Secure autonomic optical transport networks

A method for adding a network element to an optical domain, comprising:

• sending from, and receiving to, an autonomic control plane on a proxy network element in an optical domain, a series of connection signals with an autonomic control plane on a new network element, over a link-local connection, to establish an encrypted channel of communication between the new network element and the proxy network element;
• sending, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element, a first verification signal over the encrypted channel of communication to the new network element, the first verification signal containing a first identifier certificate, the first identifier certificate being generated using a secure unique device identifier of the proxy network element;
• receiving, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element, a second verification signal to the proxy network element over the encrypted channel of communication, the second verification signal containing a second identifier certificate, the second identifier certificate being generated using a secure unique device identifier of the new network element after the new network element has verified the first identifier certificate with the autonomic control plane on the new network element;
• verifying, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element, the second identifier certificate;
• sending, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element, upon verification of the second identifier certificate, a third verification signal to a registrar in the optical domain, over a supervisory channel, the third verification signal containing the second identifier certificate;
• receiving, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element from the registrar, a parameters signal over the supervisory channel, the parameters signal containing domain specific parameters, after verification of the second identifier certificate by the registrar;
• forwarding, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element, the parameters signal over the encrypted channel of communication to the new network element;
• receiving, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element from the new network element, a certificate signal containing a local certificate of the new network element, over the encrypted channel of communication;
• forwarding, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element, the certificate signal to the registrar;
• and
• receiving, with the autonomic control plane on the proxy network element from the registrar, a registration signal over the supervisory channel, the registration signal containing a signed local certificate signed by the registrar.