Method and system for automatic initialization of an optical network

A system for automatic initialization of an optical link in an optical network, comprising:

• (a) means for determining a span loss of each fiber span in the link;
• (b) means for setting a target gain of each amplifier in the link based on the span losses of the fiber spans in the link;
• (c) means for selecting an optical channel to be transmitted through the link and turning on the channel power;
• (d) means for setting a signal power level at a transmitter for said channel on the link so as to provide transmittance of said channel through the link while the channel is amplified by the amplifier in the link;
• (e) means for setting a signal power level at a receiver for said channel on the link so as to provide that the power level at the receiver is within a predetermined range, comprising:
• (g) means for decreasing the signal power level at the receiver for said channel to the level below a signal detection limit of the receiver;
• (h) means for increasing the signal power level at the receiver for said channel until it reaches a signal detection limit of the receiver;
• (j) means for storing said signal power level at the receiver from the step (h);
• and
• (k) means for calculating an operating power margin for said channel as being equal to a difference between the signal power level at the receiver in the step (e) and in the step (j), the steps (g), (h), and (j) being performed before the step (e);
• and
• (f) means for repeating the steps (c) to (e) until all channels to be transmitted through the link are selected.