A Dependability Assessment Process for Ensuring Consistent Provisioning of Network Recovery

We have developed an engineering method to detect errors in provisioning automated recovery processes in multilayer and multi-protocol communications transport networks. Our dependability assessment process leverages inference techniques provided by Semantic Web technologies in order to detect network-device provisioning errors. Provisioning should be accompanied by methodologies, processes, and activities to ensure that it can be trusted to achieve a desired network state. Our method takes into account unique constraints in the telecommunications domain including bottom-up evolution of physical layer technologies to provide connectivity and lack of a universal model of network functionality. We apply our method to assessing the correctness of provisioning decisions for a protection switching application in a transport network in both the spatial and temporal domains.