Operations administration and management service for an optical layer of a communication network
AssigneeAlcatel Lucent
InventorsWalter J. Carpini, Don R. Ellis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
We disclose a network element having one or more OAM components that enable the network element to send and receive in-band service messages without disrupting the flow of user data on the wavelength channel(s) used for the transmission of said in-band service messages. When deployed in a transport plane of a communications network, a plurality of such network elements can advantageously be used to perform various OAM functions that support a link-fault-management mechanism in a manner that complements and strengthens the existing OAM capabilities, particularly at various intermediate points within the optical network path(s).
Claims24
A method for a network element, the method comprising:
- configuring a first network element of an optical network path to transmit a first in-band service message to a second network element via said optical network path using a first set of one or more subcarriers of a first wavelength channel;
- and
- configuring the first network element to receive a second in-band service message from the second network element via said optical network path using a second set of one or more subcarriers of a second wavelength channel;
- wherein either the second in-band service message is responsive to the first in-band service message or the first in-band service message is responsive to the second in-band service message;
- and
- wherein the first in-band service message and the second in-band service message are parts of an operations, administration, and management (OAM) function selected from a set including a wavelength continuity-check protocol (WCCP), a wavelength ping protocol (WPP), and a wavelength trace route protocol (WTRP).
An optical network comprising:
- an optical network path that comprises an end network element and an intermediate network element configured to communicate with one another using one or more wavelength channels;
- and
- a service controller configured to carry out a wavelength-channel service protocol using the end network element and the intermediate network element, wherein:
- the end network element is configured to:
- receive a first out-of-band service message corresponding to the wavelength-channel service protocol from the service controller;
- and
- in response to the first out-of-band service message, transmit a first in-band service message corresponding to the wavelength-channel service protocol to the intermediate network element via the optical network path;
- and
- the intermediate network element is configured to:
- receive the first in-band service message corresponding to the wavelength-channel service protocol from the end network element via the optical network path;
- and
- in response to the first in-band service message, transmit a second in-band service message corresponding to the wavelength-channel service protocol to the end network element via the optical network path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.