Configuration data

A system for use in generating path configuration data for an optical network, the system comprising:

• at least one memory including computer program code;
• and at least one processor in data communication with the memory, the processor configured to:
• perform a least cost path calculation process on a network graph representation of the optical network to generate path configuration data for the optical network,
• wherein the optical network comprises a plurality of optical nodes connected by optical links, each node in the plurality being configured to transmit incoming data on an ingress optical link at a first wavelength as outgoing data on an egress optical link at the first wavelength or one or more wavelengths different to the first wavelength,
• wherein performing the least cost path calculation process comprises
• performing a network graph expansion process on the network graph representation of the optical network to obtain an expanded network graph representation of the optical network,
• wherein performing the network graph expansion process comprises:
• determining data identifying possible expansion paths to each optical node in the plurality, a cost of each path, and an available wavelengths for each path;
• grouping together wavelength and path data for paths of equal cost;
• and
• at one or more nodes in the plurality:
• identifying a subset of one or more wavelengths that have been selected on an ingress link of the one or more nodes which cannot be used on an egress link of the one or more nodes;
• and
• performing a wavelength pruning operation comprising pruning the subset of one or more identified wavelengths from the selected wavelengths of the egress link of the one or more nodes in the expanded network graph representation of the optical network.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a computerized device to perform a method for generating path configuration data for an optical network, the method comprising:

• performing a least cost path calculation process on a network graph representation of the optical network to generate path configuration data for the optical network,
• wherein the optical network comprises a plurality of optical nodes connected by optical links, each node in the plurality being configured to transmit incoming data on an ingress optical link at a first wavelength as outgoing data on an egress optical link at the first wavelength or one or more wavelengths different to the first wavelength,
• wherein performing the least cost path calculation process comprises performing a network graph expansion process on the network graph representation of the optical network to obtain an expanded network graph representation of the optical network,
• wherein performing the network graph expansion process comprises:
• determining data identifying possible expansion paths to each optical node in the plurality, a cost of each path, and an available wavelengths for each path;
• grouping together wavelength and path data for paths of equal cost;
• and
• at one or more nodes in the plurality:
• identifying a subset of one or more wavelengths that have been selected on an ingress link of the one or more nodes which cannot be used on an egress link of the one or more nodes;
• and
• performing a wavelength pruning operation comprising pruning the subset of one or more identified wavelengths from the selected wavelengths of the egress link of the one or more nodes in the expanded network graph representation of the optical network.

A method of generating path configuration data for an optical network, the method comprising:

• performing a least cost path calculation process on a network graph representation of the optical network to generate path configuration data for the optical network,
• wherein the optical network comprises a plurality of optical nodes connected by optical links including:
• at least one wavelength pass-through optical node configured to transmit incoming data on an ingress optical link at a first wavelength as outgoing data on an egress optical link at the first wavelength only;
• and
• at least one wavelength conversion optical node configured to transmit incoming data on an ingress optical link at a second wavelength as outgoing data on an egress optical link at one or more wavelengths different to the second wavelength,
• wherein performing the least cost path calculation process comprises performing a network graph expansion process on the network graph representation of the optical network to obtain an expanded network graph representation of the optical network,
• wherein performing the network graph expansion process comprises, for at least one physical egress link of at least one wavelength conversion optical node, expanding the at least one physical egress link into:
• a virtual wavelength pass-through egress link, wherein a predetermined pass-through cost is assigned to the operation of the respective wavelength conversion optical node passing through data on an ingress link to the virtual wavelength pass-through egress link at the same wavelength;
• and
• a virtual wavelength conversion egress link, wherein a predetermined wavelength conversion cost assigned to the operation of the respective wavelength conversion optical node converting data on an ingress link to one or more different wavelengths on the virtual wavelength conversion egress link,
• wherein the least cost path calculation process is carried out based on the expanded network graph representation of the network comprising virtual wavelength pass-through and virtual wavelength conversion egress links.