Cross-connect protection method, network management terminal, and network element

A network element including a cross-connect, a control part that controls the cross-connect, and an interface part connected to one of a plurality of network management terminals that control a plurality of network elements constituting a network, the one of network management terminal controlling the cross-connect at each of the plurality of network elements, the control part comprising:

• a lock/unlock control part that receives a command from the one of the plurality of network management terminals instructing locking and unlocking of a set cross-connect, and performs the instructed locking by prohibiting canceling of the set cross-connect and the instructed unlocking by canceling the set cross-connect,
• wherein the one network management terminal corresponds to a predetermined priority in relation to others of the plurality of network management terminals, and
• said locking and unlocking of the set cross-connect are limited from the others of the plurality of network management terminals.

A network management terminal including an interface part connected to a network element via a transmission channel, and a control part that monitors a plurality of network elements constituting a network and controls a cross-connect at each of the plurality of network elements, the control part comprising:

• a priority adding part that adds a priority to a command for instructing setting or cancellation of the cross-connect in one of the plurality of network elements, and transmits said command to said one of the plurality of network elements,
• wherein the priority corresponds to the network management terminal in relation to a plurality of other network management terminals, and
• the setting and cancellation of the cross-connect are limited to corresponding commands with the added priority.

A network element of a system where a plurality of network management terminals monitor a plurality of network elements constituting a network and the cross-connect at each of said network elements is controlled, comprising:

• a cross-connect setting/cancellation part that receives a command from one of said network management terminals, sets a cross-connect with an added priority in a case of a set instruction, and performs cancellation only when the added priority is equal to or higher than a priority of a set cross-connect in a case of a cancel instruction,
• wherein the added priority corresponds to the one of the plurality of network management terminals for instructing the cross-connect in relation to others of the plurality of other network management terminals.