Methods of placing reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMS) in a network

A processor-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

• identify a plurality of candidate locations based at least partially on a simulated routing of data traffic in a distributed data network;
• select at least one of the candidate locations for placement of a Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer ROADM);
• and
• store a record of the at least one selected candidate location for use in simulating rerouting of data traffic in the distributed network with the at least one ROADM included at the at least one selected candidate location.

A method, comprising:

• generating a representation of a distributed network, wherein the distributed network includes a plurality of fiber optic spans;
• simulating routing of data traffic via the distributed network using the representation of the distributed network;
• identifying at least one of the plurality of fiber optic spans that exceeds a design threshold;
• generating a second representation of the distributed network, wherein the second representation of the distributed network includes at least one Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) coupled to the at least one identified fiber optic span;
• and
• simulating rerouting of data traffic via the distributed network using the second representation of the distributed network.

A distributed network comprising:

• at least two Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs);
• wherein the distributed network is associated with a representation of the distributed network generated by a method including:
• simulating routing of data traffic in a distributed network;
• identifying a first location for placement of a fist ROADM based at least partially on the simulated routing of the data traffic;
• simulating rerouting of data traffic in the distributed network including the first ROADM at the first location;
• and
• identifying a second location for placement of a second ROADM based at least partially on the simulated rerouting of the data traffic.