Virtualized sections for sectional control of optical links

An edge Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (OADM) node comprising:

• an optical spectrum monitor configured to monitor an optical link and to obtain power snapshots;
• and
• a shelf processor communicatively coupled to the optical spectrum monitor, wherein memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the shelf processor to
• virtually split the optical link at a shelf processor associated with the OADM node into virtual sections for management;
• in a non-fault condition, obtain and store a power snapshot of the optical link and associated virtual sections thereon, from the optical spectrum monitor;
• responsive to a fault on one or more virtual sections of the virtual sections, obtain a current power snapshot of the optical link and the associated virtual sections;
• compare the stored power snapshot and the current power snapshot of the one or more virtual sections and provide a fault alarm for the one or more virtual sections based on the comparing to a control plane for management thereof, and
• utilize the virtual sections to provide sectional control of the optical link.

An optical network comprising:

• a plurality of Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (OADM) nodes interconnected to one another via a plurality of optical links, wherein the plurality of optical links comprise at least one foreign-controlled optical link;
• wherein the plurality of OADMs implement a control plane for management thereof;
• and
• wherein the plurality of OADMs virtually model the at least one foreign-controlled optical link in the control plane into virtual sections at a shelf processor communicatively coupled to a optical spectrum monitor configured to obtain power snapshots, wherein the shelf processor is configured to
• in a non-fault condition, obtain and store a power snapshot of the at least one foreign-controlled optical link and associated virtual sections thereon, from an optical spectrum monitor;
• responsive to a fault on one or more virtual sections of the virtual sections, obtain a current power snapshot of the at least one foreign-controlled optical link and the associated virtual sections;
• compare the stored power snapshot and the current power snapshot of the one or more virtual sections and provide a fault alarm for the one or more virtual sections based on the comparing to the control plane;
• and
• utilize the virtual sections to provide sectional control over the plurality of optical links.