Multichannel optical transceiver for matching data traffic classes to channel numbers

A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

• receiving, at a first data port of an electronic switch, data of a first type transmitted over one or more forward channels of a first communications link;
• routing, at said electronic switch, said data of a first type to a second data port of said electronic switch;
• receiving, at a second optical transceiver device, via said second data port of said electronic switch, said data of a first type using one or more first channels;
• setting, using a hardware processor of said electronic circuit switch, a flag to establish a network path responsive to routing said one data of the first type from the first optical transceiver device over the forward channel of the first communications link to said second data port of said electronic circuit switch;
• and
• setting, using the hardware processor of said electronic circuit switch, a switching state of said electronic circuit switch corresponding to said established network path, said switching state configuring said electronic circuit switch to route one data of a second type received at said second data port from said second optical transceiver device for transmission back to a receiving unit of said first optical transceiver device via said network path over a backward channel of said first communications link, said first optical transceiver device receiving said one data of a second type at said first data port of said electronic switch.

A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program instructions, the computer readable program instructions read and carried out by at least one processor for performing a method for exchanging data between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a first data port of an electronic switch, data of a first type transmitted over one or more forward channels of a first communications link;
• routing, at said electronic switch, said data of a first type to a second data port of said electronic switch;
• receiving, at a second optical transceiver device, via said second data port of said electronic switch, said data of a first type using one or more first channels;
• setting a flag to establish a network path responsive to routing said one data of the first type from the first optical transceiver device over the forward channel of the first communications link to said second data port of said electronic circuit switch;
• and
• setting a switching state of said electronic circuit switch corresponding to said established network path, said switching state configuring said electronic circuit switch to route one data of a second type received at said second data port from said second optical transceiver device for transmission back to a receiving unit of said first optical transceiver device via said network path over a backward channel of said first communications link, said first optical transceiver device receiving said one data of a second type at said first data port of said electronic switch.