Client grooming interface

In an optical network connecting a customer's network element in a customer's network with a service provider's network element in a service provider's network, a provider optical interface apparatus comprising:

• a provider interface within said service provider's network element coupled to a customer interface within said customer's network element, said customer interface for optically conveying one or more optical data plane signals to said provider interface;
• a provider controller within said service provider's network coupled to a customer controller within said customer's network element, wherein said customer controller and said provider controller are managed within said service provider's network, and wherein said customer's network element is managed at least in part, but not entirely, within said customer's network;
• and
• a customer demarcation control channel for conveying, between said customer controller and said provider controller, information of at least one of a payload signal mapping property and/or a signal multiplexing property of said one or more optical data plane signals, and wherein said provider controller is configured to enable and to prohibit the transmission of said one or more optical data plane signals in accordance with said information, and wherein said customer demarcation control channel is not demodulated with said one or more optical data plane signals at said provider controller.

In an optical network connecting a customer's network element within a customer's network with a service provider's network element in a service provider's network, a system for providing optical demarcation, comprising:

• a provider interface within said service provider's network element;
• a customer interface within said customer's network element optically coupled to said provider interface for optically conveying one or more optical data plane signals to said provider interface;
• a provider controller within said service provider's network;
• a customer controller within said customer's network element coupled to said provider controller, wherein said customer controller and said provider controller are managed within said service provider's network, and wherein said customer's network element is managed at least in part, but not entirely, within said customer's network;
• and
• a customer demarcation control channel for conveying, between said customer controller and said provider controller, information of at least one of a payload signal mapping property and/or a signal multiplexing property of said one or more optical data plane signals, and wherein said provider controller is configured to enable and to prohibit the transmission of said one or more optical data plane signals in accordance with said information, and wherein said customer demarcation control channel is not demodulated with said one or more optical data plane signals at said provider controller.

A method for controlling transmission of at least one optical data plane signal sent from a customer optical interface within a customer's network element in a customer's network towards a provider optical interface within a service provider's network element in a service provider's network, the method comprising:

• conveying information representing a value of at least one of a payload signal mapping and/or a signal multiplexing property associated with said at least one optical data plane signal, by,
• sending said information from a customer controller at said customer's network element to a provider controller within said service provider's network via a customer demarcation control channel conveyed there between, wherein said customer's network element is at least partially, but not entirely, managed within said customer's network, and wherein said customer controller and said provider controller are both managed within said service provider's network, and
• receiving said information said provider controller;
• and
• enabling or prohibiting the transmission of said one or more optical data plane signals in accordance with said information, by,
• verifying at said provider controller that said information is acceptable, and,
• enabling said at least one optical data plane signal to transit at least a portion of said service provider's network if said information is acceptable, or prohibiting said at least one optical data plane signal from transiting at least a portion of said optical network if said information is not acceptable;
• and
• wherein said control channel is not demodulated with said one or more optical data plane signals at said provider controller.

A method for controlling transmission of at least one optical data plane signal sent from a customer optical interface within a customer's network element in a customer's network towards a provider optical interface within a service provider's network element in a service provider's network, the method comprising:

• conveying information representing an acceptable value of at least one of a payload signal mapping property and/or a signal multiplexing property associated with said at least one optical data plane signal, by,
• sending said information from a provider controller within a service provider's network to a customer controller at said customer's network element via a customer demarcation control channel conveyed there between, wherein said customer's network element is at least partially, but not entirely, managed within said customer's network, and wherein said customer controller and said provider controller are both managed within said service provider's network, and
• receiving said information at said customer controller;
• and
• enabling or prohibiting the transmission of said one or more optical data plane signals in accordance with said information, by,
• verifying at said customer controller whether a current operating value of said at least one optical signal parameter and a current operating value of at least one of a payload signal mapping property and/or a signal multiplexing property of said at least one optical data plane signal conforms to said information, and,
• enabling said at least one optical data plane signal to transit at least a portion of said optical network if said current operating value is verified as conforming to said information, or prohibiting said at least one optical data plane signal from transiting at least a portion of said optical network if said current operating value is not verified as conforming to said information;
• and
• wherein said control channel is not demodulated with said one or more optical data plane signals at said provider controller.