Fast and reliable inter-network element optical protection switching

A hybrid node, comprising:

• a node controller comprising a first processor, a first non-transitory processor-readable medium storing first processor-executable instructions, a first network switch configured to communicate using a first network path and a second network path, and packet forwarding circuitry forming a portion of the first network path;
• and;
• an optical protection switching module comprising a second processor, a second non-transitory processor-readable medium storing second processor-executable instructions, a stored sequence number, and a stored sequence reset time, a first line port connected to a working path, a second line port connected to a protection path, a system port, and an optical switch coupled to the first line port to receive first optical signals from the working path and the second line port to receive second optical signals from the protection path for selectively switching optical signals from the first line port or the second line port to the system port;
• and
• a digital line module comprising a third processor, a third non-transitory processor-readable medium storing third processor-executable instructions, and a second network switch configured to communicate using the first network path and the second network path;
• wherein the third processor-executable instruction, when executed by the third processor, cause the third processor to:
• receive a fault signal including fault information related to a fault;
• generate a first fault packet comprising a first packet header and the fault information, the first packet header including a first sequence number and a first sequence reset time;
• generate a first fault trigger request comprising first request parameters and the fault information, the first request parameters including the first sequence number and the first sequence reset time;
• and
• send the first fault packet and the first fault trigger request to the node controller, the first fault packet sent via the first network path and the first fault trigger request sent via the second network path;
• and
• wherein the packet forwarding circuitry of the node controller is configured to:
• receive the first fault packet and automatically forward the first fault packet to the optical protection switching module;
• and
• wherein the first processor-executable instructions, when executed, cause the first processor of the node controller to receive the first fault trigger request, process the first fault trigger request, and send the first fault trigger request to the optical protection switching module;
• wherein the second processor-executable instructions, when executed by the second processor, cause the second processor to:
• receive, at a first instant in time, the first fault packet and process the first fault packet by comparing the first sequence number and the first sequence reset time to the stored sequence number and the stored sequence reset time stored in the second non-transitory processor-readable medium and, if the first sequence number is greater than the stored sequence number and the first sequence reset time is equal to the stored sequence reset time, replace the stored sequence number with the first sequence number and the stored sequence rest time with the first sequence reset time in the second non-transitory processor-readable medium and switch the first line port or the second line port to the system port on the optical switch based on the fault information;
• and
• receive, at a second instant in time later than the first instant in time, the processed first fault trigger request and further process the processed first fault trigger request by comparing the first sequence number and the first sequence reset time to the stored sequence number and the stored sequence reset time stored in the second non-transitory processor-readable medium and, if the first sequence number is equal to the stored sequence number and the first sequence reset time is equal to the stored sequence reset time number, discard the fault information of the first fault trigger request.