PATH FAULT DETECTING METHOD AND DETECTING APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM THEREOF

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a path fault detecting method or the like capable of detecting a software bug and a hardware fault at a path level even in the case of a path wherein direct fault detection is difficult at the pass level such as the Layer 2 Frame over MPLS and capable of detecting the bug and fault even from a network wherein many fault detection object paths are contained. SOLUTION: A communication path (Layer 2 Frame over MPLS path 9) which is a fault detection object and whose fault detection at the path level is difficult and a fault detection path (Layer 2 Frame over MPLS 11) on the same path are set between terminals 1A and 1B, an input apparatus 1D transmits a packet (ping) to the fault detection path 11 for confirming periodic continuity, monitors the arrival of an acknowledgement of the packet from an output apparatus 1E, regards it to be fault detection on the fault detection path when no acknowledgement packet reaches the input apparatus 1D and also regards it to be fault detection on the communication path 9 of the fault detection object. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI