System and method for performing pre-emptive protection switching
OwnerRichard Charles Vieregge, Hans Frederick Johnsen +2inventors
InventorsRichard Charles Vieregge, Hans Frederick Johnsen, Walter Joseph Carpini, Victoria Donnelly
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Abstract
Methods and network nodes are provided which are adapted to perform protection switching on the basis of raw signal quality information, such as raw BER information, in a manner which instigates the protection switching before an actual failure has occurred. In some embodiments, these methods leverage forward error correction and uncorrected BER to effect traffic redirection before faults are observed at layer 2 and above. This is as opposed to the method of switching layer 2 traffic in response to bitstream characteristics observed at that layer.
Claims26
A method of performing protection switching in a communications network, the method comprising:
- a) on an ongoing basis, monitoring a raw quality measure in respect of a first path through the communications network;
- b) on an ongoing basis, deciding on the basis of the quality measure whether a failure on the first path is likely to occur in the immediate future;
- c) after deciding a failure is likely to occur in the immediate future but before occurrence of a failure, instigating a switch to a protection path through the network.
A method of performing protection switching in an optical communications network, the method comprising:
- a) on an ongoing basis, monitoring a raw BER in respect of a first light path between components in an optical communications network;
- b) on an ongoing basis, deciding on the basis of the raw BER whether a failure on the first light path is likely to occur in the immediate future;
- c) after deciding a failure is likely to occur in the immediate future but before occurrence of a failure, instigating a switch to a protection link through the network, and switching at least one service from the first light path to the protection light path.
A network node comprising:
- an input for receiving on an ongoing basis raw BER measurements in respect of a path through a network of which the network node forms a part;
- decision means adapted to, on an ongoing basis, decide on the basis of the raw BER measurements whether a failure on the path is likely to occur in the immediate future, and after deciding a failure is likely to occur in the immediate future but before occurrence of the failure to instigate a switch to a protection path through the network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.