Coordinated and scheduled standards-based intervals in network elements

A network element in a network configured to coordinate and schedule intervals, the network element comprising:

• one or more ports configured to operate one or more services at one or more protocols;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more ports, wherein the controller is configured to
• configure one or more attributes of a plurality of timer-based events, wherein the plurality of timer-based events comprise protocol-based actions which are performed responsive to expiry of an associated timer, and wherein the one or more attributes define when the protocol-based actions occur, and
• cause performance of associated protocol-based actions based on the one or more attributes and based on expiry of the associated timer,
• wherein the one or more attributes constrain an associated protocol-based action unless associated timers have expired for all services with a common group variable and a current time is within a time window within which the associated protocol-based action is allowed to occur.

A network element in a network configured to coordinate and schedule intervals, the network element comprising:

• one or more ports configured to operate one or more services at one or more protocols;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more ports, wherein the controller is configured to
• receive one or more attributes of a plurality of timer-based events from by an operator via any of a management system, a control plane, and an orchestrator,
• configure the one or more attributes of the plurality of timer-based events, wherein the plurality of timer-based events comprise protocol-based actions which are performed responsive to expiry of an associated timer, and wherein the one or more attributes define when the protocol-based actions occur and the one or more attributes define a grouping of different timers required to expire before an associated protocol-based action can occur, and
• cause performance of associated protocol-based actions based on the one or more attributes and based on expiry of the associated timer.