Apparatus, system, and method for asymmetrical and dynamic routing

A method for adjusting bandwidth capacity of two or more network devices exchanging data in a communication network, the method comprising:

• detecting a current bandwidth load required for transmitting a data signal from at least one active transmit port of a first network device;
• enabling at least one idle transmit port at the first network device to transmit an additional data signal when the current bandwidth load exceeds a threshold bandwidth value and when a bandwidth authorization notification is received from a second network device;
• generating at least one control signal in response to the bandwidth authorization notification;
• and
• transmitting the at least one control signal to an light re-directing device connected to at least one active receive port and the at least one idle transmit port of the first network device to position the light re-directing device to transmit the additional data signal from the at least one idle transmit port to the second network device.

A system for adjusting bandwidth capacity of two or more network devices exchanging data in a communication network, the system comprising:

• a first network device for transmitting a first plurality of data signals, the first network device comprising:
• at least one first active transmit port;
• at least one first active receive port;
• at least one first idle transmit port;
• at least one first idle receive port;
• and
• at least two first light re-directing devices, wherein a first one of the at least two first light re-directing devices is connected to the at least one first active transmit port and the at least one first idle receive port, and wherein a second one of the at least two first light re-directing devices is in communication with the at least one first active receive port and the at least one first idle transmit port;
• a second network device for transmitting a second plurality of data signals, the second network device comprising:
• at least one second active transmit port;
• at least one second active receive port;
• at least one second idle transmit port;
• at least one second idle receive port;
• and
• at least two second light re-directing devices, wherein a first one of the at least two second light re-directing devices is connected to the at least one second active transmit port and the at least one second idle receive port, and wherein a second one of the at least two second light re-directing devices in communication with the at least one second active receive port and the at least one second idle transmit port;
• and
• wherein the first network device is configured to:
• detect a current bandwidth load for transmitting a data signal from the at least one first active transmit port;
• enable the at least one first idle transmit port to transmit an additional data signal when the current bandwidth load exceeds a threshold bandwidth value and when a bandwidth authorization notification is received from the second network device;
• generate at least one control signal in response to the bandwidth authorization notification;
• and
• transmit the at least one control signal to the second one of the at least two light re-directing devices to position the second one of the at least two light re-directing devices to transmit the additional data signal from the enabled at least one first idle transmit port.

A method for adjusting bandwidth capacity of two or more network devices exchanging data in a communication network, the method comprising:

• transmitting a data signal from at least one active transmit port of a first network device to a second network device;
• transmitting a bandwidth request from the first network device to the second network device according to a communication protocol, the communication protocol requiring the bandwidth request to identify at least one of a location of the second network device, a specific wavelength of an additional data signal, and an additional amount of bandwidth required for transmitting the additional data signal;
• receiving a bandwidth authorization notification from the second network device at the first network device according to the communication protocol, the communication protocol requiring the bandwidth authorization notification to identify at least one receive port at the second network device for receiving the additional data signal at the specific wavelength and to identify an available amount bandwidth capacity for receiving the additional data signal;
• and
• enabling at least one idle transmit port at the first network device to transmit the additional data signal to the at least one receive port in response to the bandwidth authorization notification.

The method of 29 further comprises:

• detecting a current bandwidth load required for transmitting the data signal from at least one active transmit port of a first network device, wherein the at least one idle transmit port is enabled in response to the bandwidth authorization notification when the when the current bandwidth load exceeds a threshold bandwidth value;
• receiving a bandwidth denial notification from the second network device at the first network device, the bandwidth authorization notification indicating that the second network device does not have the available bandwidth capacity for receiving the additional data signal;
• and
• disabling the at least one idle transmit port at the first network device from transmitting the additional data signal in response to the bandwidth denial notification.