Method and system for detecting network elements in an optical communications network

An optical communications network, comprising:

• an initiating network element:
• said initiating network element generating a neighbor discovery message, the neighbor discovery message including a requested hierarchy level at which neighbor discovery is requested;
• and
• said initiating network element transmitting the neighbor discovery message downstream along the optical communications network;
• a downstream network element in communication with said initiating network element:
• said downstream network element receiving the neighbor discovery message;
• said downstream network element determining if the downstream network element operates at the requested hierarchy level;
• said downstream network element generating a responding neighbor discovery message if the downstream network element operates at the requested hierarchy level;
• said downstream network element transmitting the responding neighbor discovery message to the initiating network element;
• and
• said downstream network element transmitting a don't care message downstream along the optical communications network upon determining that said downstream network element operates at the requested hierarchy level.

A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for detecting network elements in an optical communications network, the storage medium including instructions for causing a network element to implement a method comprising:

• in an initiating mode:
• generating a neighbor discovery message, the neighbor discovery message including a requested hierarchy level at which neighbor discovery is requested;
• transmitting the neighbor discovery message downstream along the optical communications network;
• and
• receiving a responding neighbor discovery message from a downstream network element operating at the requested hierarchy level;
• in a responding mode:
• receiving a neighbor discovery message from an upstream network element, the neighbor discovery message including a requested hierarchy level at which neighbor discovery is requested;
• determining if the network element operates at the requested hierarchy level;
• generating a responding neighbor discovery message if the network element operates at the requested hierarchy level;
• transmitting the responding neighbor discovery message to the upstream network element;
• and
• providing an out-of-band confirmation message to the upstream network element, the out-of-band confirmation message including a network element identifier and a network element port identifier identifying a port of the network element from which the responding neighbor discovery message was transmitted.