alarms identify failures that cause some servic e degradation b ut
that do not render a cruc ial portion of the system inoperab le. MINOR
alarms require attention. However, typic ally a MINOR alarm affects only a
few trunks or stations or a single feature.
— WARNING alarms identify failures that cause no significant degradation of
service or equipment failures exter nal to the switch. These failures are not
reported to INADS or to the attendant c onsole.
— O N-BOARD problems originate in the c ircuitry on the alarmed c ircuit
pack.
— O FF-BOARD problems originate in a process or c omponent that is
external to the circuit pac k.
Maintenance Testing
Most troubles are reduced to the c ircuit pack level and can be identified by LEDs
on the circuit pac ks and software reports generated by the system. The
background ma intenance tests in the system are divid ed into three groups:
■Periodic tests are usually performed hourly b y maintenance software.
These tests are nondestructive and c an be run during hig h-traffic periods
without interfering with calls.
■Scheduled tests are usually performed d aily and are generally more
thorough than periodic testing. These tests are considered destructive
and are run only during off-hours to avoid service disrup tions.