A method and system for determining a bitrate allocation of a plurality of optical channels in an optical transmission link

A method for determining a bitrate allocation of a plurality of optical channels in an optical transmission link with discretized channel bitrates, the method comprising:

• determining an initial discretized bitrate allocation and a corresponding initial power allocation for the plurality of optical channels for supporting the initial discretized bitrate allocation with the proviso that all optical channels meet a pre-defined optical signal-to-noise, OSNR, threshold for the respective initial discretized bitrate allocated to the respective optical channel;
• starting from the initial power allocation, varying, for an investigated optical channel of the plurality of optical channels, a channel power of the investigated optical channel to estimate a highest supported discretized bitrate for the investigated optical channel, wherein the highest supported discretized bitrate is the highest discretized bitrate for which the investigated optical channel meets a corresponding OSNR threshold;
• including the investigated optical channel in an upgrade candidate subset of the plurality of optical channels for potential bitrate upgrades based on the highest supported discretized bitrate exceeding the initial discretized bitrate for the investigated optical channel;
• and
• providing the upgrade candidate subset to an upgrade allocation algorithm.

A system for determining a bitrate allocation of a plurality of optical channels in an optical transmission link with discretized channel bitrates comprising a processing system configured to:

• determine an initial discretized bitrate allocation and a corresponding initial power allocation for the plurality of optical channels for supporting the initial discretized bitrate allocation with the proviso that all optical channels meet a pre-defined optical signal-to-noise, OSNR, threshold for the respective initial discretized bitrate allocated to the respective optical channel;
• starting from the initial power allocation, vary, for an investigated optical channel of the plurality of optical channels, a channel power of the investigated optical channel to estimate a highest supported discretized bitrate for the investigated optical channel, wherein the highest supported discretized bitrate is the highest discretized bitrate for which the investigated optical channel meets a corresponding OSNR threshold;
• include the investigated optical channel in an upgrade candidate subset of the plurality of optical channels for potential bitrate upgrades based on the highest supported discretized bitrate exceeding the initial discretized bitrate for the investigated optical channel;
• and
• provide the upgrade candidate subset to an upgrade allocation algorithm.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising machine readable instructions, which, when the machine readable instructions are executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to:

• determine an initial discretized bitrate allocation and a corresponding initial power allocation for the plurality of optical channels for supporting the initial discretized bitrate allocation with the proviso that all optical channels meet a pre-defined optical signal-to-noise, OSNR, threshold for the respective initial discretized bitrate allocated to the respective optical channel;
• starting from the initial power allocation, vary, for an investigated optical channel of the plurality of optical channels, a channel power of the investigated optical channel to estimate a highest supported discretized bitrate for the investigated optical channel, wherein the highest supported discretized bitrate is the highest discretized bitrate for which the investigated optical channel meets a corresponding OSNR threshold;
• include the investigated optical channel in an upgrade candidate subset of the plurality of optical channels for potential bitrate upgrades based on the highest supported discretized bitrate exceeding the initial discretized bitrate for the investigated optical channel;
• and
• provide the upgrade candidate subset to an upgrade allocation algorithm.