Method and system for effectuating network routing over primary and backup channels

A method for sending customer data from a first network node to a second network node, comprising:

• (a) providing a primary channel comprising a free space optical (FSO) link enabled by respective FSO transceivers operatively-linked to the first and second network nodes;
• (b) enabling customer data to be transferred over the primary channel while monitoring a transmission quality of the FSO link to determine if the link enters a marginal operating state, and in response thereto,
• (c) opening the FSO link so that it is unavailable for customer data;
• and
• (d) sending test traffic over the FSO link while monitoring the transmission quality to determine if the FSO link returns to a non-marginal operating state, and in response thereto,
• (e) closing the FSO link so that it is made available for customer data;
• and
• (f) repeating operations (b)-(e) on a continuous basis;
• wherein a state machine algorithm is used to determine when to open and close the primary channel link.

A free space optical (FSO) system, comprising:

• first and second FSO transceivers, to exchange communications traffic via a FSO link,
• respective first and second link monitor and control components operatively coupled to the first and second FSO transceivers, each link monitor and control component providing a network-side interface to enable connection of the FSO link to a network and configured to perform the operations of:
• (a) enabling customer traffic to be transferred over the FSO link while monitoring a transmission quality of the FSO link to determine if the link enters a marginal operating state, and in response thereto,
• (b) disabling the FSO link such that a network to which the FSO link may be connected immediately determines that it is unavailable for transmitting customer traffic;
• and
• (c) sending test traffic over the FSO link while monitoring the transmission quality to determine if the FSO link returns to a non-marginal operating state, and in response thereto,
• (d) re-enabling the FSO link such that the network immediately determines that it is available for transmission of customer traffic;
• and
• (e) repeating operations (a)-(d) on a continuous basis;
• wherein the link monitoring and control component includes a processing means by which an algorithm is executed to enable operations (a)-(d).