High reliability optical amplification

A method of amplifying optical signals comprising:

• identifying a failing amplifier pump signal comprising a reduced power compared to a normal power of the failing amplifier pump signal;
• and
• in response to identifying the failing amplifier pump signal:
• adjusting the power of another amplifier pump signal within the same amplifier stage of the same amplifier as the failing pump signal;
• and
• adjusting the power of another pump signal within another amplifier stage of the same amplifier as the failing pump signal.

A method of amplifying optical signals comprising:

• identifying a failing amplifier pump signal comprising a reduced power compared to a normal power of the failing amplifier pump signal;
• and
• in response to identifying the failing amplifier pump signal:
• adjusting the power of another amplifier pump signal within the same amplifier stage of the same amplifier as the failing pump signal;
• and
• adjusting the power of another pump signal within another amplifier serving the same optical link as the amplifier comprising the failing pump signal.

An optical amplification system comprising:

• a pump assembly operable to generate a plurality of pump signals driving at least a portion of an amplification system;
• a monitor operable to identify a failing pump signal comprising one of the plurality of pump signals having a reduced power compared to a normal power of the failing pump signal;
• and
• a controller operable to adjust the power of at least one other of the plurality of pump signals based at least in part on the failing pump signal to at least partially compensate for a degradation of performance of the amplification system that would otherwise be caused by the reduction in power of the failing pump signal.

An optical amplification system comprising:

• an active pump assembly operable to generate a plurality of active pump signals driving at least a portion of an amplification system;
• a monitor operable to identify a failing pump signal comprising one of the plurality of active pump signals having a reduced power compared to a normal power of the failing pump signal;
• and
• a controller operable to compensate for a degradation of performance of the amplification system that would otherwise be caused by the reduction in power of the failing pump signal without requiring a redundant pump source for each active pump source within the active pump assembly.

An optical communication system, comprising:

• one or more optical transmitters operable to generate alone or collectively a plurality of signal wavelengths;
• a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) operable to combine the plurality of signal wavelengths into a single multiple wavelength signal for transmission over a transmission medium;
• a pump assembly operable to generate a plurality of pump signals driving at least a portion of an amplification system coupled to the transmission medium;
• a monitor operable to identify a failing pump signal comprising one of the plurality of pump signals having a reduced power compared to a normal power of the failing pump signal;
• and
• a controller operable to adjust the power of at least one other of the plurality of pump signals based at least in part on the failing pump signal to at least partially compensate for a degradation of performance of the amplification system that would otherwise be caused by the reduction in power of the failing pump signal.