Scalable selective alarm suppression is achieved through a new class of
management packet, such as a new class of Ethernet management frame,
adapted to convey a reachability relationship between a lower level
maintenance point and a single higher level maintenance point, and more
particularly adapted to convey to a first higher level maintenance point
that receives the packet an identity of a single second higher level
maintenance point that will become unreachable to the first higher level
maintenance point in the event of a loss of continuity involving the
lower level maintenance point. Once the first higher level maintenance
point has learned a totality of operative reachability relationships
through receipt of such packets and is notified of a loss of continuity
involving the lower level maintenance point, the first higher level
maintenance point can reference the learned reachability relationships
and readily determine under what circumstances it should suppress an
alarm in response to a detected loss of continuity with a higher level
maintenance point.