Predictive maintenance of optical transport network system

A system for predictive maintenance of at least one optical network element in an optical transport network comprising:

• a power monitor in communication with the at least one optical network element, the power monitor configured to selectively retrieve an actual power level from the optical network element;
• the power monitor being in communication with a data store having a specified power level for each of the at least one optical network element and an acceptable tolerance, wherein the specified power level includes a low mark and a high mark defining a specified power level range;
• wherein the power monitor compares the actual power level to the specified power level;
• and generates a signal if the actual power level is outside of the specified power level range by an amount greater than the acceptable tolerance;
• wherein the power monitor is configured to store the actual power level obtained during each selected retrieval in a memory, wherein the power monitor is configured to analyze a trend defined by comparing the actual power level in the memory as a function of time, and wherein upon detecting a degradation in performance within the trend, the power monitor is configured to perform at least one of increasing a frequency of selectively retrieval of the power level or generating a signal to repair or replace the at least one optical network element having the degradation in performance within the trend.