Optical amplifier gain self-provisioning

An apparatus comprising:

• a preamplifier input configured to receive an input optical signal;
• a preamplifier output configured to generate an output optical signal;
• and
• a processor coupled to the preamplifier input and the preamplifier output, the processor configured to:
• detect the input optical signal at the preamplifier input;
• set the preamplifier output to generate the output optical signal at a predetermined Automatic Power Reduction (APR) power level;
• start an APR timer that expires after a first predetermined time period;
• after a reset of the APR timer or after an expiration of the APR timer, measure an input power level of the input optical signal and calculate a span loss as a function of a difference between the predetermined APR power level and the input power level;
• and
• adjust an output power level of the output optical signal to compensate for the span loss.

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions that, when the software is executed on optical network element, is operable to cause a processor of the optical network element to:

• detect an input optical signal at a preamplifier input of the optical network element;
• set an output power level of an output optical signal at a predetermined Automatic Power Reduction (APR) power level, the output optical signal generated at a preamplifier output of the optical network element;
• start an APR timer that expires after a first predetermined time period;
• after a reset of the APR timer or after an expiration of the APR timer measure an input power level of the input optical signal and calculate a span loss as a function of a difference between the predetermined APR power level and the input power level;
• and
• adjust the output power level of the output optical signal to compensate for the span loss.